Want to attract Gen Z’s best talent? Then get this one thing right.
Banff, Canada - a signature Ambassadair trip (and one of my favourite places in the world)
Twenty years ago today, I started my first proper job – a mere six days after graduating from college. It was with a private travel company based out of Indianapolis, IN called Ambassadair. It promised adventures around the world – and it did not disappoint.
I was hired as a Tour Director, responsible for escorting trips of vacationers around the world, and making sure things ran smoothly. There were about 15 Tour Directors on staff at any given time, and for many of us, it was our first job after college.
I clocked 173 trips during my tenure, ranging from a day in the Bahamas (yes, really) to three weeks in the South Pacific.
And it was awesome!
Adventures around the world
Ambassadair offered about 600 trips each year, mostly on chartered planes that held 173 people. As Tour Directors, we handled the logistics – and liaised with airport handlers, tour operators, hotel staff, and transfer companies to make sure things went according to plan (and solved problems when they didn’t!).
We spent the winter hopping around Caribbean islands and ski resorts, and then visited the typical American vacation spots in Europe, the US, and Canada in the summer – with a mix of other places inbetween.
I went swimming with stingrays in Grand Cayman, snowmobiled in Yellowstone, glacier trekked in Alaska, whitewater rafted in Montana, and took helicopter rides over the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas. I learned to scuba dive in St. Thomas, and was able to log dives in Hawaii, Tahiti, and all over the Caribbean.
The good, the bad, and the lack of wash cloths
The job wasn’t without its downfalls. Living out of a suitcase can get tiring. Our aircraft fleet was old – and maintenance issues often delayed our flights, starting or ending trips on a sour note.
Being responsible for the logistics meant we were constantly solving problems – bags got lost, people got sick, hotels and museums went on strike. And we were on the receiving end of a lot of complaints, about everything you can imagine –the local guides, the hotels, the food on the plane, the weather, the lack of ice and wash cloths in foreign countries…
And the pay was meagre – my starting salary was $10,000 less than my college fees had been that same year.
Shared purpose and goals
But it wasn’t about the money. My fellow Tour Directors were seeking adventures just like I was, and we bonded on the trips we took together – or commiserated about them later.
We had a purpose that resonated across the company – creating experiences and memories for all kinds of people. We were there when people’s travel dreams came true – whether it was seeing the Eiffel Tower in Paris or the replica in Vegas!
And that’s what really made the company special: the people.
The importance of culture
The company attracted a certain kind of person: curious, helpful, team players. This played into our culture, where people really worked together to make each trip a success. It wasn’t competitive – it was collaborative and supportive. We had some really long, challenging days – but we also had a lot of fun together.
I’m not saying we were all best friends – but our shared experiences formed a bond. We were a community – and we cared about each other. After 20 years working in various companies and teams, I now understand how special that was. I’ve been lucky to have good friends at other jobs, but it’s rare to have that kind of camaraderie we had at Ambassadair.
Culture matters. In fact, new research on the Class of 2019 says they value company culture above everything else, something they share with the last three years of graduates. That's right, they value company culture ahead of salary, benefits and location.
Gen Z may be the most digitally connected generation, but they are also the loneliest. The right culture can have a profound impact on job satisfaction, wellbeing, and performance.
And a strong company culture sustains. Although I haven’t seen a lot of my Ambassadair friends in years, we are still a community. The gang in Indianapolis gets together, and the rest of us are connected from afar, sharing stories and travel tips. That’s the power of culture.
When I think back on some of those trips – Anguilla with Adam, Vegas with Bernsen, Cozumel with Josh, St. John with Scott, Aruba with Tammy – I feel really nostalgic. I think about the other people we worked with – in the office, at the airport, and the flight crew – and feel so much happiness and gratitude for knowing them.
That job – that company – created a family.
I was lucky.
We all were.
Do you know employees in creative cultures are happier and more productive? My new Ignite Your Creativity workshop is designed to help teams strengthen their creativity – and build the creative culture. Drop me a line at beth@listenengage.com and let’s chat about how I can help you use your creativity to strengthen your team culture, solve problems, and innovate.