A Wollongong bar business has been recognised nationally for doing what Richard Branson famously said about taking care of your employees and they will take care of your clients.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Ben Abraham, Scott Mileto, Luke Symons and their business partner Jared Huk run a company called the Good Times Only Group that employs 40 people at Dagwood, Howlin' Wolf and Births and Deaths in Wollongong. Washington & Co in Orange is also part of the business.
Their business philosophy is summed up in the Good Times Only name. To win the inaugural Australian Bartender Magazine award for the Best Health and Wellness Program in the Australian bar scene has been cause for great celebration.
"It is good to be recognised from bars across Australia at the 19th annual awards," Mr Symons said.
"I am pretty sure it is the first silverware that Wollongong has taken home from those awards.
"We have previously been nominated for Regional Bar of the Year and Live Music Venue for the last two years for Howlin' Wolf. But this is our first for the Good Times Only Group".
Mr Symons said the business had deliberate focus on the health and wellness of its employees.
He said he and his business partners all have a hospitality background and are aware of how some others in the industry have underpaid and overworked staff.
"We are really trying to break that mould. It is a hard job and does get mentally draining so we try and look after our staff that way," he said.
When Mr Mileto gave up drinking for a year and discovered there was little to do in hospitality that didn't involve drinking he started up The Middy Committee.
"Essentially it was just a group of hospitality workers who get together once a week in an environment that is not booze-related," he said.
"It is about breaking away from the hustle and bustle of the weekend and giving everyone a chance to meet up for coffee on a Monday to relax and check in on each other and make sure everything is okay".
Middy Club members also participate in beach clean-ups and walk animal rescue dogs.
A number of other businesses have also come on board to donate their time and facilities.
They include Ghetto Movement, Breakout Bar & Escape Rooms and Kneading Ruby.
Mr Mileto said up to 20 people attend each week on a Monday but it is not always the same people.
Generally everyone comes at least once a month.
"The whole idea was to provide a service with no pressure to attend," he said.
Wellness is the theme and the activation of the Good Will Only pop-up pay-as-you-feel restaurant driven by Mr Mileto was also a part of that.
Mr Abraham said being recognised nationally for having the best health and wellness program in the industry was something that made everyone involved in the group proud.
"We love what we do everyday. We have a great group of people we work with who make it an absolute pleasure to come to work".
Mr Symons said Good Times Only was like a big family that enjoyed hanging out together. He thinks that is why the staff retention rate is so high.
"You want happy staff because that is who your clients deal with," Mr Mileto said.
Read more:
Greg Ellis
Almost four decades in electronic, print and digital media. A writer, presenter, emcee, photographer and videographer with degrees in business management, marketing and human resources and tertiary qualifications in photography.
Almost four decades in electronic, print and digital media. A writer, presenter, emcee, photographer and videographer with degrees in business management, marketing and human resources and tertiary qualifications in photography.
