Success means seeing the big picture
It takes constant innovation and an environment where ideas flow quickly and freely to stay relevant and competitive in a mature marketplace. It’s a challenge approached head- on by the more than 13,000 passionate and engaged employees at Cineplex Entertainment.
Cineplex is the largest motion picture exhibition company in Canada, entertaining more than 77 million guests a year. In the past few years the company has expanded to become much more than its theatre holdings: It is now the country’s 15th largest food service operator, a provider of digital media solutions to some of North America’s most recognized brands, and a strong presence in the growing eSports market across Canada and in the United States.
Bringing such seemingly disparate groups together can be a challenge. It starts by looking at every component of the entertainment experience — from concessions and location to technology and training — and how they impact customers, communities, employees and the organization in its entirety.
“You have to see the big picture,” says Dan McGrath, the company’s chief operating officer.
In December, 2015, Cineplex launched a new integrated brand platform to help do just that. ‘See the Big Picture’ invites Canadians to rediscover the importance of entertainment in their lives.
“We want to go beyond the technical aspects of movie presentation and initiate a more emotional attachment to our overall brand,” notes McGrath. “It’s about our ability to deliver entertainment experiences to our customers on different levels and in different ways — whether that experience is at a movie theatre, an eSports venue, an amusement gaming destination, at home watching a movie through the Cineplex Store online or interacting with a digital signage network that we manage.”
The new brand platform was introduced with the first in a series of animated short films.
Lily and the Snowman tells the story of a young girl and a friendly snowman who performs shadow puppet shows for her. Over time Lily grows, and work and life get in the way of the friendship and entertainment she once enjoyed so much. By chance, she is reminded of a childhood memory and finds a new and more important role for her snowman friend.
The short film far exceeded the expectations of views online when it was first posted — to date it has reached 28 million views and counting. Response has been just what the organization had been seeking, with people saying it made them love Cineplex, says McGrath. “They get it. Life is more than work. It’s about taking time to play with your kids or to watch a movie at home or in the theatre.”
‘See the Big Picture’ is not only about customers, it’s also about employees. The platform builds on established values within the organiza- tion while helping to foster a broader understanding of how seemingly disparate groups can work together for a single purpose. It also expresses the importance of taking time for oneself, which ultimately makes a better employee and a better person overall, he adds.
“Our people are on the front lines, at the call centres, behind the scenes, in the IT department and in the boardroom. Everyone has a role to play in delivering an exceptional experience and it all begins with an open and progressive corporate culture where employees are fully engaged,” says Heather Briant, senior vice- president of hu- man resources. “People need to feel they can express themselves and that they are making a difference. That can only happen where the work is meaningful and appreciated, and where they are learning, growing, and have opportunities to advance.”
That dedication has earned Cineplex the designation of one of Canada’s 10 Most Admired Corporate Cultures (Enterprise category) for 2015 in the annual program sponsored by Waterstone Human Capital.
The organization has a long tradition of promoting from within with new hires used to fill gaps as the organization has diversified. That commitment has helped Cineplex to keep turnover far lower than comparable organizations.
“We make it clear that moving careers forward is a possibility. For those who are truly engaged, passionate about their work and making a strong contribution, the sky really is the limit,” says Briant.
To build on this promise, the Cineplex Academy was created. The academy houses all training for the company’s cast members, from concession stand to senior management. The Reel Management Development Program offered through the academy helps develop part- time assistant managers into skilled general managers while instilling the values of corporate culture and leadership.
Guest satisfaction results have continuously improved since implementation of the program. In 2014, complaints dropped by 45 per cent thanks to a stronger focus on service and execution at the management level, and that trend held in 2015. Employee engagement survey results offer additional proof that the development program is paying off on a personal level — 90 per cent of respondents believe that training has allowed them to advance in their career.
For many young people in high school, college and university, Cineplex provides a first job that plays a large role in shaping their future. Most stay with the company for three to four years, often throughout their school careers, and many become part- time leaders in roles such as cast trainer, team leader and assistant manager. These part- time roles are the stepping stones to a full- time career with the organization.
A youthful, environmentally conscious workforce helps drive stewardship practices that allow Cineplex to reduce its carbon footprint through waste reduction and energy efficiency. From repurposed electronics and recycled 3- D glasses to forest- friendly food service containers and LED lamps, thousands of trees are saved annually and tons of waste diverted from landfills.
Beyond the theatre door, Cineplex has a charitable partnership with Free the Children. Through corporate and employee- driven initiatives, more than $1.1 million was raised during 2015, to support Canadian youth who are making a difference in communities at home and abroad.
Ultimately, developing and growing a strong corporate culture that encompasses community, empowerment and forward-thinking, along with a healthy dose of fun, relies on a commitment from the top.
“Leaders listen here,” says McGrath. “The minute I think I’m smarter than the person dealing with our customers every day, we’re in trouble. Their input is critical to our success.”
There is a great deal of communication, teamwork and cross-collaboration in the organization. To ensure that happens, senior- level- only meetings are very rare and leaders are highly accessible.
Annual roadshows and town hall events put executives in front of employees at all levels, in 20 or more cities across the country. “Employees appreciate the opportunity to learn first-hand about upcoming programs and charitable work, and to ask questions about the direction of the business,” says Briant. “They also realize how directly involved and passionate executives are about the company and its future.”
Important initiatives are also shared with employees early in the planning process, as was the case with Lily and the Snowman.
“We want everyone to understand what we’re about as a company and that there are new and exciting ways for customers to engage with us beyond the movie theatre. We also want to convey that opportunities exist for career and personal growth for everyone across the entire organization,” says Briant. “We’re a family — the same, but with unique qualities that contribute to the whole.”
As one employee from the recently acquired Empire Theatres in Halifax wrote, after seeing Lily and the Snowman: “From the first day ( I joined Cineplex) to today, I have felt I was part of something huge and exciting that is always on the threshold of another amazing achievement.”
It all comes back to seeing the big picture.
WE WANT TO GO BEYOND THE TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF THE MOVIE’ PRESENTATION AND INITIATE A MORE EMOTIONAL ATTACHMENT TO OUR OVERALL BRAND. IT’S ABOUT OUR ABILITY TO DELIVER ENTERTAINMENT EXPERIENCES TO OUR CUSTOMERS ON DIFFERENT LEVELS AND IN DIFFERENT WAYS — DAN MCGRATH, CINEPLEX CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER EVERYONE HAS A ROLE TO PLAY I N DELIVERING AN EXCEPTIONAL
( CUSTOMER) EXPERIENCE