Employees Protest Goes Viral

This week 7 staff members of a ski operator (Skithe3v) barricaded themselves in their chalet in protest of their unfair dismissal and were refused to be paid by their former employer. The‘Les Menuires 7’ as they call themselves have stirred up unanimous Twitter and Facebook support using the social network sites to generate publicity and facilitate discussion.

Having worked for a similar operator myself dramatic action such as this comes as no surprise. I am all too familiar with the poor pay, high staff turn-over and unprofessional behaviour that, it must be conceded, comes from both employers and employees in this sector.

In a time when companies reputations can be destroyed (and built) overnight due to social media, it has become more important than ever for companies and brands to consider their practices, transparency and of course their responsibility. Whilst employees can be excellent ambassadors they can also, as we have seen in this case, help destroy a company’s reputation. Social media is fuelling consumer and employee power which should be welcomed and it’s playing an important role in why companies need to be more responsible.

I hope that the debate that the Les Menuires 7’s protest has sparked moves the whole ski operator industry to act and consider their responsibility to their employees. The grievances they cite are a standard in this sector that is in desperate need of reform and independent regulation.

In fact there is something that can be learned by every company through the Les Menuires 7 example – employees, armed with the tools of social media are very powerful. If you treat them well and keep them happy they can be your best asset and if not well then they may just pull a stunt like this.

Green Snow

It is that time of year again when the powder hungry amongst us start avidly checking the snow forecasts, dust off our ski boots and dream of snow covered slopes. But most of us spare little thought for the environmental impact of our ski holiday or the sustainability of our pursuit, despite skiers and snowboarders being among the first to experience the direct effects of climate change. Glaciers are retreating and snow lines are creeping higher leading resorts to use increasingly energy intensive methods of artificial snow creation.

Luckily the Ski Club of Great Britain has launched its new website that hosts an array of advice for skiers and holidaymakers on how to ‘Respect the Mountain’. They have come up with the Green Resorts Guide that assesses the environmental management systems that ski resorts are implementing in a bid to improve their environmental impact. Resorts are rated on areas such as green building policy, recycling facilities, no traffic zones and their use of green power.
The Ski Club of Great Britain is doing a stellar job of raising awareness of the environmental impact that the snowsports industry is having on and off the mountain. From encouraging tourists to take the train instead of flying, to organising seasonal ‘Spring Cleans’ to help clear up resorts, this Not-for-Profit is miles ahead of tour-operators and ski holiday companies in the race to reduce the environmental impact of snowsports.

Some other best practice models are popping up across Europe with the White Pod Resort offering a unique concept to eco-ski holidays (www.whitepod.com) and The Monte Rosa Refuge ((www.section-monte-rosa.ch) uses 90% solar power and is a cooking pot of groundbreaking environmental and energy systems

But whilst tour operators are beginning to implement measures that protect the mountain habitat they work in, and are looking for ways to reduce the overall emissions that the Alpine holiday industry creates, there is still a long way to go.