The smartest of gifts

There are gifts, and then there are those unique gifts that resonate over time. What did your employees want as they prepared for the holiday season and began to think about the year ahead? What helped make their holidays and new year something special, beyond the ordinary? The overriding answer just might be hope. Hope that the club will thrive, that the game will continue on its upward climb, and that you will recognize their efforts as essential to your success. Hope is the intangible feeling that helps us believe the future is bright: the dream that tomorrow will be better than today. The idea is that turning the page, sensing hope, with a direct connection to your leadership, is a worthy goal. Hope is that sensation deep down that the future will be so much brighter than today.

Within the idea of hope, this post will offer three thoughts for laying out an extraordinary 2025 for the team and the property. Hope is a grand feeling. People crave it, savor it, and understand its value in their lives. There is the belief that when the team wins, the property wins, creating extraordinary results. Although the ideas do not directly relate to ringing the cash drawer, they can provide a feeling of confidence for members of your team. Here are three ideas that can turn the heat up on drive, passion, and personal hospitality.

Gift One: The comfort of having a safe workspace. Safety comes under several headers. First, the team must feel they and the members are safe on property. They must know you have done everything possible to protect people while at the club. The other point of protection is to be certain each employee feels safe in speaking with their manager. That they will not be ridiculed, or worse when asking questions about their role or function. When employees feel safe, hospitality can thrive.

Gift Two: The idea of being a part of a community that is all about openness and honesty appeals to every employee. When you and your managers go out of the way to create meetings and listening sessions that allow people to speak up about work issues, the team will greatly appreciate the idea and the opportunity. There are few greater gifts than an open and honest workplace.

Gift Three: Develop a game-changing rewards program for your team. As more Boomers move away from the world of work it is important to stay front and center with programs that can build loyalty and retention for the years to come. After the four best consecutive years this industry has ever seen, it is smart to take care of the people who deliver on your service promise. Besides paying people first-rate wages, think about a bonus plan that rewards every team member when they deliver their best work, as they grow sales and revenue. Besides year-end annual payouts, it is important to pay bonuses directly after a winning period; a month or quarter, based on your strategy. Paying bonuses quickly will make the winners very happy. Hospitality is about service, and great service is driven by people. Rewarding people for promises delivered will enhance your service promise.

Hope is that value we cannot get enough of in our day-to-day lives. When you add substance to this idea you create an environment that promotes joy, success, and teamwork. As you move beyond the holidays, think about the gifts you plan to provide this year…and then why not add three more?

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Jack Dillon writes the In My Opinion posts. He is a consultant, strategist, author, and blogger. He is filling up his 2025 calendar now. Reach out to see how Jack can help you build a better team, and a better organization. His experience can help with communications, operations, merchandising, supplier relationships, and sales. Go to www.youdontknowjackd.com to learn more. You can also call Jack at 407-973-6136. Jack lives in Orlando.