Adventure Park TRENDING # staff_retention # guide_training # workplace_safety # F&B_tips # adventure_playgrounds # and_more Incident Trends & Solutions Participant claims data illustrates injury trends and points toward risk management solutions. Manage Your Forest Ecosystem How to properly manage both the manmade and organic elements in your forest ecosystem. WINTER 2024 Insider Adapting for the future We hope you enjoy these three complimentary articles from API.
From Winter ‘22 - Know Your Assessments From Summer ‘23 - Guide Point System Sneak Peek from Winter ‘24 - ‘Tis the Season
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Understanding the levels of tree assessment allows operators to make smart decisions about how much time— and money—to invest in their trees.
KNOW YOUR
ASSESSMENTS
BY SCOTT BAKER AND KATHERINE TAYLOR, Tree Solutions, Inc.
Sonic tomography is one of the many sophisticated tests an experienced consulting arborist may perform during a level 3 tree assessment.
Walking the grounds of the Redwood Sky Walk, Calif., performing a level 1 assessment, which includes visually scanning the trees to identify any significant issues.
LEVEL 1 A level 1 assessment provides an
indication of the general conditions of a forested site. This level of assessment is often used for power lines, checks of urban tree collections after a storm, or any other situation where a large number of trees must be evaluated. On an aerial adventure course, a level 1 as- sessment is appropriate for identifying possible tree issues within range of the course trees and elements. What? A level 1 is a visual scan of the trees surrounding the course. An arbor- ist will take a short look at your trees, usually from one aspect, and identify significant issues such as the develop - ment of leans, broken branches target- ing the course, or stem decays. Based on the issues identified, the assessor will make recommendations to the operator for immediate management, monitoring, or further assessment. When? This level of assessment should be done by an arborist prior to building a course, as a yearly inspection, and after major weather events. In addi- tion, the arborist can train your staff to conduct internal level 1 assessments, allowing your team to identify issues that may need an arborist’s attention in between regular inspections. LEVEL 2 Also called a basic assessment, a level 2 assessment allows an arborist to spend some time with each tree. Using visual assessment and basic tools, a level 2 as- sessment will uncover many facts about the way a tree is growing and identify conditions of concern visible from the ground or with minimal excavation around the root flare. What? Most arborists will bring some of the following tools when carrying out a level 2 assessment: a diameter tape, a laser hypsometer and azimuth, a com- pass, a sounding mallet, a soil probe, a trowel or other digging tools, a mattock, chisels, hand pruners, a magnifying glass, binoculars, and a camera. These tools allow the arborist to evaluate trees with more depth than the purely visual level 1 assessment.
A lthough trees pose a generally very low risk to people and facili- ties, stuff happens. Aerial adventure operators need to be proactive—not reactive—about tree health in order to minimize risk. This requires actively paying attention to your trees and having them regularly inspected and assessed by a qualified arborist.
Thinking through potential tree threats allows managers to make adjustments, such as tree pruning and cabling or moving or reinforcing facilities, to reduce risk. Staff doing daily course inspections should be trained to observe trees at a basic level and to report any changes to their supervisor (See “Reading the Trees,” API Summer 2021) . Inspections by a qualified arborist should also be a component of the management plan for every site where trees are present. Arborist inspections should happen at least once per year. For seasonal oper- ations, inspections are recommended after closing to plan off-season main - tenance and before opening to ensure everything made it through the winter and is safe to open for business. THREE LEVELS OF ASSESSMENT When professional arborists inspect trees, there are three levels of assess- ment that can be considered, pro- gressing from simple to complex. All three levels require knowledge of how trees grow within their environment, of the characteristics of individual tree species, and of the impact of human activities near trees. Not every arborist
has this skill set, so it is important to ask about your arborist’s qualifications and the types of assessments they regularly perform. Here, we’ll outline the three levels of tree assessment to help you gain an un- derstanding of what each involves and so you can better determine if an ar- borist is qualified. With this knowledge, you can ask arborists simple questions like, “What level of assessment do you recommend for these trees?” or “What types of tree assessment have you done on adventure courses in the past?” and understand and evaluate the responses. Caution: Don’t confuse a free bid for tree work by a commercial arborist with an assessment conducted by an experienced consulting arborist. Free bids can lead to recommendations for unnecessary tree management or lack vital information about a serious tree condition, for example. An assessment by a consulting arborist, on the other hand, will be more thorough. Consulting arborists typically charge by the hour and may also charge fees for the use of testing equipment or samples sent out for lab analysis.
A TRAQ qualified arborist (Arborist Qual- ifications sidebar, next page) will gener-
KNOW YOUR
ARBORIST QUALIFICATIONS
The TRAQ methodology for risk assessment is subjective and uses accepted international methods for risk assessment approved by the International Standards Organization (ISO). The TRAQ method uses two matrices—a likelihood of failure matrix and a risk rating matrix—to determine the level of risk for a particular tree. The method aims to safely preserve trees, so it is important that the risk assessor is experienced and knowledgeable enough to suggest arboricultural treatments or other actions that can be used to mitigate tree risk and bring a tree back from dangerous to acceptable levels.
ASSESSMENTS
At minimum, your arborist should have an International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) arborist certification and the Tree Risk Assessment Qualification (TRAQ). More advanced arborists may also have an ISA Board Certified Master Arborist certification and an American Society of Consulting
ally also use a form (an ISA basic tree risk assessment form or equivalent) to record information about the tree(s) they are assessing. The form serves as a record for the operator of the arborist’s observations and measurements, but is not intended to be submitted to munici- palities or in a formal report as the only source of tree risk assessment data. Level 2 assessments require adequate time—at least 15-30 minutes per tree— and thus adequate budget. This level of inspection produces an effective evalua - tion of the health and structural stability of trees, and it will inform whether a risk assessment or level 3 assessment is needed. When? This is the standard assessment an arborist would conduct when called out to examine a tree based on a con- cern or observation you have made. Lev- el 2 assessments should be conducted on each course tree or potential course tree before design and construction, and every year as a part of normal manage- ment. Your arborist may also recom- mend a level 2 as a result of findings from a level 1 inspection they conducted on trees within range of the course. LEVEL 3 When the situation demands a higher level of information regarding tree stability or health, a level 3 assessment is called for. Level 3 assessments can be time consuming and require special equipment, training, and experience. Thorough assessments of this type are often required for high value trees or trees that are critical components of a course or facility. What? A level 3 assessment provides details about the structural stability of a tree, any decays, pathogens, insects, pests, or nutrient deficiencies present, and possible issues with the soil that require management. Depending on the tree and the goal of the inspection, a level 3 assessment can include: • Aerial inspection for evaluation of structural defects in the upper parts of trees.
Arborists (ASCA) Registered Consulting Arborist (RCA) certification.
• Detailed target analysis, which may include research into the use of the site and the condition of some of the target structures. • Decay testing, including increment boring, drilling with a small diam- eter drill bit or micro resistance recording drill, single path sonic assessment, sonic tomography, electrical impedance tomography, and microscopic analysis for fungal species identification. • Health evaluation, including tree ring analysis, shoot length measurement, detailed health and vigor analysis, and starch level assessment. • Soil or tissue testing in cases where a nutrient deficiency or a pathogen is suspected. • Root inspection and evaluation, including root and root collar exca- vations, root decay evaluations, and ground penetrating radar. • Storm and wind load analysis, including a detailed assessment of the tree’s exposure and protection factors, computer-based estimations according to engineering models, and wind reaction monitoring over a defined interval. • Measuring, monitoring and assessing a change in trunk lean. The TRAQ is intended to increase an arborist’s level of competence in assessing tree risk. TRAQ has been in place for six years. It is not a license to assess trees for risk, rather it is a syllabus that describes the assessment method and current arboricultural understanding and practices.
• Load testing using methods such as a hand pull test, a measured static pull test (aka standard integrated assess- ment), or measured tree dynamics. When? An operator might seek a level 3 assessment when regulatory scrutiny is a factor. For example, during a level 3 inspection, an arborist could test sup- port trees at the base and, if needed, at critical elevations using sonic tomogra- phy to provide the course owner with data about tree species characteristics like wood strength and tree health. This data is vital for engineers running numbers. It also allows building-code officials to be more certain that the trees are sound and stable. Level 3 testing can also be used to monitor how a condition is progressing. Trees with decay columns can remain structurally stable for a long time and As part of a level 3 assessment, co-author Scott Baker uses a mi- cro-resistance drill to look at the tree’s growth rate and determine if there is any decay.
sometimes may even be appropriate for use as course trees depending on a variety of factors. A level 3 assess- ment can answer questions like: Is the pathogen or pest still present? Have the nutrient levels of the soil returned to normal? Is the tree producing new sound wood, or is the spread of decay outpacing the growth of new tissue? The recommendation for a level 3 as- sessment typically emerges from a level 2 assessment. To determine whether you should follow through on a recom- mendation, consider whether the tree in question is a course tree or could im- pact the course in the event of a failure, and what the possible consequence of a failure could be. While a level 3 assessment can be ex- pensive, it can reduce costs—monetary and environmental—in the long-term. Jumping to conclusions based on a level 1 or 2 assessment that provided insuf- ficient data might lead an operator to move a course element unnecessarily, or cut down a structurally stable tree, or remove a tree that’s health, disease, or insect problems could have been resolved with simple cultural manage- ment. In some cases, unneeded tree re- moval could result in further problems, like leaving the remaining trees more vulnerable to wind and weather events, increasing the risk of other failures. Thus, it is important to make forest management decisions using factual, science-based information. There aren’t many arborists with the experience, knowledge, and equipment capable of this level of inspection, and only a high- ly qualified consulting arborist should perform level 3 work. A NOTE ON RISK ASSESSMENT An arborist may recommend a formal risk assessment after a level 3 or even a level 2 assessment. (Sometimes an arborist can take good measurements without advanced equipment or knows enough information based on the spe- cies of tree and decay present to make a recommendation for risk assessment without proceeding to a level 3.) What? To determine the overall risk level of a tree, your arborist will consider: what the defect is; what kind
Co-author Katherine Taylor conducting a level 2 assessment on a tree at Mt. Herman, Calif. She’s collecting data using visual inspection and basic tools to produce an effective evaluation of the tree’s health and stability.
– Conduct a level 2 assessment of all course trees from the ground and platform. • Arborist weather event inspections: – Conduct a level 1 assessment of all course and surrounding course trees after major weather events. • Arborist assessment prior to de - sign and construction of a course: – Conduct a level 1 inspection of all trees within range of the new course location. – Conduct a level 2 inspection on all potential attachment trees. – Conduct a level 3 assessment on course trees based on the out- come of the level 2 inspection to confirm structural stability, provide data for the engineering and build teams, and fulfill any permitting requirements. • Arborist new or developing condi - tions assessment: – Have a consulting arborist conduct a level 2 assessment on trees that your staff or a commercial arborist have identified as a concern. – Have a consulting arborist perform level 3 testing of trees based on the outcomes of the level 2 assessment. • Arborist tree risk assessments: – Conduct risk assessments on trees within range of a course when the operator or staff have a concern or the arborist has identified signifi - cant defects. The health of your trees is vital to the sustainability of your business and the safety of your staff and guests. Fre - quent inspection—at the right level— will help protect your business, people, and forest for the future.
of failure could occur as a result of the defect; how likely the failure is to occur over a given timeframe; what the tree or tree part would hit if it did fail (a nearby platform, a zip line, people using the course, a building, etc.); how often that target is there (people, cars, and animals all move); and what the consequences to the target would be if the tree or tree part hit it. This information is put into a matrix that determines the risk level. At which point, your arborist will make management recommendations to reduce risk, which may include: cutting the tree down; pruning the part that might fail; making the tree a snag; monitoring the tree for some condition, like lean; or even moving the target—perhaps a bench or picnic tables—to another location. INSPECTION PLANNING How should you incorporate tree as- sessments on your site into your man- agement operations? How much time should you spend on your trees? Here are some recommendations to help you decide what kind of assessments (and therefore what kind of specialist) you might need: • Staff course inspections: – Conduct regular level 1 assessment with appropriately trained in-house staff to identify immediate man - agement needs and when to call an arborist for help between regular inspections. • Annual or bi-annual inspections by a qualified arborist: – Conduct a level 1 assessment on trees within range of the course.
THE GUIDE POINTS SYSTEM BY DON STOCK, THE ADVENTURE GUILD
A guide incentive program can be an important influence on work culture and staff retention.
Finding and preparing staff for vari - ous roles within an aerial adventure company takes significant time and resources. Retaining staff should be given as much time, attention, and creativity as staff acquisition and onboarding. Without this invest - ment, we’re hopelessly consigned to the hiring and training loop, adding stress to our every day. There is ample information available to help us understand the factors that contribute to employee job satisfaction and retention (see “Staff Retention, Part 2” on p. 26) . Some of these factors, like competitive pay, work/life balance, job security and stability, and supportive leadership, are obvious. If we get those things wrong, it won’t matter what else we do, talented employees are not likely to stay with us long-term. Other factors aren’t quite as self-ev- ident, and can be easy to neglect or miss completely. Those factors include opportunities for growth and develop- ment, a positive and supportive work culture, recognition and rewards for good work, and opportunities for social interaction and team development. Path to success. Even in seasonal work like guiding or facilitating, people want a path to learn, grow, and acquire new skills, and to make more money be- cause of that advancement. Creating op- portunities for employees to shine and be celebrated for their contributions is a big part of fostering and feeding that kind of work environment. Providing those opportunities within a frame- work focused on teamwork and strong interpersonal relationships contributes greatly to overall job satisfaction.
A culture like that makes recruiting and retention exponentially easier. Ignore those factors and be prepared to compound the difficulty of finding and retaining quality staff. Developing an Incentive Program So, how do we intentionally incorporate these dynamics into everyday operations in a way that makes them self-sustain- ing amid all the other things we have to keep up with? For us at The Adventure Guild, game theory provided the answer. For those unfamiliar with the concept, game theory is a mathematical ap- proach to understanding decision-mak- ing and strategic behavior. It was devel- oped by John von Neumann and Oskar Morgenstern in the 1940s. Among other things, employers use it to design incen- tive programs that encourage employ- ees to behave in ways that benefit both themselves and the company. For example, a company may offer bonuses or other perks to employees who achieve certain goals. This is a win- win arrangement: Employees benefit by performing well and the company benefits from increased productivity and profitability. Using the theory, we developed a guide incentive program that focuses on the often-overlooked factors shown to increase employee satisfaction and retention. The Guide Points System The creatively titled “Guide Points System” is an integrated part of our employee and operations manual.
It includes various components that incentivize teamwork, provide rewards for specific actions and attitudes, and provide recognition based on guest and peer feedback. As the name implies, the program is built on a system of points accrued through various actions and behaviors. Each guide accumulates points over weeks, months, or the entire season, that can be used to acquire various items, benefits, or rewards Kudos. The points system recognizes things that are important to our busi- ness and culture. For example, since ensuring that staff make good money is key to retention, we encourage tipping and have incorporated the Guide Points System into the tipping process to allow guides to earn additional rewards. To do this, we make tipping as easy as possible for patrons. We place tip boxes in a prominent location beneath a world map on which patrons place pins of where they are from. Each guide has their own box with their photo on it and a QR code that links to their Venmo (a mobile app-based payment service). In addition, we provide small note pads and golf pencils for patrons or other staff to use to leave notes of thanks or appreciation in a guide’s tip box. Each of those notes constitutes a “kudos” and is worth a set number of points in the incentive program. Role-specific points. Guide of the Day, Week, Month, and Year recognitions are also part of the system, each with vary- ing point values. Role-specific points can also be earned for things like serv- ing as a lead guide or course manager
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THE GUIDE POINTS SYSTEM
as they might otherwise, the person who takes on that role will miss out on a percentage of tips for the day. So, in recognition of that willingness to serve, the volunteer earns points for the day. In the case of the Guide of the Day recognition, at the daily close of oper- ations, the team individually and con- fidentially nominates one of the team members who, in their opinion, hustled, worked hard, had a great attitude, or otherwise exemplified the ethos and
customer service our program values. The team member who is voted as Guide of the Day receives points. This in turn incentivizes more of the behavior our company values. Individual and team. The Guide Points System allows guides to accrue points in two categories: individual and team. Team points are awarded to the entire team for things like a five-star review online, positive customer feedback through email or social media, a monthly guest count that exceeds the average, or set time periods with no near misses or incidents. Team points can be redeemed for things like candy for the crew, feed the team on taco day, or pizza and drinks for lunch. These rewards benefit the entire team rather than individual team members. Individual points are earned in myriad ways, including kudos, Guide of the Day/Week/Month recognition, picking up unscheduled shifts, getting a perfect score on a secret shop, returning sea- sonally, and more. Individual points ac- crue until a staff member cashes them in, and can be redeemed for paid days or weeks off, wholesale gear and equip - ment through our various pro-deal manufacturer relationships, or even a cash bonus at the end of the season. Tweaks and changes. The program has been refined over time to address issues of fairness among staff or cost to the company. For example, in the case of banking points toward a cash bonus, we found the need to adjust the points- to-dollar ratio in order to make the option fiscally viable with a large staff but still generous enough to honor the hard work and dedication the staff had invested to receive it. Ultimately, the Guide Points System helps us create the culture we are looking for and improves employee satisfaction, thus improving retention— which is the best return on investment we could ask for.
for the day, executing an intervention, and volunteering to come in early.
Why do we ascribe point values to these various jobs? In the case of the course manager or lead guide, we only need one person to fill each of those roles on any given day, but we may have multiple staff qualified to serve in those roles. And because those jobs often keep a person from guiding as much
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For more information on the Guide Points System, including a written plan, go to adventureparkinsider.com/challenge- course-pro-tips.
’TIS THE SEASON
(FOR STAFFING)
Seasonal operators continue to evolve hiring and retention strategies to staff up in a difficult market.
BY ISEULT DEVLIN
Finding the right team to operate your aerial adventure activity is crucial but not always easy. Like other recreation businesses, the aerial adventure world struggles to find reliable employees who will stay for more than a seasonal stint. Many operators are finding it is more and more important to retain at least some trained staff—especially aerial guides—to keep business consistent and successful. In recent years, some outfits have started to offer partially subsidized employee housing and other perks in re- sponse to the lack of affordable housing and increased cost of living. Adventure Park Insider contacted a variety of aerial adventure operators, including those with zip lines, ropes courses, and canopy tours, to gather their best practices for navigating the seasonal employment landscape. Here’s what we learned about keeping and training seasonal employees, including how hiring international workers can help fill staffing voids. EMPLOYEE HOUSING It’s not easy to organize employee housing, but it’s well worth the cost and effort. And housing benefits don’t have to be large scale to have a big impact. At Hawaii’s Kohala Zipline, for example, manager Kanoe Lewis says employee housing subsidies made it possible to obtain quality applicants and secure a great team for its upcoming busy season. Subsidized housing. In previous years, Kohala, located on the Big Island, would reimburse employees for their flight cost to Hawaii after a 30-day probation period, but housing had to be secured
Kohala Zipline, on Hawaii’s Big Island, has developed new strategies to retain and attract experienced staff.
by the employee. Just last year, though, Kohala offered employee housing benefits for the first time, mainly to attract two experienced guides who had responded to a seasonal worker ad on Facebook and were offered subsidized housing as an incentive. Kohala operations manager Daniel Tuck says the housing benefit played a role in securing the experienced guides. “The housing market is really tough out here,” says Tuck. “We have to subsi- dize the rent by 33 percent to make it competitive for employees to be able to afford to live here.”
He says Kohala lucked out in finding a timely rental vacancy at an affordable cottage nearby. “It was nice to have the option of bringing in skilled labor,” Tuck says, adding that the two new hires could start guiding sooner, since they could complete a two-day training com- pared to the usual five. Own your own. Located one hour north of Duluth in Silver Bay, Minn., North Shore Adventure Park owner Alice Tibbetts uses her vacation home to provide lodging for the park’s
Climb Works Smoky Moun- tains Zipline Tour needs a large staff to meet demand, which can reach 400 visitors a day in peak season.
manager and additional employees as needed. To meet demand, Tibbetts purchased a second, smaller house in January 2023, at which time she also formed Athena North Properties so it could be rented during the off-season. Staff housing is necessary for Tibbetts’ operation. “I wouldn’t be able to staff without folks from outside the area and international students who need housing,” she says. Each three-bedroom house is furnished and can accommodate four to five peo - ple, who share a bathroom and kitchen. Park staff pay a moderately priced rent plus damage deposit, and Athena North rents to visiting nurses and others in transition when its properties are not being used for North Shore’s employees. “I have been able to at least break even on the housing,” says Tibbetts, adding that the market was relatively inexpen- sive at the time of her purchase. Seeing returns. Climb Works Smoky Mountains Zipline Tour, located across the street from Tennessee’s Great Smoky Mountains National Park, bought an apartment complex almost a decade ago to address employee hous- ing. The two buildings are on the same property; each has 12 units and can house about five employees per unit. Like Tibbetts, “We bought at a good time,” says general manager Mike Mur- ray. “It has been the key to the compa- ny’s success in retaining employees.” Climb Works utilizes 70-plus staff in the summer—many found through the Cool- Works platform—and not many housing
options are available in the area. Murray says the tour needs a robust staff during its busy season, when it can see more than 400 visitors a day. If an employee opts to stay beyond the peak period to cover shoulder seasons and holidays, the company will subsidize their rent, sometimes letting them stay for free, depending on the situation. For Climb Works, the ROI has paid off. “[Employee housing] was a huge invest- ment,” says Murray, “but we made it back in spades pretty quick.” INTERNATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES Staff housing has opened the door to hiring internationally for some parks, which in the past was too cumbersome for many operators, partially due to lack of affordable housing. There are two types of international vi- sas available for foreign talent. The Brid- geUSA program (formerly the J-1 visa) is a cultural work exchange program for students that’s operated by the Depart- ment of State; and the H-2B visa is a nonimmigrant employment program offered by the Department of Labor. The lowdown on BridgeUSA. “The industry standard is for the host organization to provide [BridgeUSA visa holders with] housing,” says Renee Clarke, associate recruitment director for Greenheart Exchange, a designated BridgeUSA sponsor program. Students are expected to pay for housing, she adds, but the idea is for them to still make some cash while having a cultural work experience.
program, but they must have a business license, provide a 32-hour work week, workers’ compensation, and access to cultural activities (which often require transportation). Clarke notes there are inexpensive ways to provide these activities, such as visit- ing a local animal shelter, having donuts with the mayor, or organizing a potluck dinner once a month. BridgeUSA visas are typically issued for a four-month period, but “sometimes students will come back year after year,” says Clarke. It can be extremely rewarding to see employees and global- ly minded employers form relationships and friendships, she adds. Per government regulations, BridgeUSA visa holders are not allowed to work at hazardous heights. Still, they may be ideal for the many roles that aren’t performed at height. “The international students can work on our grounds team support or as axe throwing coaches,” says Colin Lynch, park manager at North Shore, which started hiring BridgeUSA (then J-1) visa students a couple of years ago. Local vs. international. Of course, hiring locals is a popular option for park op- erators since they don’t need housing. And it’s important as a business to have a presence in the community by hiring staff that lives there. “It’s crucial to have local loyalty, and our parent company recognizes that,” says Kohala’s Tuck. But staffing exclusively from the local pool comes with its challenges—particu- larly with high school- and college-aged
There’s no fee for operators to use the
’TIS THE SEASON...
employees who get pulled away for the annual family vacation or need to return to school, leaving businesses scrambling to hire a second wave. “It is difficult to keep locals, as they tend to come and go,” says Lynch. So North Shore uses CIEE, one of the largest BridgeUSA visa sponsor organizations, to secure students from countries all over the world. H-2B visas are another option to secure international workers, one with slightly different parameters. “H-2B workers can stay for the duration of an organization’s season, and they tend to be a higher-level worker,” says Keith Pabien, CEO of Seasonal Con- nect, an aptly-named platform that helps connect seasonal employers with seasonal workers, and vice versa. The H-2B program allows many U.S. employers to bring foreign nationals to the United States to fill temporary nonagricultural jobs for up to a year. Unlike the BridgeUSA program, appli- cants are not students, but workers
pursuing a specific career. The visa application process takes about six months and requires financial spon - sorship, but the investment can be worth it if a business can get the same employee to return year after year and/or have a consistent and reliable workforce for its busy season. STAFF EXPENSES, INCENTIVES “Juggling employees is the hardest part of the job,” says Lee Kerfoot, owner of Kerfoot Canopy Tour and Brainerd Zipline Tour, both in Minnesota. To attract and retain employees, “We try to promote and push that we have a strong referral bonus,” he says. The park has struggled to find guides, says Kerfoot, which is why he recently bumped the referral bonus up to $400. Bonuses on bonuses. North Shore offers staff referral bonuses, too. It also offers end-of-season bonuses if an employee stays to cover the shoulder season, and has restructured its friends and family passes for employees so they can be used even when the employee is working. >> continued
North Shore Adventure Park, Minn., hires local and international staff to meet demand. ^
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In Hawaii, Kohala Ziplines paid substan- tial bonuses in January 2023, ranging from $1,500 to $2,000, depending on whether an employee worked full or part time. Plus, everyone on staff got a $1 raise. “The year 2022 was really good,” says Tuck, which enabled the company to reinvest in its employees. This year was not as strong, with weather shutdowns and longer, deeper slumps in visitation. “Hopefully [a bonus] still happens.” ’TIS THE SEASON...
Kerfoot notes that small gestures can also go a long way. “We try to make people feel like an important part of the team,” he says. For example, $25 gas gift cards have been a popular reward for employees who go above and beyond. Expenses. Guide training is a signifi - cant investment as well. “The time and energy spent on training and safety is one of the biggest expenses,” notes Tuck. Of Kohala’s 22-person staff, 17 are guides, and new guides are typically put through a 60+ hour training program followed by written and skills exams. At Climb Works, most of its employees are guides who must undergo four on-course days of training and conduct tours with a trained overstudy. “They do this until they can safely execute two full tours on their own,” says Murray. Given the extensive nature of such training, it’s worth it to invest in employ- ee retention. Climb Works offers medi - cal benefits to its full-time employees as well as referral bonuses—a win-win for both employee and employer. Students with BridgeUSA cultural work exchange visas can bolster staff numbers during the peak season.
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“Some of our lead guides have been here a long time,” notes Murray.
Camaraderie matters too. “We have a cool vibe that sets the tone for the whole adventure,” says Tuck. “Crews try to outdo each other, pumping each other up and encouraging guests to shout ‘chee-hoo!’, the Hawaiian ‘yee-haw!’” MAKING STRIDES All the operators agreed that even if an employee returns for just one extra sea- son, it contributes bigly to improving the bottom line and the guest experience. And although employee turnover in this business is inevitable, these businesses are utilizing best practices to chip away at this stumbling block. As the industry changes, aerial activity operators are adopting new strategies—providing affordable housing, offering perks, and supplementing staff through interna - tional workers—to improve hiring and turnover.
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