Thoughts on staffing – Golf Inc Magazine

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…