Snow sport season coming up fast

NZSki.com chief executive James Coddington is preparing for the 2012 ski season with new goals in...
NZSki.com chief executive James Coddington is preparing for the 2012 ski season with new goals in mind.
By tomorrow, NZSki.com expects around 5000 people to have applied for the roughly 450 jobs it will have on its three South Island skifields. Business editor Dene Mackenzie talks to NZSki chief executive James Coddington about recruitment, retention and business goals.

NZSki.com chief executive James Coddington (38) is understandably excited about the 2012 season which officially starts on June 1, but in the knowledge that conditions beyond his control will have the final say.

Last season was a bit of a shocker for the South Island's premier skifield operator. A lack of snow meant fields opening a month later, cutting the season down substantially.

Not only had the company hired its seasonal workers, it then had to decide how to keep them motivated and ready to work as soon as the snow arrived.

Mr Coddington arrived at NZSki five years ago with a goal of lifting staff retention from its then 45% a year to 60%.

This year, he expects retention to be 63% over all of the 1200 staff employed for the season but an incredible 95% for the team leaders.

The chief executive said last season was a good test for the company on how to generate loyalty from staff.

NZSki gathered the staff together each day, fed them two meals and kept them motivated while the snow kept away.

When the snow finally arrived, the strong team culture allowed NZSki to hit the season late but at full speed.

NZSki operates Coronet Peak and the Remarkable skifields, in Queenstown, and the Mt Hutt field, just out of Methven.

It has an annual wage bill of $14 million, but with only 39 full-time staff, the majority of the wages are paid out during the six-month season from the start of June to the end of November.

Recruitment of staff started on February 1 and would close tomorrow, he said.

Mr Coddington was pleased with the lift in retention rates because it gave NZSki more advanced and more educated staff.

"Our goal is to be the world leader in providing snow sport experience.

"We go around the world, through our networks, looking for the very best people to work in various roles in the company."

A lot of the jobs were those facing customers, but there were also skill-based jobs such as mechanics, electricians, groomers, snow-makers and doctors and nurses to recruit.

The company tried, where possible, to recruit New Zealanders for the customer-facing jobs but recruited internationally to fill positions that could not be filled domestically, he said.

Such was the growing reputation of the company that 5000 applications were expected when the recruitment process finished tomorrow.

Because of the high retention, that meant about 450 jobs to fill, giving NZSki a chance to pick the best people available.

This year, the applicants had to answer three basic questions from the company website before they could supply their CV, Mr Coddington said.

The questions were designed to see if the person was a "cultural fit" for the organisation, something essential when dealing with customers.

The next stage of the hiring process would see the 5000 applicants reduced to 1000 and those people would be invited to attend a morning on Coronet Peak where they would be encouraged to step outside their comfort zone, he said.

"We are interested to see how they interact under pressure." From there, 500 people would have face-to-face interviews for the final selection of 2012 staff.

"By the time they have got the job, they have gone through our process and we are confident we have selected the right person for the job."

This year highly skilled overseas applicants - the groomers and snow-makers and others - would not go through the same sort of selection process.

Visitors with work visas would also be considered because they were committed to coming to New Zealand.

Training was a critical process for NZSki, Mr Coddington said. The people who did the training continued their skill building to ensure the best experience possible for customers.

"At the end of the day, of the 1200 staff, 37% are new.

"We have to have the best trainers as we have a very short window to do this.

"Training doesn't finish when work starts. It is an ongoing process."

Through its NZSki U programme, the company offered NZQA qualifications for each of its 16 departments.

Those qualifications gave staff the opportunity to do their job better but it also provided growth opportunities in other industries, including tourism.

"That was the key mover for our retention rate. Once the qualifications were available, our retention rates went through the roof."

People came back to challenge themselves in new roles and to sometimes get into leadership roles. The qualifications ranged up to a bachelor's degree.

NZSki worked with the Otago Polytechnic to provide a graduate degree in strategic management. Six to 12 staff took part in that degree every year, Mr Coddington said.

One of the stories Mr Coddington liked to retell was about one of the workers who had been on the skifields for 33 years, and had worked all his life without a tertiary qualification.

That was until two years ago, when he qualified with a degree in strategic management.

"We provide people with opportunities in the industry they love.

"They come in with a passion for skiing and they receive their qualifications that continues their zest for life.

"If we are successful, it comes back to our people."

NZSki also had close ties with high schools in the areas in which it operated. It offered internships during holidays through a selection process.

The pupils came to the company as top skiers and snowboarders and were used to help train young skiers on the slopes.

The company had been recognised for what it had achieved in human resources through the 14 awards it had received.

Each year, NZSki managers travel to North America and Europe to share ideas and last season, 12 leading ski company operators sent staff to Queenstown to view NZSki IT advancements and its HR processes.

Health and safety was also a priority for the company.

There were no injuries or damage to equipment last season.

Six years ago, the company faced significant expense in health and safety but a change of focus had brought about higher standards of care.

This year, in response to comments from Canterbury skiers, NZSki had introduced two new programmes to help families back to the slopes, Mr Coddington said.

Skiers 10 and under would receive free skiing on Mt Hutt.

Australian skiers 10 years and under could travel, ski, stay and eat free while they were at Methven and Mt Hutt.

Canterbury had been hit hard by earthquakes and the company wanted to help where it could, he said.

Mr Coddington arrived at NZSki from the Vet Services Group, where he was chief executive for seven years.

The group had 168 veterinary practices in Australia and New Zealand, and Mr Coddington likened it to the Life Pharmacy model.

He arrived with one goal and that was to provide the best snow sport experience in the world from the company's three skifields.

"It's not the size of the skifield but the difference of experience.

"It's not about 8000 acres of skiable terrain but delivering the services with class."

- dene.mackenzie@odt.co.nz

 

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