Employee Attitudes at Anko Ltd.

Anko Ltd. rents sports equipment. Its main business is renting out ski equipment and snowmobiles. During the winter, the number of employees ranges between 50 and 60 at five locations in various winter resort areas. Al Anko, the owner, hired a management consultant to evaluate employee satisfaction and attitudes. After interviewing nearly 2o employees and supervisors, the consultant developed an attitude survey that was mailed to all employees. From the interviews and attitude surveys, the consultant made the following observations.

• Nearly two-thirds of the employees felt little loyalty to the firm because they considered their jobs temporary.
• Many employees applied to work at Anko because they were interested in skiing.
• Although the firm gave few benefits, many employees commented about the reduced rental rates on equipment as an important "extra" of their jobs.
• Every supervisor mentioned that the most important selection criterion was whether an applicant knows how to fit and adjust ski bindings.
• Over half of the employees worked split shifts from 7 to 10 a.m. and from 4 to 7 p.m., which were the hours most skis were rented and returned. Some employees liked those hours because they could ski during the day. However, employees who lived in the resort area all year long generally disliked the hours.
• Employee turnover was very low. But many employees indicated that they would quit if they could find a better-payingjob.

• Several employees who had worked for an Anko in previous years thought it was unfair that they recieved the same hourly wage as a new employees.

  1. If you were the consultant, what recommendations would ta make to the owner about

  a) the use of split shifts,

  b) the types of people recruited

  c) the treatment of employees who have worked for Anko more than one season?

  2. Should Anko treat employees who permanently live in the resort areas differently from those who move there just for the ski season? It so, what ditterences in treat-

  ment would you recommend?