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with full comprehension of policies, and the documentation Get #mountaininspired by the
serves as a great reminder for those employees who may
“forget” the out of bounds policy or skiing on or off the Springs Stories video series
clock. She has found this useful on a number of occasions. You can watch inspiring guest stories and get more
information for your orientation with our expanded
Communicating the Message digital content on nsaa.org.

One common theme I heard when talking to resorts is that
new and returning staff want to hear from a variety of people, Seven Springs even incorporates powerful guest stories
especially senior leadership at your ski area. I asked some of into their orientation with videos. “No amount of boundless
the people I interviewed for this article, “On a scale from one energy and passion when speaking has the impact of video
to 10, how important is it to have resort leadership present at when coupled with a powerful message,” Horrell said.
your orientation?” Troskey replied, “Eleven—staff have to see “There is so much power in delivering that message when
that the top leadership are engaged and care. Make sure they our employees see and hear it from the guests themselves.”
are involved even in a small way.” Don’t be afraid to use redundancy to get key points across.
Some senior leaders may not be comfortable with pub- This can be done by introducing what you will talk about,
lic speaking, but their involvement is still crucial. You can ask elaborating on the subject and then concluding with a sum-
them to take on a small speaking role. Their involvement could mary or takeaway slide. Don’t underestimate the power of a
be as simple as introducing themselves, and then segueing to takeaway or helpful hints. When your audience hears a phrase
introduce another staff member or departmental presentation. like “here’s a tip or a takeaway,” they perk up. The more you
Leadership can greet staff at the entrance, hand out swag, reiterate key points, and the more clearly you call these points
or sign people in. Just being present and interacting with out, the more memorable they will be for staff.
staff will mean a lot to both new and returning employees. You may have to adjust your presentation to fit the audi-
At Mount Snow, I tried to attend every orientation (about ence. Your message to returning snowsports school and patrol
20 per year), and made many connections during and after should be different than your delivery to a group of new staff
the orientation. In my experience, if a new staff member or mostly international staff members.
can put a face to the title, they are more apt to introduce Finally, don’t be afraid to constantly tweak your presenta-
themselves or bring an issue to your attention. tion. If a certain part didn’t go over well, change it or eliminate
If you are a speaker, one effective tactic to hold attention it. What sounds good in a meeting doesn’t always work in real-
and ensure retention of information is to share a relevant story. ity—your approach should be fluid, always working to make it
Staff are more likely to remember a story than an explanation better. Don’t be afraid to ask for feedback.
of a policy or core value. An example is using NSAA’s “Ride
Another Day” video to emphasize safe skiing and snowboard- Tips for Achieving 100% Participation
ing choices. It is one tool that personalizes critical safety Most ski areas drive participation in orientation by tying the
concepts with a powerful story. completion of orientation to a sought-after benefit, like a
Horrell from Seven Springs has taken the use of stories to season pass or access to employee discounts. For instance,
the next level. at Seven Springs you cannot get on the schedule to work until
“I ask our staff to find out what brought our guests to the you have completed the Legendary Customer Experience.
mountain: ‘How long have they been coming here? Where are Ski areas should not underestimate the power of measuring
they from?’ That’s the essence of the customer experience— who has attended orientation and sharing that list with senior
because once we humanize the interaction, we can personalize management. Managers pay attention when they see that other
it and that’s the ultimate goal for us.” departments have 100 percent participation but their depart-
ment is only at 85 percent. Update and provide this list weekly
Before your staff arrive so managers can make a plan with staff to attend a session
You send your guests a pre-arrival email, so why before the last orientation of the season.
not send your staff an orientation pre-arrival mes- Staff onboarding, training and orientations are always an
sage so they can experience a successful first day? opportunity for improvement. Look around your ski area—
Check out our tips for communicating the who, there is probably a “champion of orientation” doing the heavy
what, where (& wear), why and how lifting. Depending on your role at the resort, you and other
on nsaa.org. leaders can offer support and help to elevate one of your ski
area’s most valuable employee retention tools.

56 | NSAA JOURNAL | SUMMER 2019