2026 Staff Experience Survey Results
A huge thank you to every staff member who took our 2026 Staff Experience Survey! We read every single comment, from every campus.
Here’s our Pick 6: the six things you told us matter most, and exactly what we’re doing about each one for Summer 2027 at all 10 campuses, including our newest home in Middle Village, Queens.
1. Leadership That Hears You
2. Breaks and Backup
3. A Team You Can Count On
4. Trained and Ready on Day One
5. Get Paid to Talk About Camp
6. We'll Keep Listening
1
Leadership That Hears You
You told us you shine when your director is visible, gives clear direction, and checks in with you.
For 2027
- Every staff member gets a one-on-one Mini Feedback session with their director every 2 weeks.
- Directors will share the same information and the same instructions with the whole team.
- We’re putting it in writing: how decisions get made on breaks, overtime, call-outs, and assignments, so you get the same answer at every campus.
2
Breaks and Backup
Staffing was your number one concern, especially in the first two and last two weeks of summer, when missed lunch breaks and early departures hit hardest. We hear you.
For 2027
- More hands on deck: we’re adding extra staff for the final weeks of summer.
- Every campus will have a coverage plan so every group gets its lunch break.
- Every director will review coverage with their team in Week 6, before the final stretch.
3
A Team You Can Count On
Great teams happen when everyone pulls their weight. You told us covering for someone else can wear you down, so we’re raising the bar from the first interview to the last day of camp.
For 2027
- We’re tightening how we screen and hire.
- Expectations will be clear and in writing from day one.
- Every campus will follow the same fair process when someone isn’t meeting them.
4
Trained and Ready on Day One
3 in 4
Big win: three in four of you felt ready on day one, up from about half the year before.
You also told us where training can go further: sessions built for your exact role (including Tiny Tots® and Explorers®), hands-on guidance for camper behavior, and a clearer start for new staff.
For 2027
- Experience counts. Staff with two or more summers at camp will take a streamlined, update-focused version of BIGTOP position-specific training covering new procedures, new systems, and lessons from your feedback. New staff get the full version, built for their role.
- Veterans help new staff settle in. Returning staff will help new staff through their first day: walking them through the schedule and routines, answering the small questions training never covers, and being a familiar face.
5
Get Paid to Talk About Camp
You already talk about camp with friends, neighbors, teammates, and the families on your block. In 2027, those conversations can pay off. Our new Ambassador program runs on Camp Tree.
1
Share your personal Camp Tree QR code.
2
Earn when a family you refer enrolls and pays in full before the first day of camp.
3
Earn when a friend you refer joins our staff and completes their contract.
4
Everyone you refer gets their own code, so your tree keeps growing.
5
Payouts come at the end of the summer.
You can earn from referrals even when you’re off the clock, on weekends, and after camp ends. And if you ever have a question about your pay or tips, you’ll have one named person to call: [PAYROLL CONTACT].
6
We'll Keep Listening
One survey at the end of summer isn’t enough. In 2027, we’ll check in all season long.
Every 2 weeks
Mini Feedback session with your director
Week 3
A short staff survey
If you leave early
One quick question
1 week after camp
A full survey
By the end of July, we’ll share what we heard and what we changed.
See you this summer
Ready for Summer 2027?
Applications are open now. Know someone who would be great at camp? Share your Camp Tree code and become an Ambassador. Thank you for everything you do to build better qualities in kids.
