The lighter side: In Antarctica, staff spread love, not disease

At an isolated scientific base, employees are encouraged to bond in every sense of the word

Some companies offer employees meals, others hold hiking trips, and others still have perks like ski days. Meanwhile in Antarctica, management at McMurdo Station offers staff members free condoms. To be exact: 16,488 of them per year.

The condoms are shared between a staff of 125 during the winter and 1100 in summer.

"Since everybody knows everyone, it becomes a little bit uncomfortable,” said station manager Bill Henriksen. “We'd prefer to just provide them and do it that way so that people don't do without."

It may be dangerously cold outside the research station, but it seems employees know how to keep warm the traditional way. "There are some people that tend to get a little bit bored but, for the most part, people who come down here know how to occupy their time,” he said.

Another company that has seen the benefits of condom distribution is Park City Mountain Resort in Utah. Since December 2011, staff areas have been supplied with condoms and information packets after the company was prompted by the county’s health department.

The resort found that their young, seasonal staff appreciated the gesture, according to communications director Krista Perry. "A large percentage of team members are away from home for first time," she told the local newspaper, Park Record. "People come to work in Park City for the lifestyle, but we want to do what we can to protect our employee base. That's why we decided to do this."
 

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