Sun Peaks Resort nominated for BC Tourism and Hospitality Award

Sun Peaks Resort is nominated as a finalist for an Employee First award through the BC Tourism and Hospitality Awards.

The award recognizes tourism and hospitality employers in British Columbia that “upheld high standards of excellence in human resource practices, with a specific focus on mental health and wellness,” according to the BC Tourism and Hospitality Conference website. 

Helen Davies is the director of employee experience for Sun Peaks Resort (SPR). She said SPR has built up its programs for employees over four years.

“One of the things that’s really important to us is our Employee Family Assistance Program (EFAP), provided to SPR through Homewood Health,” Davies said.

She told SPIN EFAP offers 24/7 access to online resources for everything from finances to relationships and the platform can also connect employees with counsellors.

She also noted the company provides a return-to-work program for employees injured while working, as the resort has a duty to accommodate injured employees.

Because SPR employees often travel from countries around the globe to work in Sun Peaks, they may not have their traditional support network of family and friends. Davies said it’s essential for people who work at the resort to know they have access to a support network through their employer.

One of the award submission questions related to retaining employees through human resource policies.

Davies said SPR looks at retention through a culture of “continuous improvement.” 

“The fundamentals of our policies and procedures have not changed, [but] we’re always looking for ways to improve … there’s a heavy focus on making sure we follow up with people involved [that use human resources],” she said.

The BC Tourism and Hospitality Awards gala takes place on March 2 in Prince George as part of the 2023 Tourism & Hospitality Conference.