One of the biggest trends we are seeing in the club industry is the topic of team sustainability.
A club without an enduring team is merely a building. Without excellent staff that embody the values of the club and deliver premier service, member experience is bound to suffer. True sustainability involves developing strategies for retaining, developing, and recruiting talented employees who will be the pillars on which your club’s success will be renowned for in years to come.
Beyond the Pay Packet
Competitive compensation remains important, but workers are seeking beyond-the-salary benefits. Progressive clubs offer flexible working arrangements where it is operationally feasible, comprehensive healthcare packages, and a wellbeing policy that speaks for genuine concern for the welfare of the workers. Opportunities for career development is another great differentiator for individuals seeking an investment in their future, rather than their immediate performance.
Additionally, clubs are finding success with innovative benefits such as housing subsidies in expensive areas, public transportation benefits, or family-friendly policies that see the whole person, not just the employee. These kinds of benefits are more likely to be remembered than low-level pay increases and have a high-impact retention effect.
The Priceless Factor
Every member of staff has something more valuable to them than money. Something which inspires, encourages, and motivates them to stay on board. For some, it will be appreciation and recognition of their efforts. For others, it will be potential for advancement and improvement. Autonomy in the role, cooperative team frameworks, and a real work-life balance are other influential factors.
The clubs with superior staff retention are those whose managers take the time to discover these personal drivers. Regular, meaningful discussions about team members’ aspirations and values with them allow clubs to create customised methods of engagement that money can’t buy. This personalised attention creates a sense of connection more powerful than pay in preventing turnover.
Seasonal Opportunities
Club operations normally stick to traditional seasonal trends, with boom and bust cycles over the course of the year. Innovative clubs are transforming these off-peak periods into periods of enrichment rather than occasions for worry.
Alliances with complementary clubs in alternative regions or with opposite seasonal currents allow secondment of staff and exchanges. A Scottish summer-focused golf club might align with a Portuguese winter-season club, giving members of staff year-round experience and maintaining employment continuity. Such arrangements boost competencies while subjecting staff to diverse ways of doing things, bringing new ideas back to their primary club.
The Contingency Imperative
The pandemic taught a hard lesson about succession planning. Clubs that consistently invest in their whole team, not just their leaders, are resilient against unplanned departures or absences.
Cross-training programs ensure critical functions remain covered regardless of which staff member is available. More importantly, cross-training provides employees with varied experiences that keep them motivated and flexible. The most successful clubs build a talent pipeline at every level, with clear career paths that motivate employees to envision long-term careers within the organisation.
Nurturing the Talent Pipeline
Developed club managers understand that tomorrow’s top performers must be discovered and developed today. This proactive strategy is founded on forming alliances with entities outside the traditional hospitality schools.
Collaborations with schools facilitate access to internships and work experiences that acquaint learners with the inherent conditions of running a club. Colleges and schools of vocational study facilitate access to experienced individuals over the range of skills from hospitality to gardening. Apprenticeship programs, alternatively, facilitate developing young talent early on.
Increasingly, clubs are also making international affiliations with similar clubs in other countries, and providing cross-cultural exchange opportunities that benefit both the participants and the member clubs by way of cross-fertilization of ideas and approaches.
Education as Investment
Staff development is not an amenity to offer employees but an essential investment in the future of the club. The most sustainable clubs possess robust education programs that combine external qualifications and certifications with internally created training specific to the needs and culture of the business.
In-house education programs might include mentorship programs pairing seasoned employees with new recruits, regular masterclasses conducted by department specialists, or official career development sessions. External programs, varying from industry-recognized certification to niche workshops, are a testament to the club’s passion for maintaining its standards.
Top clubs dedicate certain budgets to education and protect these investments even during difficult financial periods since they realise that knowledge creation generates returns much greater than its costs.
The most successful clubs understand that sustainability isn’t just about conserving resources; it’s about cultivating them to get stronger with time. When this philosophy is applied to our teams, the outcome is strong.
In a business characterised by personalised service and relationships, no issue can be more paramount than guaranteeing the viability of the individuals who make our clubs so unique.
Contributed by Michael Herd, Head of International Search & Consulting at KOPPLIN KUEBLER & WALLACE. Michael can be reached at [email protected] or www.kkandw.com/international.
