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Getting Started of time. The team has to be comfortable with both giving

If you haven’t done so already, summer is a great time to start and receiving feedback.
planning for orientation. The more advance planning time If you have multiple orientations, it can wear on you.
you can dedicate, the more successful your employee orienta- As important as staff orientations are, they are a significant
tions will be. time commitment.
Figuring out who is responsible for orientation is an But Murphy sees it differently. “To me, orientation is
important first step to putting the plan together. Although an investment, not a commitment,” he said.
one person or department (typically human resources) should No matter when a staff member joins the team, they
ultimately be responsible, according to Kathy Chan, Human deserve your very best effort. Think about spicing up your last
Resources Director at Homewood Mountain Resort, CA, and few orientations to be a little more fun and interactive. With
Red Lodge Mountain Resort, MT, “You have to have buy-in a smaller crowd, you can build in more group participation,
from all managers. Orientation is everyone’s responsibility.” which can help engage this group and help them integrate
One way to get started is to let your HR department put comfortably into the larger culture.
together a recommended outline that your senior team can
review, and then offer feedback. You can also gather a small Are you working to create a
team (some of your key departments and/or typical speakers) formal orientation process?
together to brainstorm a plan. Whatever your approach, Check out our resources located on the member
consider these items to help you get started.
homepage at nsaa.org. Log in to access check-
Setting a Goal lists to help build your agenda, navigate logistics
and ensure that you have the tools to make
What is your overall goal? Will your orientation set a frame- your orientation a success.
work for your company culture or are you putting together
an educational event that is more job-specific?
At Seven Springs Resort, PA, Resort Training Manager Number of Orientation Events
Bob Horrell creates a positive and engaging first impression How many events do you need to hold? If you hold large
by developing a different theme each year for their orienta- events, you won’t have to schedule as many. However, Murphy
tion, which they call the Legendary Customer Experience. reports that Stowe tries to keep audience size small—about
This past year, the theme was “The Story.” Horrell shared thirty people maximum—to promote interaction between staff
the Seven Springs story with staff and then encouraged the members and departments.
audience to share their own stories. Horrell introduced this Decide if you need to offer a few additional sessions
concept with a video, which you can find at nsaa.org. throughout the season to accommodate the staff who start
Like Seven Springs, Stevens Pass, WA, also uses their after opening day. For example, Copper Mountain Resort,
all-staff orientation to provide a meaningful first impression. Colo., conducts lift operator training every three weeks on
“We spend a lot of time thinking about the first impres- average, as new hires are brought on during the season. Seven
sion of our guests, but it’s just as critical to consider the Springs offers orientation two times a week all winter long,
same for staff,” said Ben Fok, Director of Skiing Services with about 50-100 staff members in each session. In the
at Stevens Pass. Fok goes on to explain that their company summer, orientation is offered about every 10 days.
has a goal of offering their guests a fun and engaging
experience, and they also make that a key objective of Time of Day
staff orientation. If you are going to have multiple orientation sessions, make
sure you have timing options to accommodate all schedules.
Time of Year Third shift staff are not going to be psyched to attend a
When it comes to orientation, the first and the last event of 10:00 a.m. orientation. Think about adding one or two times
the season are usually the hardest. that are convenient for the night shift workers.
The first orientation of the season can be difficult because
the key presenters might not have their routine and timing Length
down. That is why a dress rehearsal is paramount; it is import- The length of your orientation depends on your ski area and
ant to try your orientation out on a group of staff that are the amount of content you need to cover. But many resorts
willing to give your team candid feedback. If you are not are cutting back on long, classroom-style orientations. If you
honest with each other, the dress rehearsal will be a waste break up the “classroom” portion with something that gets

SUMMER 2019 | NSAA JOURNAL | 53