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7/18/2019 Employee Handbook 2014
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/employee-handbook-2014 1/24
The
Merlin Way
Welcome to
7/18/2019 Employee Handbook 2014
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/employee-handbook-2014 2/24
Welcome to Merlin Entertainments plc , the
most exciting, fast-paced family entertainment
company offering high value, memorable
experiences around the globe.
Wherever your talents lie, you’ll be at the heart
of our business, helping to make sure that every
one of our customers has a day out they will
always remember. Our success is due to our
belief in going the extra mi le to make sure every
aspect of our customers’ experience is amazing.
We do this ‘The Merlin Way’:
We love what we do
We care
We are innovative and fast moving
We do what we say
We make every £, $, 5... count
We take ownership
…and we make it fun!
So if you share this commitment, you’ll have a
bright future with us – especially since we recruit
people who are positive and passionate about
what they do and we are dedicated to developing
their talents.
We hope that your journey with us will be
enjoyable and rewarding, but most of all… fun!
Welc me
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01 A History of Success
05 A World of Attractions
15 The Way We Work
15 Our Strategy and Key Performance
Indicators
17 The Merlin Way –
Our Company Values
19 STAR
21 SPARK AN IDEA
23 The Wizard Wants to Know
24 Keeping You Informed
25 Employee Welfare
26 Employee Benets
27 Learning and Development
31 Group Policies
34 Health & Safety
36 Product Excellence
37 Conservation and Wildlife
39 Merlin’s Magic Wand
Contents
7/18/2019 Employee Handbook 2014
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• Two new hotels opened – at
Chessington World of Adventures
and Heide Park Resort.
• Acquisition of The Tussauds Group
positioned Merlin Entertainments
Group as the No.2 Visitor Attraction
Operator in the world.
• Madame Tussauds opened in
Washington DC.
2008 • Merlin acquired The London
Aquarium. • Madame Tussauds opened in Berlin.
• LEGOLAND® Discovery Centres
opened in Duisburg, Germany and
Schaumburg near Chicago, USA.
• SEA LIFE attractions opened in
Chessington World of Adventures,
UK; Gardaland, Italy; and
LEGOLAND® California.
• Merlin acquired Underwater
Adventures Aquarium in
Minneapolis, USA..
• Holiday Village accommodation
opened in LEGOLAND® Germany.
• Merlin announced plans to develop
fth and sixth LEGOLAND® Parks
in Malaysia (2012) and Dubai.
2009 • Merlin opened rst attraction inPortugal – SEA LIFE Porto.
• Madame Tussauds opened in
Hollywood, California.
• SEA LIFE London Aquarium
re-opened after £5m ret.
• SEA LIFE attraction opened in Alton
Towers Resort.
• Dungeon opened at Warwick Castle.
• Heide Camp Holiday Village
accommodation opened in Heide
Park Resort, Germany.
• LEGO® Underwater World opened
in LEGOLAND® Germany.
2010 • LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre
opened in Manchester, UK.
• SEA LIFE opened in Phoenix,
Arizona.
• Waterpark opened at LEGOLAND®
California.
• Madame Tussauds opened in
Bangkok.
• Merlin acquired Cypress Gardens,
Florida/announced conversion to
a LEGOLAND® Park.
• At the end of June, CVC Capital
Partners (‘CVC’) acquired a 28%
stake in the Merlin Entertainments
Group in a move which underpinned
Merlin’s ambitious growth plans.
Merlin’s shareholders – KIRKBI
(LEGO® owner), Blackstone, CVCand management.
By innovating and developing our existing sites,
expanding into new locations, developing new
brands and making strategic acquisitions, we have
grown to be one of the world’s most exciting
and dynamic companies.
1999 • Merlin Entertainments Group
formed via £47m MBO from Vardon
– backed by APAX – this kicked off a
period of organic growth.
2000 • Opening of Dungeons in Hamburg
and Edinburgh.
• Continued expansion of the SEA
LIFE Centre brand in Europe,
including at Disneyland Paris (as
rst third-party attraction brand
for Disney resort); Helsinki; Speyer;
Berlin; and the rst mobile SEA LIFE
Centre at Dortmund.
• Visitor numbers up 25% since
buyout to over 5 million.
2004 • New brand launched in Belgium –
Earth Explorer.
• New SEA LIFE Centres opened in
Oberhausen and Dresden (mobile).
• Secondary buyout backed by
Hermes Private Equity.
• EBITDA +104% 2000 – 2004.
2005 • Second mobile SEA LIFE Centre
launched in Nürnberg; new SEA LIFE
Centre opened in Königswinter; and
new Dungeon in Amsterdam.
• Blackstone purchased Merlin for
£102m.
• LEGOLAND® acquisition made
Merlin No.2 in Europe/No. 9 in t he
world.
2006 • Continued expansion of SEA LIFE
with new Centres in Munich andLoch Lomond.
• Italian acquisitions included: Aquatica
Water Park, Milan; and Italy’s No.1
theme park – Gardaland (Park and
Hotel).
• Merlin now No. 1 European
Visitor Attraction Operator/No.6
worldwide.
• Launch of Pirate Shores in
LEGOLAND® California delivered
highest growth in US theme park in
2006.
2007 • New SEA LIFE Centre in Hanover
opened.
• First ‘LEGOLAND® Atlantis by
SEA LIFE’ opened in Billund – new
concept bringing together two of
Merlin’s successful brands.
• LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre –
the rst of a new indoor interactive
attraction – opened in Berlin.
A History of Success
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2013 • Madame Tussauds, Tokyo opened.
• LEGOLAND® Discovery Centres
opened in Toronto (rst Canadian
attraction); Westchester New York,
USA; and Oberhausen, Germany.
• New Dungeon opened in Berlin.
• New London Dungeon opened on
the South Bank.
• Themed hotel opened in
LEGOLAND® California.
• SEA LIFE opened in Manchester, UK.
• Madame Tussauds, Wuhan opened in
China.
• Waterpark and hotel opened in
LEGOLAND®, Malaysia.
• Merlin Entertainments oated on
the London Stock Exchange.
2014 Already in development:
• Madame Tussauds – Beiji ng;
Singapore; San Francisco.
• LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre –
Boston, USA.
• SEA LIFE – Charlotte – Concord,
USA.
• Dungeon – San Francisco.
2011 • Merlin acquired the Sydney
Attractions Group which owned
six of Australia/New Zealand’s top
attractions (including the Sydney
Tower and Sydney Aquarium).
• Merlin made a bid for the Australian
company, Living and Leisure
Australia, in December 2011 –
comprised of 10 major attractions in
Australia and Asia.
• LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre
opened in Dallas/Fort Worth, USA.
• SEA LIFE opened in Jesolo, Italy; and
Dallas/Fort Worth, USA.
• LEGOLAND® Florida opened – 5th
LEGOLAND® Park.
• Madame Tussauds opened in Vienna
and Blackpool.
• Blackpoo l Tower Dungeon opened
in Blackpool.
• Blackpool Tower Eye observation
attraction/4D cinema opened in
Blackpool.
2012 • Merlin completed acquisition of
Australian company, Living and
Leisure Australia – comprised of 10
major attractions in Australia and
Asia.
• Hotel opened at LEGOLAND®
Windsor, UK.
• Madame Tussauds, Sydney opened.
• Waterpark opened at LEGOLAND®
Florida.
• LEGOLAND® Park openedin Malaysia in September (rst
Malaysian attraction and 6th
LEGOLAND® Park).
• LEGOLAND® Discovery Centres
opened in: Tokyo, Japan; Atlanta, USA;
and Kansas City, USA.
• SEA LIFE opened in Kansas
City, USA.
• SEA LIFE Weymouth Tower
observation attraction opened in
the UK.
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Merlin Entertainments plc is a business built on
fun. We seek to create magical days out for our
visitors and the kind of memories which last
forever. Merlin now operates 100 attractions,
nine hotels/three holiday villages in 22 countries
and across four continents. The company aims
to deliver memorable and rewarding experiences
to its c.60m visitors worldwide, through its
iconic global and local brands, and the commitment
and passion of its managers and more than
22,000 employees.
Among Merlin’s attractions are:
SEA LIFE; Madame Tussauds; LEGOLAND®;
The EDF Energy London Eye; Dungeons;
Gardaland Resort; LEGOLAND® Discovery
Centres; A lton Towers Resort ; Warwick Castle;
THORPE PARK Resort; Chessington World of
Adventures Resort; Blackpool Tower; Heide Park
Resort; WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo; Sydney Tower Eye
and SKYWALK; Siam Ocean World and Busan
Aquarium. All brands which are di stinctive,
challenging and innovative and which have great
potential for growth in the future. Visit
www.merlinentertainments.biz for
more information.
A World of Attractions
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Part of the Merlin
Entertainments Eye brand
of iconic observation
attractions – all with
exciting 4D pre-shows – the London Eye is not
only the UK’s most popular paid for visitor
attraction and the tallest observation wheel in
Europe, it has also become a 21st century
symbol for modern Britain and a global icon.
Other ‘Eye’ icons include the Blackpool Tower
Eye in the UK and the Sydney Tower Eye in
Australia – with the Orlando Eye due to openin 2015.
Located in the Australian
Alps in North East Victoria,
Hotham and Falls Creek
Alpine Resorts provide a
unique Winter experience
for all visitors. Offering two
resorts on one lift pass – a point of di fference
from other Australian ski resorts – guests can
enjoy varied terrain suited to all abilities, from
rst time snow experience through to expert
skiers and riders. Families, groups and couples
are catered for in a range of accommodation
including ski-in/ski-out chalets and apartments,
lodges and hotels. At our resorts, it’s ‘all about
the guest’ and the staff strive to ensure that at
each step of the guests’ visit they receive an
exceptional level of friendly and professional
customer service.
WILD LIFE is an Australian
animal adventure based in
the heart of Sydney and on
Hamilton Island in the
Whitsundays. The two sites feature interactive
displays, daily keeper talks, enhanced
walk-through habitats and a huge range of
unique and legendary Australian animals.
Fun, colourful and
inspirational, our global
portfolio contains six
unique LEGOLAND®
Resorts, each bursting with interactive family
rides, live shows, building workshops, driving
schools and attractions, including awe-inspiring
Miniland areas reecting the Resort location – all
based on the iconic LEGO® building brick.
Designed specically for families with children
2-12, you will nd LEGOLAND® Parks in:
Denmark; Germany; the UK; California and
Florida in the US; and Malaysia. Families can
extend their stay at one of our magical on-site
LEGOLAND® hotels – in Denmark, the UK,
California and Malaysia – or our LEGOLAND®
Holiday Villages – located next to the
LEGOLAND® Parks in Denmark and Germany.
Madame Tussauds has been
the world’s most famous
exhibition of wax gures for
over 200 years. Lifelike
gures of ‘A’ list celebrities
– from movie stars and sports stars to politicians
and pop princesses – offer visitors a star-studded
day out, and there are currently 15 attractions
across Europe, North America and Australasia
– all different from one another and reecting
their location, with three more attractions due
to open in Beijing, Singapore and San Franciscoin 2014.
This is the original scarily
funny show. An amazing cast
of theatrical actors, special
effects, stages, scenes and
rides create The Dungeons – a truly unique and
exciting walkthrough experience.
Fully surrounding and immersive – see, hear,
touch, smell and feel – we tell stories about how
the world used to be – and the rogues, rascals
and villains that were a pretty mean, bad, rough
and tough bunch. We breathe life into history’s
horrible bits. The 9th Dungeon and rst outside
Europe will open in San Francisco in 2014.
Fear is a funny thing…
Both educational and
entertaining, the world’s
number one aquarium
brand – SEA LIFE – takes
visitors on an amazing underwater journey of
discovery. They meet sea creatures close up, are
wowed by stunning habitats and learn about SEA
LIFE’s work to conserve the oceans through the
SEA LIFE Breed, Rescue and Protect programmes.
Sharing the beauty of the oceans and its
creatures, we aim to inspire others to join us in
working to preserve our marine heritage forfuture generations. We have close associations
with specialist marine organisations around the
world and have recently launched a charitable
trust – the SEA LIFE Marine Conservation Trust
– to help us facilitate even more challenging
projects. There are 45 SEA LIFE attractions and
sanctuaries across Europe, North America,
Australasia, New Zealand and Asia Pacic, all
of which reect the local environment and
marine life.
Step inside the biggest box
of LEGO® bricks ever!
LEGOLAND® Discovery
Centres hold a world of colour, creativity and
fun. With 4D cinema experiences, LEGO® ri des,
MINILAND and more, we offer a great indoor
family experience.
Our attraction gives children aged 3 to 10 years
and their families the opportunity to see the
LEGO® world of their imagination come to life
and see the amazing work of our LEGO® Master
Model Builders.
Our major attraction brands
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The largest and most
visited resort theme park
in Northern Germany,
Heide Park Resort is set in
850,000 square metres of
wonderful park landscape. Featuring a Caribbean
Holiday Camp and the pirate-themed Hotel Port
Royal – not forgetting a host of different rides
and shows including new for 2014 ‘Flight of the
Demons’– it gives the whole family countless
opportunities for fun and adventure.
Warwick Castle – Bri tain’s
ultimate castle – offers
families a fantasy day out
– in a real Castle! They
can immerse themselves in a thousand years of
jaw-dropping history, get caught up in great
battles, ancient myths and spellbinding tales and
watch displays of everything from jousting to
falconry. Attractions range from the Princess
Tower to the grisly Warwick Castle Dungeon
and ‘Merlin –The Dragon Tower’ – and offer
everything from sorcery to swashbuckling
adventure.
Our Sanctuaries aim to
enrich the lives of the
creatures that we care for
and we have done so for
over 50 years. Our team of carers have been
rescuing, rehabilitating and releasing seal pups
from local coastlines that nd themselves in
trouble, whether it be as a result of eye
problems, respiratory infections and
malnourishment, broken bones, pollution-related
problems or separation from their mothers too
soon. The team provides round-the-clock carethroughout the ‘pup rescue season’ (usually
September – March) to get them back to full
health so they can go back out into the wild
where they should be. Through heart-warming
stories, our guests’ lives are enriched by our
carers who bring our creatures’ stories to life,
creating wonderful memories and returners time
and time again.
Alton Towers Resort, set
in 500 acres of glorious
Staffordshire countryside,
is home to the UK’s most
visited theme park.
Boasting over 50 rides and attractions with
something for all the family to enjoy – including
an enviable line up of world rst rollercoasters,
such as The Smiler, Nemesis, Air and Oblivion and
ground-breaking family attractions like the
all-new CBeebies Land – the Resort also features
two fantastical hotels, a wacky waterpark withgallons of fun, a luxurious spa for the ultimate in
relaxation, and zany entertainment in our
Extraordinary Golf. With so much scope there
really is too much to squeeze into a day at
Britain’s Greatest Escape!
A fantasy world on the shore
of Lake Garda, Gardaland
Resort is Italy’s No.1 theme
park and is fast becoming one of Europe’s most
popular short-break destinations. It is a
combination of adventure, dream and strong
emotions, appealing to families, teens and young
adults and with several of Europe’s top thrill
rides, a vast selection of shows, restaurants and
events, a fantastic hotel on the lake, and a
SEA LIFE aquarium.
Chessington World
of Adventures Resort is
Britain’s wildest day out –
combining a great family
theme park, a SEA LIFE
Centre and a world class Zoo – open all year
round. Chessington offers more than 40 rides
and attractions including Zufari – Ride i nto Africa,
a unique off-road adventure ride featuring real
giraffes and rhinos with a theme park twist.
There’s also an African style hotel complete with
safari-themed rooms, indoor swimming pool, spaand the fantastic Zafari Bar & Grill – all of this
overlooking the animals on the Wanyama
Reserve. The hotel is the perfect base camp for
visitors to the resort.
As the nation’s Thrill
Capital, THORPE PARK
Resort is constantly
pushing the boundaries
with some of Europe’s most extreme rides
such as THE SWARM, the UK’s rst winged
rollercoaster, SAW – The Ride, the world’s rst
horror movie themed rollercoaster, Stealth,
one of Europe’s fastest and tallest rollercoasters
and Colossus, the world’s rst ten inversion
rollercoaster. With a core audience of 16-24
year olds and ‘up-for-it’ families, the Park has
been leading the way in the UK when it comes
to extreme theme park thrills.
®
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Making Magic… the heart of our business and a
critical component of Merlin’s central resource.
It was established in August 2011, headed up by
Mark Fisher, Chief Development Ofcer. There
are currently employees working for MMM in 16
locations globally. Every day, in every attraction,
our visitors benet from their efforts, and no
other company in the world – including all of our
competitors – has such a far reaching resource.
We might not be customer-facing, but the
Corporate team is still vital to making sure
every Merlin guest has an experience they’ll
remember. From our Head Ofce in Poole and
our Business Support ofce in Chessington,
teams in everything from Group Finance to
IT, Commercial Partnerships to Legal, and
eCommerce to Procurement support all
the Merlin attractions to be innovative and
successful businesses, and to deliver memorable
experiences to thousands of people every day.
We love what we do and share a passion for
supporting each attraction through our central
expertise. Whether it is in the gifts and food we
buy for our guests or by star ting the magic when
they are rst booking a visit – we all share the
same goal of making a difference.
Our Corporate Ofces Merlin Magic Making
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Merlin Magic Making (MMM) has responsibility for:
Producing the Magic
Responsible for wax gures,
LEGO® models, aquarium
displays development and
attraction theming. One of the
unique aspects of Merlin is our
in-house expertise in delivering
the content of our attractions.
Finding the Magic
We conduct new site searches
and are responsible for nding and
delivering the sites for
the organic roll-out of
Merlin businesses. The team
continues to track over 100
potential locations.
Delivering the Magic
Responsible for project management
and development. We believe we
can build anything, anywhere in the
world, on time, on budget and to the
required specication.
Creating the Magic
Through innovation and
creativity we deliver all new
compelling propositions across
the entire Group. Notable recent
developments include: The Smiler,
Alton Towers Resort; Madame
Tussauds Wuhan (China); and
LEGOLAND® California Hotel and
Waterpark.
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How are we going to deliver the
strategy?
1. Growing our estate
We aim to deliver something new to customers
at each attraction each year. This will encourage
more people to visit more often. So by investing
extra capital into the business during certain
years, we will gradually drive the business forward.
2. Midway roll out
We will continue to deliver high-quality
experiences to customers for a relatively small
investment – in both initial capital and ongoingdevelopment – by putting our money into
opening more tried and tested brands. These
brands include SEA LIFE, Madame Tussauds,
the Dungeons and LEGOLAND®, and we
will also extend the Eye brand to other
observation experiences.
3. Developing our Theme Park
Resorts
Adding accommodation and second gates
to our theme parks means we can use them
more intensively. Themed accommodation and
a broader range of entertainment encourage
customers to opt for short breaks. That in
turn brings customers in from further aeld –
certainly beyond a two-hour drive time – and
increases admissions and boosts secondary
spend. What ’s more, these developments create
new prot streams and help improve customersatisfaction by broadening the reasons for visiting
our attractions and reducing pressure on rides.
4. Strategic synergies
We’re a big organisation. And we offer a
wide range of attractions – many of them
concentrated in t he same areas. We can capitalise
on that with high-prole group marketing
campaigns, cross-promotions and shared support
functions. Working with major partners, we can
make attractive national promotional offers to
visitors while cutting our procurement costs and
investing in eCommerce platforms that help us
manage sales.
5. LEGOLAND® development
LEGO® is a strong brand with a consistent
park format. That means we can deliver new
LEGOLAND® theme parks very effectively
and meet our return on investment targets,
particularly if we’re converting an existing park
to the brand such as LEGOLAND® Florida.
6. Strategic acquisitions
Our acquisition strategy aims to strengthen our
existing attraction portfolio and to recreate the
characteristics of our European portfolio in the
USA and Asia.
Merlin Entertainments Vision
To be the global leader i n location based branded
family entertainment.
Merlin Entertainments Mission
To deliver high quality, memorable experiences
to visitors.
Our Strategy and Key Performance
Indicators (KPIs)
The Way We Work
ONE
CLEAR
VISION
Catching Mickey.
ONE CLEAR STRATEGY
To create a high value, international,
family entertainment company based onstrong brands and a portfolio that is naturally
hedged against external factors such as weather or
localised market problems.
SIX STRATEGIC GROWTH DRIVERS
1) Existing Estate growth 2) Midway roll out
3) Theme Park Resort Development 4) Strategic Synergies5) LEGOLAND® Park Development 6) Strategic Acquisitions
MEASURED BY SEVEN KPIs
1) Volume growth 2) Revenue growth 3) EBITDA growth
4) EBITDA Margin 5) ROCI 6) Staff Turnover 7) Guest Satisfaction and Operational Gearing
AND A CLEAR WAY TO BEHAVE – The Merlin Way
We love what we do, We care, We are innovative and fast moving, We do what we say,
We make every £, $, 5 count, We take ownership... and we make it fun.
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The Merlin Way is at the heart of what we do.
It encapsulates what a Merlin person is about
and helps shape how we will continue to achieve
business growth and our objectives for the
future. The Merlin Way – our company values –
represents our company’s DNA.
We love what we do
We care
We are innovative and fast moving
We do what we say
We make every £, $, 5... count
We take ownership
…and we make it fun!
The Merlin Way is integrated into everything
we do:
Strategic Thinking
The ability to develop vision and formulate new
strategic options in a creative and criti cal way –
underpinned by a sound nancial knowledge.
Customer Excellence
Being passionate about delivering memorable
experiences to customers and an excellent
service to customers internally.
Communication
The ability to convey spoken and written ideas
and messages with condence and clarity.
Engagement
Living and breathing The Merlin Way, either
through your own actions or through
empowering and motivating others.
Improvement
Developing new ideas to continuously improve
the business through creativity, innovation or
challenging the status quo.
Solutions
Identifying solutions to resolve both simple and
complex problems.
Attention to Detail
Focusing on the details that will help to deliver
results.
By applying The Merlin Way to all that we do, we
achieve our overall aim – to deli ver high quality
memorable experiences to customers around
the globe. To see how our employees
live and breathe The Merlin Way please visit
www.themerlinway.com (please contact HR
for log-in details).
The Merlin Way – Our Company Values
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Please visit www.merlinstarawards.com, which
can also be accessed via Merlin Online or
complete a ‘Send a STAR’ card and drop it in
one of the STAR boxes at your local attraction.
For further information on the STAR website or
to obtain a Pack of STAR cards please visit your
local HR team.
How do I log-on to STAR?
You can access the website by using your
work email address; the password which is
automatically set to ‘Merlin2011’ can be changed.
If you do not have a work email address you may
request to use your personal email address via
your local HR team or use the ‘Send a STAR’
card system.
How will I know if I have been
nominated?
If you are registered on the STAR website you
will get a notication in your inbox. You can
then log on to see your nomination online. Your
nomination will also feature in t he Merlin STAR
live news feed on the website for everyone to
see and your line manager will also receive an
email with your nomination. If you don’t have
an email address, you’ll be recognised through a
‘Send a STAR’ card. This is managed by your HR
team or STAR Champion.
What will I win?
All nominations go to t he STAR Panel/Senior
Leadership Team and every month (may vary
by attraction) they will identify a ‘STAR of the
Month’ and a ‘Runner-Up’ and award employees
with the following:
STAR of the Month £25.00 or award of
equivalent value
Runner-Up £10.00 or award of
equivalent value
STAR of the Year £250.00 or award of
equivalent value
Please note, the value of these rewards will be
reected in your local currency.
We value the contribution of every one of our
team and see employee recognition as a key
part of our commitment to creating the best
company to work for in our industry.
STAR is Merlin’s exciting global employee
recognition programme and your chance to
recognise colleagues anywhere in Merlin who
truly shine, live and breathe The Merlin Way, go
the extra mile to deliver memorable experiences
or contribute their time or energy to Merlin’s
Magic Wand or conservation efforts.
You can send a STAR for outstanding contribution
or send a Thank You for the appreciated gestures
– you can also copy in your nomination’s line
manager for extra recognition. STAR allows you
to celebrate success instantly, online and in a very
interactive way.
To take STAR to the next level we have
introduced a Pack of STARs to inspire our
managers to recognise and reward their teams in
more creative ways – at low and no cost!
STAR
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Do you have a bright idea, top tip or innovative
initiative which you think we should all know
about? Or maybe you just need some inspiration?
SPARK AN IDEA is a global online tool which
has been designed to allow each one of our
employees to share their i deas, however big or
small, on the website for all to view. Employees
can read all the ideas, search by brand or simply
look for inspiration. SPARK AN IDEA allows us
to feed back to the employee who has submitted
an idea, thanking them for t heir contribution.
We have implemented some fantastic ideas
from across the Group such as Alton Towers
Resort’s ‘Red Button Idea’ which increased
sales within their Fried Chicken F&B outlet,
and LEGOLAND® Florida’s ‘MiniFig Trading
Ambassador’ which has really engaged our
guests in a very fun and interactive way as well
as improve the sales of MiniFigures.
SPARK AN IDEA
For 2014 we will be communicating quarterly
themes and would welcome your ideas to help
us drive business improvements in the following
areas:
Q1: What’s the new second gate to theme
parks?
Q2: How should we use social media
to make our experiences more
memorable?
Q3: What should we be doing that a
competitor is already doing?Q4: What should we do to drive food and
beverage sales to enhance our overall
visitor experience?
Those truly outstanding ideas will be reviewed by
the Group Creativity and Innovation Forum and
the best idea will be selected to win an iPad mini
and will be shortlisted for the Innovation of the
Year award.
To share your idea please log on to
www.merlinsparkanidea.com or pick up a SPARK
card at your attraction. You can access the
website using the same log-in details as STAR.
ALTON TOWERS RESORT
Guests select a number between 1-99
when they order their food. If they press
the red button and if the number is the
same they get their order for free!
LEGOLAND® FLORIDA
Ambassadors place a LEGO® MiniFigure
on their name badges and trade
with guests.
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The Wizard Wants to Know is our annual online
employee opinion survey. For us, it i s a vital way
to get feedback from across the globe. In 2013
we achieved a 97% response rate – a fantastic
achievement with over 19,000 employees!
We were delighted when 95% of you told us
“I enjoy working here” – evidence of the success
of our innovative and fast moving company.
Once we collect all t he results, we celebrate
the successes and look at how we can make
positive improvements through action. We take
on board what you tell us and we are committed
to making improvements to ensure that Merlin is
the best company to work for. So your opinions
really do make a difference.
If you would like to see any of the results just get
in touch with your local HR team.
The Wizard Wants to Know Keeping You Informed
We are open and honest in all of our
communications and keep you fully aware of
what is going on in the business.
There are a number of ways in which you will be
kept up-to-date. Some will be business specic,
while others relate to your department and team
– these might include team briengs, meetings
and notice boards.
We’ll make sure you have access to all the
information you could ask for, but it i s up to you
to keep up-to-date with current events and helpus make our communications a two-way process.
We really want to know what you think about
what’s going on.
The Intranet
To help us achieve this, we launched the Merlin
Online News service, the rst step of an exciting
Merlin Online Intranet project.
Wherever you are in the business, you can log
on at www.merlin-online.biz and get all the latest
Merlin news from around the globe. You can
also ask questions and give feedback on issues
and events.
The Wizard
Every quarter we also publish The Wizard
newsletter to update you on news from across
Merlin, which is well worth a read. Your own
location may even produce its own magazine
or newsletter. Check with your colleagues
or manager to nd out where you can get
your copy.
D E C E M B E R 2 0 1
3
1
Messagefrom Nick
impressive. Thishasbeendriven
inpartby improvedvisitor
numbersinourEuropean
businessesaftera difficult2012,
strong growthinall ofourAsian
attractionsandsome truly stellar
performancesfrom individual
attractionsranging from the big,
suchasLEGOLAND California,
to the slightly lessbig, Loch
LomondSEALIFECentre.
Also inthe year, we openedsix
new midway attractionsinsix
differentcountries; relocatedtwo
others(LondonDungeonand
Duisburg LDC); acquired
Turkuazoo Aquarium inIstanbul,
Turkey; openeda 250-bedroom
hotel atLLC Resort; launched
new ridesandfeaturesinevery
Well,it’sbeenanotherexciting
(and, dareI say, fun-packed?)
yearforMerlinEntertainments
and onewhichoverall we
shouldfeelprettypleasedwith!
Apartfrom the small issue of
successfully floating the
company onthe LondonStock
Exchange, we have continuedto
expandanddevelopour
businessonall fourcontinentsof
operation. Indeed, while ournew
statusasa public company
precludesme from saying too
muchatthispoint, ouroverall
growthin2013 hasbeen
attraction, while also stepping up
ourResearch& Developmenton
some exciting new projectsfor
the future (watchthisspace!).
Allofthesethingsarepartof what
ismaking MerlinEntertainments
a greatcompany. However, itis
also importantto be a good
company andinthis respectI
am tremendously proudofthe
progresswe are making in
bringingmagictothelivesof less
fortunatechildrenallovertheworld
throughthe Merlin’sMagic Wand
charity. We all know thatwe
work ina unique businesswhich
deliversmemorable experiences
to millionsofpeople. Forchildren
whoselivesaretragicallyaffected
byillnessordeprivation,however,
Have a relaxing festive season,
don’tdrink too much(unlessyou
wantto) andenjoy the company
offamily andfriends.
Asever, thank youforyourhard
work andpassionoverthe last
year.
the experienceswe candeliver
eitheratourattractionsor by
taking the magic to hospices
andcare centresare evenmore
preciousandspecial.Thisisavery
importantpartofMerlinandaswe
look towards2014 andbeyond,
Merlin’sMagic Wandisone of
our‘brands’ whichevery one of
uscanplay a partinbuilding.
Inequal measure, Ithink 2014
shouldsee usaccelerate the
prominence ofthe SEALIFE
MarineConservationTrustandour
effortstoprotecttheworld’smarine
environment. Asa company and
asa team, we are uniquely
placedto make a real difference
inboththese areasso let’smake
thatourNew Year’sresolution! Nick
Napoleon
would be
happy Evidently NapoleonBonapartesaid: “If theEarthwerea
singlestate, Istanbul would beitscapital.” Well, it’s
certainly special and inourfirstventureinto Turkey, we
haveacquired Istanbul’spremieraquarium– Turkuazoo
– fromDutchbased Global AquariumsBV.
The deal couldbe the catalystto developa clusterofglobal
midway brandsinthe city, especially asthe aquarium boasts
a central locationint he Istanbul Forum Mall inBayrampassa.
Turkuazoo Aquarium openedin2009 andhassignificant
potential foradditional growth, so plansare already inplace
to investin upgrading andexpanding the business. Itwill
become partofourEuropeanMidway Operating Group.
TheWizard - December2013
The new Madame Tussauds
Wuhan,Merlin’s99thattraction,
officiallyopenedonSeptember
28, bringing the worldfamous
funto China’sHubei province.
The response to the brand
locally hasbeenvery strong,
echoedby the strong opening
PRandourexcellenttrading
since opening, withguests
clearly loving it! The site
openedfourmonthsaheadof
schedule andonbudget...
anamazing achievement.
Andnowanimportantstrategic
partnershipwithBeijing’sleading
developer, SOHO China, will
resultinus taking a numberof
ouriconic global brandsto
Beijing...thefirstbeingMadame
Tussauds, scheduledto open
in2014. Itwill be locatedin
the heartofthe city close to
TiananmenSquare. The
announcementwasmadeatan
eventinBeijingattendedbyUK
ChancellorGeorge Osborne.
Picturedare Steve Shearsand
Barry CoxofMerlinwithMiss
YanYanofSOHO China, and
waxwork figuresofthe Duke
andDuchessofCambridge.
More news from China OpeningsinChinahold an important str ategicstepforour
gr owth ofnew businesses in the emer ging China mar k ets.
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Health & Safety
Whilst we love thrills at Merlin, we are not so
keen on spills. What’s more, we see Health &
Safety as everyone’s responsibility. We will of
course ensure your working environment is safe
and you are trained correctly in all aspects of
your job and Health & Safety, but we need your
support to maintain safe working conditions. If
you experience any concerns, near misses or
breaches in Health & Safety, please report them
immediately.
Occupational Health
All our locations have occupational health
procedures. They also have access to professional
practitioners; a number of locations even have
practitioners on-site. It may be that you are asked
to attend an appointment with an occupational
health nurse to assess your wellbeing in
connection to your role. This may be a regular
occurrence depending on the nature of your role
and may be requested should your health change.
There is nothing to worry about; the information
gathered from these consultations will be held i n
the strictest condence and will only be used to
ensure that we are able to adapt your working
conditions if required.
Stress
The pace of the world has increased and
sometimes it can feel l ike you never have time
to relax and slow down. Please speak to your
local HR team to see how we can support you at
work where required.
It is important for us to look after the people
who do such a good job of looking after our
business – and our guests. So as a member of
the Merlin team, you can expect to enjoy a
competitive benets package.
‘Stay for Less’ Hotel Discount
At Merlin we are always looking for opportunities
to share our great customer experiences with our
employees, so we have introduced the ‘Stay for
Less’ programme. Merlin employees can now
‘Stay for Less’ at our Merlin hotels.
All reservations need to be made online, and can
be done by visiting www.merlin-online.bizand
clicking on ‘Hotel Staff Rates’. Please note that
certain terms and conditions apply, so please
check before booking.
Merlin Annual Pass (if applicable)
As part of the Merlin family, you are also entitled
to fantastic discounts on our range of Merlin
Annual Passes. Treat your friends and family
with a gift voucher for 12 months’ entry to
all attractions and you will get 50% or 25% off
the standard price. To take up this offer, please
contact your HR team.
Merlin Shares
Being part of a publically owned company gives
you the opportunity to be one of Merlin’s
shareholders (owners). To help you become a
shareholder and to share in our success, Merlin
offers employees a Sharesave Plan to help you
to save to buy shares at a discount.
This Sharesave Plan has been offered for t he
rst time in 2014 and it is intended that
further offers will be made in future years.
In order to comply with local laws, the form of
the scheme may vary from country to country.
Please refer to your local handbook
for country/attraction-specic benets.
Employee Welfare Merlin Employee Benefts
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This is how each element works:
1. Objective Setting
The clearer you are about your role in driving
our business and your development, the more
we will both benet. So you will agree a set of
well-dened objectives with your manager at the
start of every nancial year. If you join us part
way through the year, we will set objectives for
the rest of that year. All objectives are linked to
the objectives of your team as well as those of
your department and the business. That means
everyone and every task are aligned, helping
Merlin move forward.
2. Development Planning
Your PDP is designed to help you do your job
well and grow.
The development pyramid shows just some
of the development programmes we run. We
are constantly reviewing and improving these
programmes in line with the changing needs of
the business. As a rule, we deliver development
programmes using a mix of theory, discussion,
projects, mentoring, online feedback reports and
assignments.
As well as the programmes shown on this
pyramid, there are others that are attraction and
role specic. Talk to your manager about which
ones will best suit your individual needs.
Learning and Development
To achieve our objectives of delivering
memorable experiences to guests around the
globe, we need to have the best talent on board.
We therefore need people who:
• Thrive in our culture.
• Are dedicated to our customers and obsessive
about delivering excellent service.
• Demonstrate our desired behaviours.
• Contribute to the growth of the business.
• Grow along with us.
We believe that if we create a great place towork we will attract great people to work
with us – and they will develop as we grow the
organisation.
Joining our business
We have designed our new starter experience
carefully. Wherever and whenever you join us,
it will make sure your rst few months are
structured so you nd your feet and understand
the business quickly. It includes:
• An introduction to all our brands so you feel
part of the Merlin family.
• Customer Service and Health & Safety training,
which is key to our business philosophy and
success.
• A variety of role-specic induction and training
activities.
Soon after you join you will have an introductory
review. This gives you and your manager a chance
to talk about how things are going i n your new
role and how you are settling in.
Helping you deliver
We want everyone to be able to do the best
job they can. That is why we have the Personal
Development Plan (PDP) – one of the most
important tools in our business.
There are four key elements to this:
1. Objective Setting.
2. Development Planning.
3. Performance Reviews.
4. Career Progression.
Org
Goals
Depar tmen t
al
Goals
Team Goals
Indi visual O
bjec ti ves/K
PIs
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3. Performance Reviews
Grades 1-3
All Grades
Twice a year your manager will carry out a
review with you to see how you’re progressing.
This will cover how well you are meeting your
objectives, what help you need and, if appropriate,
what you want to do next in your career.
As well as measuring your progress against
objectives, we will also look at how well you
bring The Merlin Way competencies to life.
These are behaviours linked to our culture,
and they help us achieve business results in the
best way possible.
4. Career Progression
We aim to grow our own people wherever
possible, so when we create new jobs or need to
ll existing ones, we look rst at the enormous
pool of talent we already have and ll t he roles
through internal promotions and transfers.
Inevitably, we will sometimes need to recruit
externally as it helps bring in new ideas and skills
that we may not already have in the business. But
wherever possible we match new opportunities
to our existing talent.
Developing our own talent means regularly
reviewing the people we have in the business.
We are always keen to match your potential with
opportunities as they come up.Start by discussing your career with your
manager during the PDP process. Think about
the roles you would like to have in the future, the
countries you would like to work in and whether
you have skills you are not currently making the
most of. If you want to move into a more senior
role, you will need to show us you have strong
skills related to the job you do as well as a broad
business understanding.
Some of the other ways we help you develop
your career include:
• Study support agreements – these allow you
to apply for funding for external training and
qualications relevant to your role (please note
these vary locally).
• Talent and Graduate programmes – ideal for
those who want to accelerate their career.
• Management and Leadership programmes.
• Secondments and projects – great ways to
enhance skills you already have or develop
new ones.
Merlin’s School of Magic
Create real magic through this online collection
of learning resources including learning guides,
pocketbooks, audios, videos, books and
knowledge maps all at your ngertips. Merlin’s
School of Magic is brought to you via our
learning partner – Ashridge Business School,
supporting you in delivering truly memorableexperiences. Merlin’s School of Magic is
accessed via our Merlin Intranet under the
‘Merlin Learning’ section.
Merlin’s Graduate Programmes –
Marketing and Business
Management
Our ambitious growth plans mean that we need
the right people in the right place to take on
these new challenges.
So every year we recruit talented graduates to
join our fast-track, award-winning ‘Accelerate’
programme. This develops both job-specic skills
and broader business know-how and is a
launch-pad for future leaders who enrich our
existing talent pipeline in both Marketing and
Business Management.
For further details please go to
www.merlincareers.com/graduates
How to make sure you get the
best possible development
Wherever you are and whatever you do:
• Remember every opportunity is a learningopportunity.
• Take charge of your own learning.
• Look at internal notice boards or Merlin Online
for any development opportunities.
• Talk to your manager or your HR team about
how you can develop your skills and progress
your career.
THE MERLIN WAY
COMPETENCIES
STRATEGIC THINKING
Communication
Improvement
Customer
Excellence
Attention to
Detail
Engagement
Solutions
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Equality, Diversity and
Fair Treatment
As a business, we are committed to providing a
working environment in which everyone feels
valued, respected and able to contribute to the
business. To that end we believe in employing
people who recognise and respond to the
diversity of our customers.
You and all your colleagues should be able to
work in an environment free from discrimination,
harassment, bullying or victimisation; and youshould never be disadvantaged by conditions or
requirements that are unjust or unfair.
Our Equal Opportunities policy highlights
our dedication to never discriminate in our
employment of people, and to provide a
working environment free from any form of
harassment. We will not tolerate any form
of discrimination, harassment, bullying or
victimisation by employees or managers against
their fellow employees, managers or customers,
and will support employees if harassed, bullied
or victimised by customers. Action will be taken
against breaches of this policy and all instances of
such behaviour may be subject to our disciplinary
procedures.
We seek to ensure that all employees, job
applicants, contractors, temporary or agency
workers, customers and suppliers are t reated
fairly regardless of race, colour, nationality, ethnic
or national origin or community background,
gender, sexual orientation, gender reassignment,
marital, civil partner or family status, religion
or belief and afliations, disability, age, real or
suspected infection with HIV/Aids, differing
working patterns, contract type and membership
or non-membership of a trade union.
Whistle-blowing
As you can imagine, we can’t be aware of
everything that happens on a day-to-day basis at
our locations and attractions. We encourage you
to report any breaches of policy or guidelines to
us, in order for us to be able to x any problems.
We, of course, will treat this information with
the utmost respect and condence.
Fraud
We value integrity and effort in all dealings with
employees, customers, suppliers and external
parties. Our Fraud policy applies consistently
to all employees and encourages openness and
honesty in all internal and external dealings.
Fraud is an illegal activity, can occur at all levels of
a business and includes the intentional:
• Falsication of
records.
• Defacement or
concealment of
records.
• Stealing/theft of
money and/or goods.
• Embezzlement.
• Misuse or
misappropriation of
funds.
• False accounting.
• Bribery/corruption.
• Extortion.
• Money laundering.
• Conspiracy, collusion
or attempting to do
any of the above.
• Concealment of
any of the above
committed in person
or by another.
If you feel that you have seen or heard anything
that relates to the above or does not live up to
our expected standards of policy or guidelines,
you can speak with your manager or a member
of the HR team, in the strictest of condence,
who will be able to assist you further.
Group Policies Absence policy
We know people may well be absent from work
from time to ti me due to sickness, authorised
unpaid leave and other arranged time off. For
planned absence, there is a clear process which
you must follow so we can make sure we have
cover in place and everything continues to run
smoothly. Equally, if you’re sick or your absence
is unplanned for another reason, you must
follow the absence reporting procedure for your
specic Department/Attraction/Division.
Data protection policy
Your personal data is the information we
hold about you which could identify you as
an individual. Sensitive personal data covers
particularly private information such as race,
health, political/religious beliefs or criminal
convictions. This policy sets out the requirements
that data protection legislation places on us and
the steps we must take to comply with those
requirements.
Ethical policy
This policy protects our integrity as an
organisation and that of our employees. It sets
out a framework for dealing with suppliers,
contractors and other parties who want to work
with Merlin. The policy’s guidelines will stop you
being compromised by suppliers who may offer
you gifts, lunches and other incentives. Accepting
these could make some people think you were
giving the provider an unfair advantage in their
business dealings with Merlin.
Expenses policy
Our personal travel and expenses policy makes
sure that no Merlin employee is out of pocket
because they carry out Merlin business. It also
takes Merlin employees’ personal welfare into
account when they need to travel on Merlin
business. What’s more, the policy protects the
company’s nancial position. It ensures that
no-one runs up unnecessary costs, that we
make the most of all available discounts and
procurement benets, and that we follow local
taxation rules and regulations. For each country
in which we operate we have local expenses
policies and guidelines.
Payment card industry (PCI)
Our rst-class visitor attractions attract millions
of customers across the world. We must protect
these valued relationships by securing customers’
credit and debit card information so it is never
made available to unauthorised persons or
entities. Our customers’ credit and debit card
information is a Merlin business asset. Protecting
it is ‘mission crit ical’ to our company. This policy
sets out our minimum procedures for protecting
this data and meeting recognised regulatory
requirements as established in the Payment Card
Industry (PCI) Data Security Standard (DSS).
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Protection of children and young
people policy
We believe in treating all our people with dignity,
respect and consideration at work. You should
always feel that your working environment is
fair and does not discriminate against you on
the grounds of sex, age, marital status, sexual
orientation, disability, race, colour, religion,
ethnic or national origin, and appearance.
Specically we want to protect young workers.
They have limited experience of the workplace
and need our support to adapt to the working
environment. We recognise that the law protects
children and young workers and we not only
want to comply with these rules, we’re also keen
to set the standard for the most appropriate and
considerate ways to manage young people. So
this policy should be read alongside a number
of other policies including: Health, Safety and
Security; Grievance; Protection of Children (April
2008); and Wellbeing at Work. You can nd out
more about things like regulations and working
hours for young people from your HR team.
Study support policy
We know how important it is to encourage
and support employees in their individual
development, especially when it will help them
contribute and progress within the company.
This policy outlines the entitlement and the
funding/loan options available for people who
want to commit to longer-term study and
to enter into a study support agreement
with the company.
IT security
If you are issued with any IT equipment, it is
your responsibility to look after it. Treat laptops,
BlackBerrys and mobile phones with great care,
and please do not leave them unattended in
ofces, cars or in a public place at any ti me. Do
not allow anyone else to use them either, unless
they have been authorised by your IT team. You
may have to pay for any IT equipment you lose
or damage and face disciplinary action.
Internet and email use
You may have access to the internet via your
work computer or laptop. If you do, we expect
you to follow the company policy on internet
use. Never use the internet or email in a way
that might reect poorly on Merlin, your fellow
employees or our customers. We discourage
excessive use of the internet – our IT teams may
monitor how much you use it and what you use
it for.
Only authorised persons may post or discuss
business-related information on external social
networking websites, chat rooms, blogs etc.,
including Facebook, Bebo, YouTube and MySpace,
without prior permission. If in doubt please ask
for guidance, always remember that what you say
in a public forum can be read by many people.
We will take action if we nd you have brought
the company into disrepute.
If we nd you to be breaching our policy on
internet use, you may face disciplinary action up
to and including dismissal.
Software
We will give you all the software you need on
your work computer or laptop. Never download
or upload any unauthorised software. Doing this
can pose a serious threat to our IT systems and
have potentially critical consequences. If you need
any other software uploaded onto your work
computer or laptop, speak to your IT department.
Merlin does everything it can to ensure you are
equipped to succeed in your job and have the
right tools, equipment and physical environment
that meet all legal requirements. We need you
to help maintain our high standards by working
safely and efciently, using protective equipment,
clothing and footwear that is provided and
observing our Health & Safety rules.
Safety forms the foundation of the way in which
we care for our employees and customers, and
we respect our neighbours in the community.
A copy of the company’s Health & Safety policy
and Safety First booklet will be given to you at
your induction. These set out the basic safety
management systems and standards across
Merlin which will be consolidated with site
specic policies, procedures and training. Please
be aware that any breach of these policies may
lead to disciplinary action, which in serious cases
may result in dismissal.
Legal responsibilities
At Merlin, we are committed to providing
and maintaining a safe and healthy working
environment as required by law. We will provide
you with the necessary training for the role that
you are undertaking. You, in turn, have personal
legal obligations which require you to work in a
safe manner and follow established procedures
in order to ensure that you do not put yourself,
customers, visitors or work colleagues at risk.
You should only use equipment that you have
been trained to use. Any kind of behaviour which
conicts with your duties for Health & Safety
and which exposes customers or colleagues to
potential injury are prohibited.
Accidents at work
While we would all prefer it if accidents did not
happen, they sometimes do happen. You must
report all accidents, injuries and near misses to
your manager as soon as possible after the event
and ensure that the relevant accident/incident
report form is completed. Near misses are
incidents or situations that did not cause injury
or damage to Merlin’s property – but which
could have done so. Information on these is just
as valuable as information on actual accidents, all
of which helps us to assess the causes, and avoid
the recurrence, of similar incidents in the future.
Cuts and injuries
Minor injuries must be attended to immediately
by appropriately trained rst aiders. Your
manager or HR team will be able to inform you
of who your rst aiders are at your location.
Manual handling
Somebody once coined the phrase ‘just say
no’ and we recommend that you do (in the
nicest possible way, of course) when you are at
signicant risk of injury when lifting a heavy item.
Think about how you can avoid any potential
injuries by using a trolley (or other aid) or by
getting someone to help you. If you have to lift
something quite heavy, make sure that i t is within
your capability and use the correct techniques to
protect your back.
Health & Safety
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General health – medical
assessments
When you return to work after an il lness, an
operation or hospitalisation, you must speak to
your manager who may arrange for you to see a
company doctor.
There also may be occasions when we are
concerned about your health and we may require
you to have a medical assessment at any time
during your employment.
Your safety is our rst priority
Physical assaults by customers are fortunately
rare. However, if you feel threatened by a
customer or situation, you should avoid puttingyourself at risk and call for immediate assistance.
Closed circuit television is used in many locations
to improve security. It also helps to protect
both you and our customers from violence and
safeguards company property.
If you are involved in an assault, however minor,
you must report it to your manager who will
then discuss with you what further action needs
to be taken to ensure that you receive any advice
or support that is necessary.
Fire regulations
In case of a re, you should make sure you
are familiar with the escape routes from your
location. It is everyone’s responsibility to be
aware of re exits and if you are unfamiliar
with the re routine, speak to your manager
without delay.
If you discover a re, always sound the alarm.
Only tackle the blaze if safe to do so and you are
properly trained. Remember re extinguishers
are for small res – do not put yourself at risk.
It is in your interest to know what to do in the
event of a re and to prevent any possible causes
of re.
You can achieve this before a re occurs by:
• Understanding what the re alarm sounds like
for your premises.
• Being familiar with the re exits and routes to
them.
• Knowing the location of your re assembly
point.
• Checking the locations and operating
instructions of re extinguishers and hose reels
(where provided).
• Not smoking unless in a designated area.
• Keeping rubbish to a minimum.
• Reporting faulty electrical equipment and
ttings.
• Keeping re doors and exits free from
obstructions.
Your induction will provide you wit h more
information regarding the re evacuation
procedure at your location.
Smoking
In order to promote a healthy and pleasant
working environment, we do not allow guests,
employees or business visitors to smoke on our
premises, except in designated areas. To be fair
and consistent in our treatment of smokers and
non-smokers, smokers are expected to have
cigarettes during appropriate break times.
Portable Appliance Testing (PAT)
All portable electrical equipment which is
brought into your place of work must be testedfor electrical safety before it is used. This must
be completed by a competent person who
has a thorough understanding of the electrical
item and test equipment. It is essential t hat all
equipment passes this test in order to align with
the relevant local legislation. Portable electrical
equipment should be visually checked before
use to ensure that there are no broken plugs
or frayed cables. Only use suitably protected
electrical equipment in wet areas and never use
with wet hands.
What is Product Excellence?
Product Excellence is the function that monitors,
measures and analyses the guest experience
for the purpose of delivering improvement and
creating real value competitive advantage.
We focus on every aspect of the visitor
experience – from booking to departure.
Our aim is to deliver a memorable experience
for every single guest at every point of contact
and every time they visit our attractions.
Memorable means unforgettably great!
Our guest feedback targets are:
• Satisfaction score of 93%+.
• Recommend score of 95%+.
• Staff ‘friendly and helpful’ score of 97%+.
Product Excellence encompasses
the following elements:
• Compelling product.
• Memorable experience.
• Fast and efcient service.
• Friendly and helpful staff.
• Excellent hygiene factors – cleanliness, Health &
Safety, site presentation etc.
• Combining to create a signicant competitive
advantage – (staff + product +
experience).
Why does it matter?
We will only succeed if we are the best at
what we do – if not we will j ust become average
performers in an average landscape. Excellence
is our aspiration, our aim and must be our
constant focus.
Product Excellence
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We have an excellent reputation for the
ethical and responsible care, preservation
and conservation of animals and the marine
environment. A reputation t hat is widely
acknowledged by expert organisations around
the world.
Merlin Entertainments plc is the world’s premier
operator of aquaria through our SEA LIFE brand,
with more than 47 locations across Europe, USA,
Asia and Australia. Merlin also operates world
standard zoos in the UK and Australia and cares
for marine mammals around the world.
SEA LIFE
Long renowned for its rescue work with
seals, turtles and other creatures, SEA LIFE is
continuing to expand its conservation work.
It has many relationships with conservation
organisations around the world but its
partnership with the Whale & Dolphin
Conservation and the Seahorse Trust in the UK
has been especially successful.
2013 was a busy year for our conservational
activities. From beach cleaning to seahorse
tagging we were truly inspired by the
commitment of our teams to conservation
across the globe. All of the stories can be
found on our website:
www.themerlinway.com.
In 2013, we also
launched the SEA LIFE
Marine Conservation
Trust (SLMCT).
The SLMCT has been
set up to fund global
marine conservation
campaigns utilising the scale and network of
SEA LIFE to maximize the efciency of the funds
raised. A calendar of fundraising events and
campaigns is planned for 2014 across the SEA
LIFE estate and we are hopeful of raising more
funds and awareness of marine threats t han ever
before.
Breed
Over 6,000 animals were bred across the
aquarium network ranging from seahorses
to sharks, from penguins to rays, with SEA
LIFE leading the way with some of the more
endangered species coordinating efforts across
many different aquariums.
Rescue
2013 saw the completion of a turt le rescue
and rehabilitation centre in Greece, Zakynthos,
with the exception of a vital treatment room
that is being added this winter. The centre is
already doing sterling work, however, as an
education facility and a base for conservationvolunteers monitoring and protecting the nests
of Loggerhead turtles. The facility has been
developed with the help of around £250,000
donated by SEA LIFE visitors.
Seal and turtle rescue rehabilitation and
release are key activities within our aquariums
with over 110 seals rescued during 2013 and
over 70 marine turtles.
On occasion we are asked to re-home animals
that have outgrown their facilities in public
homes or indeed other aquariums. This year
has been particularly busy for rescuing fresh
water turtles from the public as well as large
freshwater sh.
Protect
SEA LIFE continues its efforts in raising
awareness about the plight of marine animals
and their environment, alongside engaging local
communities to government agencies to take
direct action leading to the protection of marine
animals. We will see over 20 million visitors to
our aquariums and will deliver over 150,000
fun and educational presentations to enable the
guests to understand how they can help with the
preservation of marine life.
Zoos
Sydney Wildlife has raised donations with all
funds going directly to Koala and Bilby habitat
preservation and conservation. They also
launched the WILD LIFE Conservation Fund
(National Threatened Species Day) and have
launched ‘Adopt a Koala’ and ‘Adopt a Bilby’
programmes. The WILD HeART Event raised
over $7000 selling wildlife artwork with all funds
to be used to buy wildlife rescue equipment for
WIRES volunteers.
The zoo at Chessington World of Adventures
Resort continues its successful breeding
programmes with three Horned Oryx, two
Gentle Lemurs and two Golden Headed
Tamarins all being bred this year. The zoo has
built on the partnership wit h the World Land
Trust where they have purchased an area of
Rainforest in Ecuador equivalent in size to
Chessington Resort (128 acres) and are now
funding a ranger to protect this area; 2013 saw
Chessington Conservation Fund become the
second largest donator to the conservation
efforts of the European Aquarium and Zoos
Association (EAZA).
Conservation and Wildlife
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Illness, disability and
other disadvantages
mean that many
children cannot
experience things
that other children
take for granted.
Through Merlin’s
Magic Wand, we
provide the tickets and travel grants that enable
these children to enjoy magical days out at our
attractions across the world. Since its launch in2008, Merlin’s Magic Wand has supported these
deserving children, their families and their carers
with more than 145,000 tickets worth over
£2,185,000, and over £375,000 of travel grants
to support their visits. We aim to welcome
disadvantaged children to every attraction in the
Group each year.
Our outreach initiative ‘Taking the Magic to the
Children’ brings Merlin’s Magic to children who
are physically unable to visit the attractions. We
create tailor-made installations at organisations
like children’s hospices and hospitals, generating
lasting benets for the children and forging
strong links between the community, Merlin’s
Magic Wand and our local attractions.
Installations can range from a Merlin themed
play area to a SEA LIFE sensory room. In 2010
we delivered the very rst project to a children’s
hospice in the UK. Since then we have delivered
a LEGOLAND® themed cottage in Florida and
a sensory room in London, and there are many
other projects in progress. Long term, as funding
allows, each attraction will have the chance to work
with a local organisation on a suitable project.
Each year, Merlin supports the Charity’s
operations with a grant. There are exciting
programmes of fundraising events at every
attraction. Together, since 2008, we have raised
over £840,000 from attractions alone and
this money is essential to the Charity’s work.
Firstly it supports the travel grants that help
these children get to the attractions and have
their magical day out; and secondly it funds the
development of local ‘Taking the Magic to the
Children’ projects. The tickets we distribute are
donated free of charge by Merlin to the Charity.
The positive impact that Merlin’s Magic Wand
has is clear from the many Thank You letters and
photos that we receive every year.
“My daughter was diagnosed with
leukemia and you gave our family
the opportunity to get away from the
doctors and hospitals and enjoy a day
together riding rides, laughing and
making memories that we will cherish.Thank you so much!”
“We truly appreciate your support and
can honestly say that you will be making
a huge difference to the lives of young
people affected by disability.”
“On behalf of all the patients, staff and
families who are currently beneting
from our refurbished multi-sensory
room at the Evelina Children’s Hospital,
we wanted to say a heartfelt thank
you to each and every one of you for
your generous support. Words are oftennever enough on these occasions, but
we hope you know what an impact your
generosity is making every day.”
If you would like to nd out more about the
Charity and how you can help, please contact the
Merlin’s Magic Wand team.
Merlin’s Magic Wand – ‘Making Children Smile’
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