— ROBERTO ARJONA n GENERAL MANAGER n RANCHO LA PUERTA n TECATE , MEXICO

One could say that , whatever Rancho La Puerta is doing , it ’ s doing it right . Its high staff retention speaks highly of its commitment to take care of staff members who , in return , because they are treated like family , put their guests ’ needs top priority above all else . As a result , guests always come back .

“ We have a very low staff turnover rate . This year , I believe we have a 4.7 percent turnover ,” says Roberto Arjona , general manager of Rancho La Puerta , located in Tecate , Mexico . “ We take care of each other . Together , we take care of our guests .”

One way Rancho La Puerta takes care of its staff is by paying them 465 days a year . “ How do you do that when there ’ s only 365 days in a year ? One way is we provide them a program for attendance in which they may earn additional paid days if they consistently report to work on time ,” he says .

The feeling of being valued through the benefits offered as well as Rancho La Puerta ’ s strong family-like culture have kept many of its staff members loyal , some staying on even after they retire

and others passing on the legacy of the Ranch experience to their children .

A Family Affair For many staff members , working at Rancho La Puerta is literally a family affair . The destination spa ’ s multigenerational workforce is a testament to its ability to take care of staff members . “ Our director of fitness Jose Luis Beltran is a third-generation employee . His parents just recently retired from Rancho La Puerta . His mother used to work at the Health Center , while his father previously worked in the kitchen . His grandmother was the first employee in their family to work at the Ranch ,” Arjona says .

There are many reasons why , when it comes to working at Rancho La Puerta , staff members take pride in passing on the torch to their children . Firstly , Rancho La Puerta ’ s commitment to celebrate the Tecate community and its culture gives employees a sense of belongingness . In fact , Rancho La Puerta is actively involved in many communitybased programs , including the restoration of the Tecate river , organic gardening education for the community as well as offering wellness programs in Tecate grade schools to help fight childhood obesity . Secondly , the spa offers several employee benefits , such as educational grants for staff members and their children as well as complimentary

Guests learn to completely unplug as rooms in Rancho La Puerta do not have TV or access to a Wi-Fi connection .

December 2016 ■ PULSE 17