(JENNIFER STAHN / iNFOnews.ca)

SUN PEAKS - Sun Peaks Resort has won the coveted 2015 Employees First Award presented at this year’s BC Tourism Industry Awards Gala on October 20, 2015. Sponsored by go2HR, BC’s tourism human resource association, this award recognizes a British Columbia tourism employer that has upheld high standards of excellence in human resources and people management practices.

Sun Peaks Resort is a four season destination resort located 45 minutes northeast of Kamloops, BC. With over 300,000 skier visits each year Sun Peaks is now the second largest ski area in Canada, employing up to 470 staff in peak season. The company is driven by four effective employment practices: communication, training, health and safety, recognition and appreciation. Sun Peak initiates these practices through the following examples:

- Encourage engagement and conversation about new ideas and goals through mid-season reviews and fireside chats.
- Provide training workshops on recognized certifications such as FOODSAFE and First Aid.
- Department specific training to learn daily tasks, hazards and risks and how to avoid them.
- Encourage peer to peer recognition as well as host monthly staff appreciation nights.

By executing these practices, Sun Peaks has created a strong community and organizational culture that achieved a 50% retention rate for seasonal employees in the 2014-15 winter season. Both current and past employees become ambassadors for the destination and word of mouth has become one of the most valuable recruiting tools for Sun Peaks.

“The mission at Sun Peaks is to provide the finest mountain resort experience possible and we connect this focus with each and every one of our employment practices,” says Aidan Kelly, Director of Sales and Marketing, Sun Peaks Resort. “If we treat our employees with the same importance as our guests, this will translate into an exceptional all around experience for everyone in the resort.”

“We congratulate Sun Peaks Resort for continually raising the bar for human resource practices in BC. Seasonal operations have unique challenges in recruiting and retaining seasonal employees, and Sun Peaks has created a workplace, and more importantly, a community where employees want to return each season,” adds Arlene Keis, go2HR’s CEO.

To learn more about the Employees First Award and to see past winners, visit go2HR.ca/EmployeesFirst.

News from © iNFOnews, 2015