What makes a small-business employee happy? A chance for career advancement, says Guillaume Simard, a four-year staffer at Wickaninnish Inn in Tofino. The lure of surfing and the desire to learn English first attracted 24-year-old Guillaume Simard to the wind-swept coast of Tofino in 2001. Four years later, what keeps this employee of the world-famous Wickaninnish Inn still there? The chance to move ahead with his career in the hospitality industry.
“I started out in housekeeping,” recalls Simard. He admits that after his second summer in housekeeping, he considered leaving, perhaps to return home to Montreal. Instead, he took the initiative and went to bartending school. “After that, I was transferred to the Pointe Restaurant (at the inn) as a runner assisting the servers. In the spring of 2004, I was promoted to day server.” When asked to take on the additional challenge of on-site contact of staff housing, Simard says, “It was a turning point.” Two years later, he is now staff housing supervisor in addition to his restaurant serving duties.
Inn had 91 per cent capacity in winter
When the Wickaninnish Inn opened in 1996, owner and managing director Charles McDiarmid and then-front office manager Melody McLorie seriously underestimated its lure. “The first winter we encouraged our staff to take lengthy holidays over the winter months. We never expected to have 91 per cent capacity. We were scrambling to find our employees and bring them back,” McLorie says.
Staff grew in increments from 40 to 100 employees. In July of 2003, a new building, Wickaninnish on the Beach, was completed, adding 30 new guest suites and rooms to the original total of 45. Staffing blossomed to 150 to accommodate the new structure.
It was then that McLorie stepped into her role as human resources manager, a busy department of one. “The inn responded to feedback from its employees,” says McLorie. “They wanted a third party to assist them with issues and questions related to their employment and career development.”
Qualified candidates harder to find now
Today, McLorie notes a shift in the role of HR in the tourism industry over the past decade. “Our website emphasizes our high service reputation. After we opened, we experienced a great run of resumes and applications. We could pick and choose. Now it’s harder to find qualified candidates.” McLorie shakes her head in dismay. “Why would someone apply for the job of chef when they’ve never worked in a kitchen? We have received that kind of application.”
Given the challenges of the increasingly competitive tourism industry, McLorie and her colleagues at the inn reach deep when it comes to finding qualified candidates. “We try to think outside the box,” says McLorie. That includes targeting new markets for potential employees, looking internationally, and promoting interest through word-of-mouth. The inn also looks to school graduates in tourism-based programs. McLorie herself visits schools such as Vancouver Community College to find quality applicants.
“Because we’re a year-round facility, we don’t want to be disappointed by an applicant who takes off at the end of the summer,” McLorie adds. “We go through a multi-level hiring process and let the applicants know that we are asking for a one-year commitment.”
HR manager divides applicants into two categories
Over the years, McLorie has learned to mentally divide applicants into two categories: those who are looking for a career in the tourism industry and those who are simply looking for a job. “It would be great if all employees could be career-oriented, with a real commitment to the industry. But not all are. Some simply want to work their eight hours and then take off to surf or whatever. I accept that now,” she says.
The Wickaninnish Inn knows that employees like Guillaume Simard need ongoing incentives as they progress with the company. Training, evaluation, and encouragement are part of the overall package that keeps employees on the job. “Everybody needs a challenge and a chance to progress,” Simard notes. “You need to have a goal that you work toward. As long as there is something I can reach toward, I stay interested.”
Weekly courses and annual review appreciated
After his promotion to daytime server, Simard studied at home about food and wines. The inn also provides ongoing on-the-job training, such as weekly courses offered by its sommelier (wine steward). Management provides employees with wine and course tastings to familiarize them with restaurant offerings. “They are definitely providing me with the training and tools to improve,” says Simard.
An annual review by restaurant personnel is also useful and appreciated; employees and management work together to set goals for the upcoming year. Simard says, “The review shows me what I can work on as a server, where I’m at, and what is expected of me. They make me feel I’m heading toward my goals. The path is long but if you feel someone is encouraging you, you’re willing to go all the way.”
By: Constance Brissenden, a Vancouver freelance writer/editor and author. Contact: livingtradition@telus.net
Reprinted from the Spring 2006 issue of PeopleTalk (vol. 9 no. 1)
