The Hong Kong Jockey Club has won three major awards at the HR Excellence Awards 2013 announced on 8 October. This includes the coveted Grand Award of the Year, a testimony to the Club's long-standing commitment to people development for sustainable growth.
The HR Excellence Awards, organised by the Hong Kong Institute of Human Resource Management (HKIHRM), are presented to recognise organisations and individuals for achieving business success through outstanding people strategies and practices. The winner considered to be most outstanding also receives the ultimate Grand Award of the Year.
This year the judging panel, chaired by Secretary for Labour and Welfare Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, selected 16 winners of the awards. The Club’s Telebet Service Coach programme won the Excellent Learning & Development Award and was then also honoured with the prestigious Grand Award. In addition, the Club’s Executive Director for Corporate Affairs, Kim Mak, received the Excellent HR Leader Award, aimed at acknowledging the achievements of top-management level HR professionals in promoting human resources development in the city. The Club's three accolades in total made it the biggest winner in the event.
The double award-winning Telebet Service Coach programme is an initiative designed to add an innovative twist to the training regime of the Club's Telebet Services Department. It makes use of retired Telebet Services employees to take up the role of mentors, who can share with new recruits their invaluable customer service techniques, experiences and tips they have acquired over the years.
Accepting the Grand Award on the Club's behalf, Executive Director for Corporate Affairs Kim Mak and Head of Telebet Services Peter Ng both expressed their pride and honour in the recognition bestowed upon the Club. Mak said he was delighted that its manpower development efforts had become widely recognised in the industry. “The Club attaches great importance to human resources,” he said. “Through wide-ranging corporate training and people development schemes, we endeavour to help our staff grow professionally and personally. By this means we also aim to enhance the overall quality of the local workforce.” The high standing of the Club’s people management strategy resulted from the shared vision and teamwork of all, Mak added.
Ng said the Telebet Service Coach programme had proved a winning formula for all parties involved – the recruits, the mentors, the Club and the community at large. “The programme is not just intended to be a post-retirement employment initiative - its aim is also to help our senior colleagues grow and learn, earning deserved recognition by leading the younger staff,” he explained. “This in turn enables them to deliver better service to customers, creating win-win benefits for the staff and the organisation. I feel highly honoured that this programme has been endorsed by renowned judges and the Institute.”
The other honour won by the Club, the Excellent HR Leader Award, is an individual award recognising outstanding senior management contributions to the human resources profession. Mak was cited in particular for his efforts in spearheading a number of Club initiatives to create and preserve job opportunities for Hong Kong people, including a large-scale recruitment drive during the challenging SARS epidemic in 2003 and the setting-up of the Jockey Club Tin Shui Wai Telebet cum Volunteers and Training Centre in the midst of the global financial crisis in 2009. In 2003, Mak and his team were also responsible for launching an innovative blending of self-learning and conventional classroom learning modes to prepare Club employees for the introduction of legalised football betting services.
With over 24,000 full- and part-time employees, the Club is one of the largest employers in Hong Kong. Underlining its determination to be a socially-responsible corporate citizen, the Club is one of the few organisations in Hong Kong to provide continuous training opportunities for both full- and part-time employees. In 2012, it took the pioneering step of establishing the Hong Kong Jockey Club College, an important milestone in the Club’s people management and training strategy. The College operates professional training programmes recognised under the Government’s Qualifications Framework. Last year, the 234 training courses provided by the College, equivalent to more than 440,000 hours of training, benefited 98% of the Club’s full- and part-time employees.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Founded in 1884, The Hong Kong Jockey Club is not only one of the world’s leading horse racing organisations, but also Hong Kong’s largest community contributor, donating HK$1.95 billion in 2012/13. In addition, the Club is a major taxpayer, Hong Kong’s single largest by far, generating over HK$17.64 billion in 2012/13 for public funds. The Club pioneers technology applications for sporting and betting entertainment, striving for the highest levels of customer service. As a membership club, it is recognised as one of Asia’s most prestigious. These multifaceted roles make it a well-respected and remarkable organisation, dedicated to its mission of enhancing the quality of life for all Hong Kong people.
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Secretary for Labour and Welfare Matthew Cheung Kin-chung (third from right) and President of HKIHRM Francis Mok (second from left) present the coveted Grand Award of the Year to the Cluba£į?s Executive Director for Corporate Affairs Kim Mak (third from left) and management team.
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The Cluba£į?s Head of Telebet Services Peter Ng (left) and Head of Human Capital Development Barry Ip (right) receive the Excellent Learning & Development Award from Secretary for Labour and Welfare Matthew Cheung Kin-chung.
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The Cluba£į?s Executive Director for Corporate Affairs Kim Mak (middle) receives the Excellent HR Leader Award from Secretary for Labour and Welfare Matthew Cheung Kin-chung (right) and President of HKIHRM Francis Mok.
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The Club wins three major awards at the HR Excellence Awards 2013, in recognition of its achievements in promoting people development for sustainable growth.
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