Country clubs and golf resorts of all kinds are expected to deliver an elevated experience. The location and amenities may supply some of that. But ultimately, it’s the staff that will shape the members’ or guests’ impressions. Any destination wishing to project a distinct brand should know how to find and train the people they need.

This involves more than an appropriate code of conduct or dress code. Staff throughout the facility need to approach their jobs with higher expectations of themselves and a sense of what guests expect of their efforts. That doesn’t have to mean being formal or aloof. But it does mean being constantly on-brand for the destination and the desired effect.

HR is critical in helping supply the necessary talent and training to deliver that experience. Here’s how:     

When Guests Expect an Elevated Experience

The key to meeting guests’ expectations is to know what those expectations are. Members-only facilities may offer a consistently relaxed atmosphere while guests at an exclusive resort may expect something more attentive. Each facility will have its own brand that should be reflected in the staff’s performance.

Not every service worker is prepared by their life experience to work this way. The key is for every employee to understand the goal: to focus on what the guest requires, not the limits of employee job descriptions or how tasks are usually performed. Advanced techniques help staff fulfill their role as a critical element of the guest experience.

Most of this can be taught. And, with the proper engagement from HR and management, every person at the facility can become a brand ambassador. This uniformity of performance and guest care signals a superior operation that members will want to join, and guests will want to visit, again and again. 

Finding Finer Candidates

Advanced hiring begins with the job posting. Like a golf shot, one degree off at the beginning can turn into a wide miss later.      

Determine what qualities members or guests will expect of the staff and include those in the requirements. Make it clear that the management maintains careful standards; job seekers who don’t want to be held to those standards are unlikely to apply.  

Be sure to do all the necessary background screening and reference checks. In addition – depending on the “personality” of the destination – consider performing personality assessments to determine the suitability of a candidate for your operation. If you decide to use such assessments, consider having the best of your current staff take them first to “benchmark” the qualities you’re looking for.

More than most businesses, a special destination can attract more enthusiastic candidates for open positions. So employee referrals can be uniquely valuable. Before you cast a wider net, make any open opportunities known to your current employees and demonstrate the value of such referrals by offering a bonus for each successful one.

Commensurate Compensation

The surest way to attract and retain a better caliber of employees is to offer better compensation. This is necessary for a few reasons.

Special destinations, by definition, are away from ordinary population centers; this is especially true for country clubs and resorts. This, in turn, means employees may have to travel farther to work and appreciate being compensated for the extra effort. Extra effort would also be a description of what’s expected in their daily duties.

If possible, benchmark the pay rates for similar roles at similar properties. Or, use a regional average for each position and bump it up an appropriate amount. Factor in your PTO policy and flexibility in shift scheduling to sweeten the pot. Modern workforce management (WFM) software makes this kind of time management easy to do.  

In addition, make sure your benefits packages are better than competitive. Consider plans that include dental and vision care, 401(k) programs, and mental wellness. If those seem out of reach, consider partnering with a PEO (Professional Employer Organization) to tap into a much larger risk pool and obtain rates you could never get on your own.    

Training Up

Now that you have a great team, highly motivated by a superior compensation package, you need to instruct them in how your property treats members and guests. This is where a robust HR team can add the most value.

A Learning Management System (LMS) of instructional videos is a great way to supplement the individualized mentorship of your managers and senior team members. Regular company-wide communications can also be invaluable in reminding the staff of the property’s brand character and guest satisfaction as a measure of every employee’s efforts.

Ideally, you will have a HCM (Human Capital Management) system at the center of these activities. Sophisticated technology reflects the sophistication of the property while delivering the utility and convenience employees need. These systems also enable employee engagement with a direct line back to HR. Better PEOs provide such systems as part of their services.           

Going Pro with VensureHR

Not every property is a luxury destination, just as every property doesn’t have a distinctive brand to protect. But, the better the guest experience, the easier it is to attract guests and retain members. That’s not a luxury, it’s a necessity. And it depends a lot on your staff.

If you don’t have the HR operations to apply advanced hiring techniques, consider partnering with a PEO. As one of the nation’s leading PEOs, VensureHR will help you hire the best people and manage them with best practices, delivered via the best technology. Better still, you may find a PEO can actually drive down the cost of higher quality operations.

Bolster your team with VensureHR, and aim higher. To learn all VensureHR can do for your property, schedule a consultation today.