Volume 13 - Why do we do it? DISCUSS THIS FEATURE HERE 30th November 2003

November in Japan is when most of the snow resorts either open or prepare to open for the white season. It is a time when employees of snow resorts realize that the “nine-to-five, Monday-Friday” routine they and their families have enjoyed over the past six months is about to be replaced by more of a 24/7 “on-call” one. With each successive November in the industry, (though I have found myself higher up the learning curve), it has not been any easier to “get back into the groove”.

A few months ago when I was pondering such a thought, some data came my way that provided insight into why I continue to work in the Japanese snow industry. As ARAI approaches its eleventh season of operations, the company was actually asking itself why we continue in this business. From such a thought came a realization that the employees who have toughed it out along with the company would be a good place to start.

Employees, who will remain anonymous, were asked two basic questions:

1   Why do they work here?
2   What drives them?

The data was collected and sorted according to the following main categories:

Please keep in mind that as the data was collected in Japanese, translations into English are only approximate. Wherever possible, each category has been subcategorized.

Being in Nature

Love of Skiing
"I live for skiing so to have the opportunity to ski on-the-job is why I work in this industry."

"The sport of skiing is exciting and stimulating for me, so I decided to build a life around it."

Love of Snow Boarding
"The Conditional Zones at the top of the mountain are fantastic for boarding and have held my interest for many years now."

"Nothing is better during winter than to get on a board and head out into fresh powder."

Love of Snow-Covered Mountains
"The beauty of snow-covered mountains is amazing, both from a distance and close up. To be able to then put on skis or a board and partake in that beauty is really a special privilege."

"On a clear day in the winter, snow-covered mountains seem mistakenly tranquil in their beauty. On days when it is “storming”, they tend to show their true nature."

Love of Mountain Operations
"To be able to participate in the design of courses on the mountain, and then follow up by setting them each morning for the public provides me with a great source of pride. I get a kick out of seeing others enjoy something that I helped to produce while working outdoors on the mountain. It sure beats my old job where I used to work indoors without knowing what the weather outside was like all day."

To be able to work in Nature
"Being outside all day puts me in a great mood for the evenings, and I found that I sleep much better at night."

"Nothing beats getting up from my computer, walking out of the office and being immediately immersed in nature. It is a juxtaposition that keeps me coming back for more."

"Working in nature has become a way of life for me over the past 26 years to the point that I doubt I could handle any other line of work."

Raising a Family in Nature
"I am actually from this area but left for the big city as soon as I could; However, ten years of big city living made my wife and I realize that it was important for our children to experience nature on a regular basis, so we returned."

Enjoying Fellowship

"Working at a snow-based resort provides a feeling of friendship resulting from shared interests or experiences. Chances are that your next- door neighbor in this part of the country does not ski or board often, but such is not the case for people that work at this company. You can usually find someone to hit the slopes with, and in fact many a resort romance has blossomed from such experiences. “ It is not a job but a way of life” applies for this type of work, and a big part of it is the ability to get along with others. If you enjoy teamwork and spending not only working hours but private ones as well with colleagues, “resort life” may be just the ticket for you."

Talking with Guests

"It is a pleasure to be able to welcome Guests from around the world to the resort and serve them. Though Niigata Prefecture may not be internationally known compared with a place like Tokyo for example, the hospitality here is friendly and warm given the location cradling the Japan Sea. To serve Guests at the resort provides not only a chance to explain Niigata Prefecture, but also to learn more about where the Guest comes from and his or her land. Being able to converse in English with Native Speakers of the language is also very practical for many aspects of life these days."

Working for a Resort Business

Tourism
"I majored in Tourism, so it was natural for me to seek work at a resort. I really enjoy participating in the processes that I used to study."

Hotels
"When I was in high school I used to work at a hotel on the weekends, and following university where I studied English it made sense to work at a resort."

"I enjoy the type of work found in hotels where it is possible to interact with guests on many levels. It is also neat to work in the restaurants where I enjoy balancing trays of food and drink with my hands."

Developing as an Individual

"There are no two days alike for resort work, and it is possible to do something new almost every day. I really tend to treat this job as an extension of my educational career."

"I have been able to learn and apply many things from both the company as well as other co-workers that I had no idea about before. Such knowledge will hopefully leverage my career up in the future."

Coaching

"ARAI like most companies has made mistakes. Recently, “hands on” management has come in to turn things around. I really enjoy learning from this management, especially when it comes to being “coached” through a variety of organizational processes. Things I thought were next to impossible even a year ago are now being done, and I get to play a part in it."

Achieving Goals

Doing what was set out to be done
"It brings a great deal of pleasure to be able to actually do the type of work that I have always wanted to do. To furthermore see various aspects of the ARAI Project come to life after what seemed to be endless amounts of meetings has also proved very rewarding."

Steering the proper course
"Having watched this company go off-course in the past, it is a pleasure now to see it acting more like the image I have had in my mind for a long time."

Becoming the #1 resort in the world
"Though it seems like a long way off, I really feel that ARAI has come a long way from changing its goal from “Only One” to aiming to become “Number One”. I get a lot of energy from being a part of this process."

Want to make the company proud again
"It was tough to go through the “restructuring process” at ARAI that included both staff layoffs and trimming of costs. While such actions may have damaged morale, they were necessary to keep the concept of ARAI going."

Desire to see restaurants at ARAI become the best in the world
"I really appreciate having so many dining options to choose from when entertaining at the resort. Though the restaurants are of a high quality, I intend to make them even better to reflect the restaurants I frequented while working in France."

Become the best Pisten Bully Operator in the world
"ARAI has 13 Pisten Bully’s being constantly challenged by the 20-odd meters of snow that the resort receives each year. I actually started out as a patrol member on this mountain and have been able to apply the knowledge gained then to my present work. There is still much to do in order to become the best though, and I find my Pisten Bully work concerning the Half Pipe to be particularly challenging."

See the first “Sustainable Project” in Japan spearhead Eco-Tourism
"It is not well known, but the ARAI Project was in fact the first sustainable project in Japan. During construction $US 10 million was spent on replanting trees alone. The dirt and soil dug up was re-used so as not to damage the local ecosystem. Being a part of such a process for me has been a great source of pride."

I want to increase my salary
"I cannot stand receiving a lousy salary, so I’ve set about trying to do a better job so that my salary will be raised."

Desire to bring ARAI to the world
"ARAI for me represents a microcosm of experiences in life to date in terms of lifestyle, culture, cuisine and recreation. The only thing that has been missing so far is a significant number of others with which to share this experience. Bringing ARAI to the world is what drives me."

Participating in a Unique Concept

"This is the only company where I have been able to work at something “out of the ordinary”. Furthermore, there is enough variety in the jobs available that it is possible to gravitate towards the work that you prefer."

"The facilities at ARAI are neat. The resort is connected underground by a series of tunnels that also shelter utility connections and the like, so that guests get a pristine view of the surrounding nature."

"Everything at the resort has been integrated to an extent not found easily at other resorts. Such integration makes resort life seamless for the guests and the staff can get on with their work easily."

Charisma of the Owner
"The owner of ARAI exudes charisma and this in turn motivates the staff to become outgoing with their own personalities on the job. Such an atmosphere for me has proved refreshing compared to more traditional Japanese companies that tend to be rather stifling when it comes to employees expressing themselves."

Following an Interest
"The concept of ARAI is such that lots of programs including the “sustainable project” or “Universal facilities” have been attempted for the first time in Japan. This creates a great deal of opportunity for employees to follow through with a particular interest to a level that would not normally be possible outside the company."

Conclusion

It is a fact of life that some days are better than others. Such a fact makes getting out of bed some mornings tough. There are even days when going into work may be the last thing you want to do. Fortunately, such a mood rarely lasts throughout an entire day of “resort life”, and it is very rewarding to return home each evening with some new experiences to share with loved ones.

Next time in the Setting Journals, I will explore the new Terrain Park at ARAI and how one gets built. Until then, as always I’m looking forward to hearing from all the Forum Members that follow this column. Have a safe one, ey?