Thoughts on staffing

Work always seemed like a fundamental thing growing up. We needed money to acquire both the necessities as well as the nicer things in life and that meant earning the money, doing the work. Acquiring the knowledge and then the training was part of the process. The idea of work was certainly fundamental to all of us neighborhood kids who watched Mom and Dad go off to a job most mornings. As we grew, we mowed lawns, delivered newspapers, and even shoveled snow during those nasty winters. I earned money as a caddy, and I loved it. It was my starting point in this amazing business. And even though it was work, it was the work I loved.

Today hiring and retaining talent are front-page, top-of-mind issues. Now it is more complex than my simple story described above. From The Great Resignation, quiet quitting, hybrid work, and work from home, the once straightforward idea of going to work comes today with a much wider menu. For operators like you, however, there is no such menu. Your people must come to the club and do what must be done to provide a service level that builds the business, retains golfers, and sets a loyalty standard for the years to come.

As a leader who must put a qualified team out onto the field each day, you have a different to-do list than, say, the manager of a call center, where team members might even work from home. At your club, it is about being present, on duty, and ready to create a great day of golf. For you — and everyone in the hospitality game — there is no menu of options, no plan B. It is about showing up and doing good work while building a story of service and hospitality. As noted in previous posts, I do not believe the average club spends enough time on staff acquisition, training, and retention. This post continues to explore the subject. Here are my three thoughts:

Building a team is a priority: When you lay out the ground rules that you aim to build a championship team, your managers and staff will get the message. Laying the groundwork on how to seek out talented candidates is important. There are good people everywhere; they play at your course, they work in your community. Today, however, it might take a village to find interested people. When you make it the mission amongst the team and set out a plan with an incentive offer, you will create interest. You will see things happen. Acquiring candidates for an interview is the first step.

A personal, detailed onboarding process: This is the next step in building and then strengthening your team. That first day must be a priority for you, the managers, and the staff. This new employee should be greeted and accepted by you and your managers first. New people should begin when you and the leadership team are there, ready, and able to spend time with the new hire. Making a new person feel good about their decision to come aboard is such a vital piece. That first day is critical to building a loyal, quality team member. That first day sets the tone for that person’s entire time with the club. I believe it can be their most important day.

Recognition and rewards: These are the next most valuable areas in keeping good players on the team. Yes, you and your managers are busy. Every day there is much to do…and then golfers show up and emergency after emergency climbs to seek out your attention. It is, I believe, important to create a plan, lay out expectations, and set the calendar each week and month to recognize good acts and then reward the service encounters you want to see happen again and again. Recognition is that thing we all crave; we just never talk about it. Rewards go hand in hand with that recognition. The size of the honor is not the main thing. It is a fact you and the leadership team have acknowledged the time and effort put forth. These are vital pieces in building and maintaining a loyal team.

I will continue to explore this area. There is no more important aspect of building a successful operation than bringing qualified men and women to the team, providing a compelling story, and then executing all of those things that make people feel good about where they work. Good people want to work for good people. They want straight, honest answers. They want opportunity with a flexible plan. See, who said building a championship team was hard? It simply impacts every day you open that clubhouse door.

—-

Jack Dillon writes the In My Opinion posts. Contact Jack for his support in building your team, and your service standards for your golf shop. To connect with Jack go to www.youdontknowjackd.com to set up a FREE Zoom call. You can also reach Jack at 407-973-6136. Jack lives in Orlando.