Aspen Skiing Co. honored as one of ‘best places to work’

Outside Magazine notes companies that provide balance between work, outdoors

Scott Condon
The Aspen Times
Aspen, CO Colorado
April 15, 2008

Print Email

ASPEN — The Aspen Skiing Co. was deemed one of the 10 best large employers in the U.S. by Outside Magazine in an edition hitting newsstands Tuesday.

Outside was looking for “the nation’s most well-balanced workplaces.” To qualify, companies had to “make it easy for employees to balance productivity with an active, eco-conscious lifestyle.”

The Skico was the only resort operator to crack the list. It is among lofty company — others firms praised by Outside included Internet search engine provider Google, outdoor-gear retailer REI and outdoor-gear manufacturer Patagonia.

The Skico was eighth on the list of top employers with at least 250 employees.

Best places to work

Outside Magazine teamed with the Out­door Industry Association and Best Compa­nies Group to determine the U.S. employers that provide the “most well-balanced work­places.” Outside encouraged companies to apply, winnowed through the applicants, then sur­veyed workers of the contenders and exam­ined company policies. The Aspen Skiing Co. made the cut in the largest group — those with 250 or more employees. Here’s the complete list from Outside Magazine: 1. New Belgium Brewing Co., Fort Collins, Colo. 2. Google, Mountain View, Calif. 3. Johnson Outdoors Inc., Racine, Wis. 4. Qualcomm, San Diego, Calif. 5. REI, Kent, Wash. 6. Intel, Santa Clara 7) Deckers Outdoor Corp., Goleta, Calif. 8. Aspen Skiing Co. 9. Patagonia, Ventura, Calif. 10. Avenue A/Razorfish, New York City

“Lunchtime powder runs are par for the course at this eco-conscious resort, but Aspen Skiing Co. ups the ante with a progressive profit-sharing program for instructors and a 401(k) plan that matches 100 percent of its 3,402 employees’ contributions,” Outside wrote.

The Skico matches contributions of up to 4 percent of worker’s pay, company officials explained.

Skico president and CEO Mike Kaplan called the recognition “a huge honor.”

“Consider your source. If you’re going to pick a magazine that aligns with our values, it’s Outside Magazine,” Kaplan said. “It’s great recognition coming from a great place. It’s a nice way to end the season.”

Last year, Outside urged companies to apply if they thought they had the right stuff as an employer. The magazine also teamed with the Outdoor Industry Association and the Best Companies Group, an independent research firm, to study companies and encourage application if it appeared they fit the bill.

Skico officials saw the Outside article encouraging applications and applied, Kaplan said.

A sample of employees from eligible companies were asked to fill out a confidential employee-satisfaction survey. Employees weren’t informed it was from Outside.

Kaplan said more than 200 Skico employees were surveyed in late November and early December.

Employers also were asked about their benefits, policies and practices. The results were examined by Best Companies Group, which selected the companies that deserved recognition. There were three size categories honoring 10 companies each.

Kaplan said the outside recognition from a source that embodies the principles the Skico espouses felt good to him personally, and he believes it will be a source of pride for the company’s workers. He had planned to send employees an e-mail Monday night informing them of the selection.

Outside Magazine claims readership of just less than 2 million. Kaplan said there’s a chance the recognition could help with employee recruitment next winter.

To really boost recruitment and push morale even higher among its existing employees, the Skico might take a cue from New Belgium Brewing Co. — the Fort Collins, Colo., beermaker that earned the top place on Outside’s best-places-to-work list. New Belgium makes beer available for free to its workers at quitting time.

Outside intends to select the best places to work each year.

scondon@aspentimes.com