Fairmont St Andrews Continues to “ignore” Allegations of Workplace Harassment, Employees Say
Fairmont St Andrews has “ignored” concerns over a toxic work environment and continued to employ male staff who have sexually harassed and bullied coworkers, current employees say.
The Saint published an investigation in early March that found that the resort failed to support employees after staff and clients sexually harassed them. Another six individuals have since offered additional testimonies and evidence of harassment, bullying, and abuse at the resort over the past six years.
A Fairmont St Andrews spokesperson said the top golfing resort has conducted “a thorough review” into the allegations of harassment, bullying, and abuse in the weeks since and taken “decisive action” based on “the findings”.
But current employees say the resort has failed to formally recognise a poor workplace culture and continues to employ and even promote some of the male perpetrators mentioned in the article.
Staff complaints have been “swept under the rug”, one current employee said.
Ailsa, a former Fairmont St Andrews employee between 2022 and 2023, said a former housekeeping manager who made “sexual comments” about “teenage girls within the department” and sent staff “aggressive manipulative WhatsApp messages” was recently “promoted” at another Fairmont hotel.
Ailsa and her co-workers say they filed up to 16 complaints about the manager’s misconduct in late 2022.
“None of us have had any sort of justice for the abuse we went through. The company continues to protect the abusive management, they just move them about to try and hide it.” Ailsa said. “The very least we all deserve is for them to take total accountability and admit to all their wrongdoings.”
A former employee who joined Fairmont St Andrews in November 2021 was among the six former employees who have come forward in the past three weeks.
She said an older male colleague “tried to kiss” her when she was underage, that a breakfast manager “pulled” her by the waistcoat, and that a supervisor “screamed” at her in private, adding that the resort failed to respond to “months and months” of similar “abuse”.
The former employee submitted a letter of resignation that cited “bullying in the workplace” among her reasons for leaving in September 2023, according to a letter reviewed by The Saint.
“I just can't wrap my head around all of the stuff that people had to go through — that I had to go through,” she added.
Fairmont St Andrews declined to comment on the specifics of the new accounts.
“Any allegations of assault, harassment or inappropriate conduct, including those made in this instance, are taken very seriously,” a resort spokesperson said. “We implement and enforce training procedures and internal protocols to maintain an environment which is inclusive and free from harm.”
Fairmont St Andrews employees have suggested the resort has avoided the issues.
“I think that they were hoping the whole thing would blow over,” a current female employee said. “When I came into work the week after [The Saint published its investigation], it was no longer a hot topic or anyone’s concern.”
She and several other employees shared the hope that Fairmont St Andrews takes more decisive action.
“I’d like it if they made an official statement,” the current employee added. “However, their statement would have to be backed up by actual action. They would have to ensure that those mentioned were finally held accountable.”
Additional reporting by Charles Gorrivan
Several Fairmont St Andrews employees have been granted anonymity to respect sensitive personal information and/or protect their jobs.
This article is part of an ongoing investigation into workplace harassment across the St Andrews hospitality industry. Send tips or share your story at investigations@thesaint.scot.
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