How to Keep Trouble Out of Staff Accommodations

Excessive partying, noise and lack of respect for shared-use areas are common problems that present significant challenges for both management and residents of staff accommodations. Resorts that supply staff housing need to ensure facilities are safe and pleasant for all residents; otherwise you may find it difficult to retain your employees. Learn what you can to do to minimize disruptive activities.

You have a right to be concerned for your property, and a responsibility to protect the well-being of your residents. The majority of people want a peaceful living environment, and you’ll find it difficult to retain your employees and to create a constructive working environment, if housing conditions are unsatisfactory.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

How can you minimize disruptive activity and maintain a pleasant atmosphere for residents? Review the tips below to help provide a hospitable living environment for your staff:

• Establish formal resident behaviour policies that will provide a baseline for expected and accepted conduct.
• Ask for staff commitments to your policy up front. Give each employee a written copy and require their signatures to signal they agree to abide by the rules. Explain in the policy that infractions will warrant warnings or if necessary, eviction.
• As with all disciplinary action, deal with offenders consistently, fairly and respectfully. Follow a set process for investigating any troublesome incidents. Meet privately with offenders and give them a chance to explain their actions. For sake of fairness, and to instil respect for the rules, always apply discipline without bias.
• Communicate with all residents after any negative incident occurs. Use the opportunity to remind everyone of the rules in place and the consequences of not adhering to them.
• Provide your residents with suitable leisure activities. Consider having a resident lounge area stocked with board games, video games, table hockey or pool tables, and a television.
• Explain that usage of common areas is privileged and will be revoked if not treated respectfully and kept clean.
• Reinforce positive living behaviours by promoting healthy interactive activities for your residents. House-to-house competitions like treasure hunts, team sports and talent nights are all safe, fun ways to promote well-being.
• Ask for employee feedback on what other remedies will make a difference.

COMMUNICATE YOUR POLICY EACH SEASON

If you have new staff each season, remember the importance of communicating your policies to each new group. Let them know certain activities will not be tolerated, and follow through on threats of written warnings or evictions if rules are broken. Doing so lets remaining staff know to take your accommodation policy seriously.

CASE IN POINT: MANNING PARK RESORT

Manning Park Resort uses an innovative program to promote positive resident behaviour. The park uses a simple point-reward system to help motivate residents to care properly for their lodging and for each other. Management awards points to houses who actively participate in group activities and keep accommodations clean; residents lose points for violating house rules. At the end of the season, residents of the house with the most points win a special prize. In this way, Manning Park Resort promotes a goal that benefits all residents: a clean, safe living environment for everyone.