One way you could improve the working environment would be to provide some of the great wellness offerings after Saturday and Sunday shifts. My schedule didn't allow me to attend any of the wellness offerings on the weekend and I can't make it to the mountain during the week.
So, it sounds like some more early morning and late afternoon time slots would be good. Perhaps 8am and 4pm? Maybe you can email me some more specific time frames that you feel would work best for MLC team members?
Tyler
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Tyler Barnes
Learning Center Operations & Training Manager
tyler.barnes@skihood.com
O: (503) 337-2222 ext.1276
Had a very very memorable first season at Meadows. Absolutely loved the people and of course, the view! Managed to find my self a year round position at my mountain home.
With summer approaching comes great challenges. Although I'm already CPR/First aid certified I feel like wilderness first aid is an absolute necessity working in remote places such as Meadows. (I mean, Portland is so close but the terrain and conditions make it remote)
Even just basic WFA would raise morale considerably. Next adventure has 2 day WFA classes for about $175 per person, which isn't bad at all considering it could potentially save a life one day, and that is priceless. Maybe try and come up with a deal with them or REI for some 50% vouchers on WFA classes at least? That would be awesome.
This is for my lift ops friends, Crew chow! I've used to work at a resort with this program. It has worked incredibly well! Basically, it's a smaller portion of chicken strip basket, chilly cheese fries, a slice of pizza, day old grab and go sandwich, etc. That employees can just grab, sign, and go. This is extremely useful because one person can run in on their break, grab the entire lift a lunch, and they can do whatever they want on their break after that since they've ready got their food. Morale would increase, I guarantee it.
Again for my lift ops buddies. On short staffed days, like having 2 instead of 3 people at the bottom on peak days or heck, even just 1 at the bottom. Consider paying them a couple bucks more per hour for that? I've had so many days where I've done the job of 2-3 people alone for the price of one. It felt like I was cheap, and disposable like that. Not only that, but extremely unsafe. We're not allowed to be on our phones or be distracted while loading, but having a big tablet screen in front of you that you have to pay attention to all day all while grooming the ramp, interacting with guests, look up the line, and oh boy when a guest is stuck in the gates or a hot list come through? Goooood luck. I've had to let guests that could've been a bounty through just for safety sake. I wasn't going to ghost load just to see if someone really is who they say they are. If someone were to fall on the ramp and get hit by a chair while I was dealing with a bad pass alone, yeah, not good. Please fix this.
Pros:
Most people were amazing and fun to work with
Managers are great to be around, and they feel like they're your friend and not someone who's out to get to
Beautiful views
Employee parties were fun
Possible to move up in the company!!!
Cons:
Short staffed a lot
Some don't have the commitment to the job such as slacking, always late from breaks, not really caring, always missing shifts and not much was done about it
Turns for Tennant's program nearly useless due to outrageous rent costs for the wages most employees are paid
Overall: 8.75/10
I've had a great season, and really excited for the summer. Thank you!
Thanks for taking the time to give such detailed feedback! I agree with a lot of what you have mentioned as opportunities for improvement that we need to focus on. Especially being short staffed, it has a negative impact on the team moral and our ability to execute in so many areas of our operation and is a big opportunity for us to improve next season.
-Jeremy Riss
This was an especially fun/growing year for me in the Learning Center. Many return guests coming for coaching and smiles broadened (including mine!).
We have no problem with guest numbers especially on the weekends. Patronage, especially Tues/Wed/Thurs varies greatly. This year's mid-week bus program was scaled back, but buses filled. I believe we have a great opportunity to grow that program...not only to include Tuesdays, but more buses each day from various locations. The key seems not just to promote it as a means of transportation to the mountain, but as a total mountain experience...that is what we are really about! Let's step out of the box and begin to dream about how we can entice more folks who have the time, money, energy to enjoy Meadows mid-week. This includes the marketing dept./Learning Center/Hospitality services looking at new, innovative, fun effective programs/promotions that can draw more people, particularly those with flexible work schedules and our Senior population to the mountain...not just to have fun, but better develop their skills for more fun/safety, and develop new friendships. In the fitness industry they have the Senior Sneakers or Silver and Fit...How about if we have the Meadows Masters or Silver Sliders. Let's think out of the box and have some fun creating new revenue streams for Meadows and greater fun opportunities for participants.
Paul Sunderland also shared some more detailed information with me on this opportunity. I totally agree that this could potentially have greater participation in the midweek bus program if it we marketed the social aspects of the program as well as the instructional portions, especially featuring some of the instructor profiles of those who would be leading these sessions.
Tyler
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Tyler Barnes
Learning Center Operations & Training Manager
tyler.barnes@skihood.com
O: (503) 337-2222 ext.1276
I feel very supported by upper management during this budget process and moving forwards with the changes coming next year. Thanks everyone!