Perks of working in a four-star resort

The real reason we work where we do
By Morgan Hannah, Life & Style Editor

Each job has its own unique perks beyond the paycheque which, arguably, isn’t so much a perk as it is the bottom-line reason why anyone ever works anywhere. These perks vary from job to job and may be as simple as food discounts or working with your friends, or as complex as private helicopter usage and generous write offs—they certainly give each job its juice.

I work at a four-star resort on a British Columbian gulf island with its own restaurant and spa. My position is the front desk at the inn—answering phones and emails, checking guests in and out, and answering a wide assortment of questions. Basically, I am a human switchboard. It’s quite remote and rather sleepy during the winter months, but otherwise it’s the beautiful hopping heart of the island. The team I work with is an unusual, hardworking, and passionate bunch of people, or as I like to refer to them, “all the nicest people from the island having congregated in the same place.”

When asking some of my coworkers what perks they feel they receive from working at the resort, the head chef responded, “Well, I get to eat for free. That’s a perk, I guess.” One of the lunchtime servers mentioned that for him working with the staff is his perk, and the spa associates are known to swap free massages at their leisure. Employees, especially the housekeepers, are the first to know about any unused goods. Old furniture or leftover breakfasts are common finds and staff get to take their finds home at the end of the day. And if you consider staff housing to be another perk, then add it to the list! Not all the staff live on property (me for instance), but those who do get a wicked deal on rent.

For myself, the perks are a rather long list. My partner and I own a small sports car which, one can imagine, doesn’t have a whole lot of storage and isn’t that great for hauling heavy loads. But on that list of perks is free usage of the company vehicles, so long as we make it official and fill out the paperwork. At the resort, I am also responsible for car rentals to our guests and visitors to the island. We have reasonable rates, however nothing beats the “employee perk” rate.

Other amazing perks of the job are the excellent discounts on spa services, retail, food, and accommodations. Additionally, because my partner works in maintenance, we have free access to power tools and scraps of wood for creative home projects.

As far as hotels, inns, and resorts go, the perks may vary from business to business. Yet for mine, they seem almost endless—and for that I am grateful. It certainly makes for a bunch of happy employees to be treated to so many wonderful benefits beyond a paycheque.