The World Economic Forum’s The Future of Job Report 2018 said four specific technology advances have a huge impact on future jobs among them on golf club jobs.
- High-speed mobile internet,
- Widespread adoption of big data analytics,
- Cloud technology,
- Artificial Intelligence (e.g. Rain Bird IC CONNECT™ products).
At the same time on employee experience as well.
It is also important to pay attention to another finding of the above-mentioned report.
It says nearly 50% of companies expect that automation will lead to some reduction in their full-time workforce by 2022.
In the near future, it will not be enough for golf club employees to gain proficiency in new technologies, but to acquire ‘human’ skills (e.g. creativity, originality, persuasion, critical thinking, etc.) as well.
I can see also a demand for emotional intelligence, social influence, as well as service orientation.
We have to figure out how to integrate technology and humans within how work gets done.
I don’t recommend implementing a technology solution without checking how it will improve the performance of a task.
If you have ascertained of the positive effect of the technology solution, then you can start to think of its implementation. Otherwise, don’t do it!
The above-mentioned technologies are changing the way how golf club employees (will or already doing; e.g. chatting via Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Viber, etc.) connect, learn, and engage with each other, but also with the guests and members.
This all serves to connect golf club employees with the right tools and information they need when they needed.
It is obvious that in the coming years as a result of the significant technology changes golf clubs will need to invest in their employees (re- and upskilling high-value employees) much more than before to enable/empower them to provide exceptional service.
The positive side of the re- and upskilling training is that the golf club employee can feel a sense of purpose and growth.
Golf club jobs & employee experience (EX)
We know very well every experience counts and affect us deeply and determine how we go about our golf club job.
Technology is also one of the 3 forces that bring us to where we are today and why employee experience is so important in the experience economy where we are operating.
Technologies enable us to build compelling and connected experiences within our golf clubs. It will help also to bring down the walls of silos. This will improve the overall performance/efficiency of your golf club.
The future of golf club jobs – prediction
So, let’s now what will happen in the coming years with these golf club jobs:
- Greenkeepers – We will need soon less manpower as self-driving cars are gaining momentum. Thus mowers, sprayers, and top dressers can be also self-driving. Just think about Toro’s Lynx Central Control & Turf Guard.
- PGA Pros – they will have to get an up-skilling training. For instance, how to use mobile apps like Fibodo to boost their golf lesson bookings.
- Marketing managers – they will have to get an up-skilling training. As I already see in many golf clubs and resorts they’re not only marketing managers, but sales managers too at the same time.
- Sales managers – they will have to get an up-skilling training.
- Pro-shops – I think their size and importance will be even smaller than today. Maybe those pro-shops can continue as they are today who are operating in golf resorts where many international golf tourists are arriving.
- Waiters – they will have to get an up-skilling training.
- Chef – they will have to get an up-skilling training.
- Concierge – I am not sure if every golf resort or golf club could afford to create a virtual concierge (e.g. Pebble Beach Resort). However, it is within a foreseeable future where more resorts and clubs will be able to afford the AI-based virtual concierge development.
Share your predictions in the comment box!