Positive social life overshadowed by negative operations team - Chalet Host VIP SKI Employee Review

Ability to ski, lift pass was covered by the company, big team meant it was easier to make friends

Honestly this is the worst company I’ve ever worked at. I read the reviews on here before going out and thought “how bad can it be?”, spoiler: pretty bad. Not only do this company operate questionably - charging staff £900 each per month to share rooms with 8 people (from which they profit), taking away staff passports to prevent them from leaving, and forcing staff to sign time sheets at the start of season (so that the hours can be faked), the upper management are simply horrific. There is a bullying culture right from the top down, including from the operations team. The upper management would speak poorly of employees, commenting publically on they physical appearance and s*x life. In contrast the management in resort was pretty good and we felt bad for them having to grapple with upper management who wouldn’t let them do their job. It’s baffling to me that this company is still operating. If you are considering a role here just know there are plenty of other British tour ops who are much nicer to work for and will respect you much more as an employee than this one.

Met great people had fun socially Would give 0 star if it was an option

- Awful management (unkind and favouritism) - Very illegal (bunk beds are illegal in France, employed in the uk and on secondment in France so vip don’t pay French tax, they held our passports so we couldn’t leave, working until 10pm on a Saturday, then starting at 2.30am Sunday morning and working until 10pm with no break, then back at work for 6.45am on Monday with no time off, signed all of our timesheets at the start of the season and told we were replaceable if we didn’t sign them. These timesheets showed 35 hours a week, we worked at least 55hours a week) - rent is £950 a month for an 8 person dorm in bunk beds and 1 bathroom, dirty living conditions - a company that expected high expectations for customers, and completely overwork and underpay staff. Customers are unaware of this, and the company gets away with it - constant negativity and being told you are “replaceable” - awful pay (£1500 a month taxed and national insurance takes it to around £1350, pay £950 on already taxed money left with £400 a month, at 55hours a week at least that is £100 a week and £1.81 an hour….) - vipski (vita brevis) owner Andy also owns alpbed which is the place we pay rent to… - Andy (owner) in the last week stayed in one of the chalets and thanked all the sales team and ops team for all their hard work and saying profits have never been higher, while all the hosts are standing there beside him letting him talk and he never thanked the hosts. Bare in mind the hosts are the people at the forefront and make it is what it is…