In August of 2003, a 500-acre fire raged across Alaska's Kenai Peninsula. Caught in the path of this blaze was a small lodge owned by Alaska Wildland Adventures, a Girdwood, Alaska-based ecotourism company. The facility was situated in a remote area inaccessible by car, and owner Kirk Hoessle feared fire fighters would not reach it in time. What's more, it was the height of the company's peak season and the majority of his staff was occupied with running tours in other parts of the state, leaving him short on manpower. Hoessle assembled as many of his people as he could, but with the fire fast encroaching on the lodge, the situation was growing dire. It was at this point that help came from a most unexpected source: his former employees.
Dennis Weber, a former camp manager and owner of his own construction business, received word of Hoessle's emergency around midnight on August 10. He immediately packed up some equipment and made the three and a half hour trek from his home, about a mile north of Anchorage, to the Kenai Peninsula. He arrived in the early morning hours and joined a group of 15 people, about half of which were former employees, in fighting the blaze. The group cleared trees and brush from the lodge's perimeter. "The firefighters didn't arrive until around evening," says Weber. "By that time we had the fire ring cut." With the help of Weber and other former employees as well as some assistance from Mother Nature – the winds shifted, diverting the fire – the lodge was spared.
The incident was a testament to the goodwill Hoessle has garnered over the years with his employees. "It was truly a beautiful thing," he says. "We would've struggled to keep the business intact had the fire gone through."
Hoessle attributes the loyalty of his former and current employees to creating a work environment grounded in trust and open communications. "I don't like to make decisions in a vacuum," he says. The majority of the company's workers are seasonal tour guides, and every year they are given an employee survey. Hoessle addresses his seasonal people's concerns and communicates all improvements at the beginning of each season. Hoessle also delegates a lot of decision making to employee committees. At times, these committees serve a strictly advisory function. On other issues, such as the company's holiday schedule, the employees are empowered to make the final decision. In order to avoid giving his people false expectations, Hoessle tells employees when their deliberations will be on a strictly advisory basis.
Not only does the company engage employees in the decision-making process, it practices open-book management. Alaska Wildland Adventures has a revenue sharing plan, and Hoessle believes that sharing the company's financial information helps to instill trust in the program. What's more, practicing open-book management has helped engage the employees. "Knowing the financials helps me understand the big picture," says sales manager Alicia Foster. "I know what we can afford and can make decisions from the perspective of my job."
Foster says that creating a good workplace has benefited the organization in a number of ways. For example, the company is involved in ecotourism, which entails providing an educational experience that does not disturb wildlife or other natural resources. It is a complex operation that requires heavy training for new guides. The company, however, has been able to keep their training expenditures at a reasonable level because many of their seasonal employees return year after year.
Sales representative Glenda Denny first heard of the company when she worked at a nearby hotel. There she had the opportunity to come in contact with their guides, and she says meeting them convinced her to join the company. "They were all so knowledgeable and you could tell that they loved their jobs," she says. This stable and knowledgeable staff has helped to create a loyal clientele, as evidenced by the fact that about 40 percent of the company's business comes from referrals. What's more, they have fishing guests who have been returning for 15 years.
Most importantly, Alaska Wildland Adventures' inclusiveness and open-book management style has helped the company survive during tough economic times. The August 2003 fire wasn't the first time the company's viability was threatened. The travel industry has struggled since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. And unlike their competitors who offer a more diversified catalog of vacation spots, Alaska Wildland Adventures is home grown and solely dependent on travel to the state.
The downturn in business has forced the company to make some difficult choices over the last couple of years. Faced with dwindling revenues, the organization needed to cut costs. Ultimately, Hoessle decided to reduce work schedules rather than laying people off. Everyone would take off 30 days without pay. Hoessle sought the insight of employees on how they would like to handle their schedules. Some chose to take their time off all at once; others chose to work four-day weeks. Hoessle extended loans to people who were struggling to get by on the new schedules.
Understanding the sacrifices his employees made, Hoessle found inexpensive ways to reward them. For example, the company has tried to give employees greater flexibility in their scheduling. Marketing coordinator Heather Dudick is a mother and she says that working a reduced, flexible schedule has made it easier to care for and spend quality time with her eight-year-old child. The company operates several lodges and encourages employees to make use of them during the off-season. The organization also owns a transferable ski pass, which the staff can use on their down time.
It appears that Alaska Wildland Adventures has weathered the worst of the downturn. According to a recent Associated Press article, January and February were the strongest months in the adventure travel industry since 1999. Hoessle says that the company appears poised for a good year when Alaska's travel season starts in May. And the importance of his employees' loyalty, both past and current, in surviving the tough times is not lost on him. "People work here because they are attracted to our mission and environmental beliefs," he says. "They stay because they are treated well."
Company: Alaska Wildland Adventures
Web site: www.alaskawildland.com
Industry: Ecotourism
Location: Girdwood, Alaska
Number of employees: 12 full-time, 80 seasonal
Sales: N/A
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