BTA’s culture of ‘mistrust’ left staff ‘siloed’, says report
The Bermuda Tourism Authority got a “disappointing failing grade” in a review of its workplace culture and “decisive correction action” is needed, its board admitted yesterday.
The review, commissioned after an exodus of staff under chief executive Tracy Berkeley, found that the culture of the organisation was viewed by employees as unprofessional, domineering, lacking accountability and trust, and one in which they felt “siloed”.
The leadership of the BTA was seen as not supportive of the organisation’s values, while gossip was identified as the primary trait that staff wanted to see stopped.
A board statement accompanying the release of the review stated: “The board expresses its deep concern and acknowledges and accepts the disappointing failing grade given in the culture review.
“Furthermore, the board takes responsibility for any operational failings that may have resulted in a significant exodus of employees over a three-year period.”
William Griffith, acting board chairman, said: “Every organisation, regardless of its external successes, must possess the courage to scrutinise itself internally.
“This culture review is a crucial part of that process, and by publishing it in full, the BTA board is demonstrating our belief that transparency strengthens rather than weakens public trust.
“We now have quantitative evidence that demands and guides decisive corrective action.”
The review, conducted by EY, lays bare the problems that have plagued the publicly funded authority under the leadership of Ms Berkeley, who became interim chief executive in June 2022, before being appointed permanently in March 2023 to a position that pays in excess of $300,000 a year.
Thirty people have left in little more than 2½ years, including 23 staff members who resigned or left through mutual separation between June 1, 2022 and January 8 this year.
The executive summary of the report stated: “Mistrust, unprofessional, domineering and siloed were [the words] consistently used when interviewees described the current culture at the BTA.
“Additionally, respondents indicated that there is a lack of accountability within the organisation, both at a work-performance level and from behaviours that were seen as unprofessional and domineering.
“This was coupled with the sentiment that processes and procedures related to raising issues or concerns lacked consistency, integrity, accountability and confidentiality.”
The report said all 35 staff at the BTA were surveyed last November and 80 per cent responded, with the results identifying a need for “more transparency and accountability from leadership”.
Shadow tourism minister Dwayne Robinson questioned why the Bermuda Tourism Authority has been without a human resources manager since September, as revealed in the culture review.
“How can our flagship tourism organisation lack a human resources and administration manager, of all positions?” the One Bermuda Alliance MP for Southampton East Central said.
He added: “Friction between teams, favouritism, gossip, lack of direction and poorly defined roles are all tackled by a strong HR department.
“The people need to know why the human resources role has remained vacant for so long.
“Is it due to inaction or division, lack of direction among the BTA executive and the minister of tourism?”
Mr Robinson said it would be easy to blame the chief executive and former chairman of the quango for its problems, but tourism minister Owen Darrell needed to hold the board accountable.
He said Progressive Labour Party MP Kim Swan should be immediately removed from the board and legislation should be amended to ensure that no appointed or elected politicians could serve on it.
Mr Robinson questioned if recent reduced public funding for the BTA under Mr Darrell was indicative of a plan to “starve it out in order to fold it back under full ministerial control?”
A government source told the The Royal Gazette that there was no such plan.
Mr Robinson noted that the report found BTA staff believed in its mission and wanted it to succeed.
“I hope the Bermuda Tourism Authority will see the recommendations of the report enacted and receive all the necessary support from the minister in building a healthy and productive work environment.”
More than half of the character traits used to describe the workplace were positive, but the negative traits identified included gossiping, disconnection, not taking responsibility and passive aggressiveness.
The reviewers also conducted 12 interviews with a random selection of key stakeholders involved with the authority, including board members, senior leaders and staff.
“There is a general mistrust within the organisation broadly,” the report’s authors found.
“Interviewees described the environment and/or interactions as routinely unprofessional and domineering.
“Examples of situations, behaviours and/or communications were provided and, while consistent across some of the interviews, were not verified. However, the perception exists.”
A source close to the situation told The Royal Gazette that the report contained “no surprises” after exiting staff made repeated allegations of bullying, harassment and unprofessional conduct by executives.
Former chairman Wayne Caines, the president of Belco, quit last month ahead of the report being made public.
Owen Darrell, the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport, had earlier warned the BTA board that he would dismantle it if problems were not tackled, though the legislation underpinning the quango appears to give him power only to appoint a chairman and nominate board members.
Mr Griffith, a former Director of Tourism for the Government of Bermuda, was appointed to the board in January and made acting chairman at a special meeting on March 3.
It is understood that there are no plans for him to become chairman and that Mr Darrell is sifting through expressions of interest from others to join the board.
Mr Griffith said of the culture review: “This does not mark the end of the process; it’s a bold beginning.
“The board is committed to working to ensure that the BTA becomes a model for openness.
“We believe that by addressing these internal challenges, we will emerge stronger, more resilient and better equipped to serve Bermuda’s tourism industry and the Bermudian community with excellence.”
• For the full culture and assessment report, and the board’s press release, see Related Media
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