What do greenkeepers expect from their employers in golf clubs?

I think that’s a very important recognition of what Jim Croxton said at 2022 BTME. Namely:

“….with golf participation and membership booming, the time has come for the leading bodies in the game to make a priority of the workforce in golf clubs that facilitate our great sport.”

He also added

“The labour crisis is another major issue that we simply must address to keep the sport healthy. It’s now time for clubs to focus on the importance of their workforce, without whom the sport would wither on the vine.”

The desired employee experience of greenkeepers

It is not a secret that attracting and keeping great employees (including greenkeepers) has become a major post-pandemic challenge for many golf clubs.

To be able to retain our best greenkeepers we must improve our employee & internal communication and commitment to employee experience enhancement. This should be a top priority from the top down from now on.

We must continuously listen to and collect feedback from our golf club employees (including greenkeepers). For similar reasons, I recommended Beekeeper, the leading mobile HR application last year.

It is a bad idea to wait for the annual review to discuss our golf club employees’ performance, needs, and expectations. The conversation should be continuous throughout the year.

Club managers and their HR should focus on what their employees need and individualize career paths and learning opportunities.

Today, more than ever, as we continue to navigate this pandemic, but see the light at the end of the tunnel, we need to focus on empowering these precious people. Not headcounts nor manpower, just simply PEOPLE.

Gallup found that these 6 issues really matter to employees in 2022

1. A significant increase in income or benefits – I would personalize the benefits too.
2. Greater work-life balance and better personal wellbeing (e.g. mental health, stress management, mindfulness, etc.).
3. The ability to do what they do best. This will help to improve your golf club employees’ motivation and engagement.
4. Greater stability and job security.
5. COVID-19 vaccination policies align with my beliefs.
6. The organization is diverse and inclusive of all types of people.

Here are some proofs of why gender diversity and inclusion matter (Source: McKinsey’s Diversity win study):

• 25% is the likelihood of financial outperformance!
• Companies with more than 30% women executives were more likely to outperform companies where this percentage ranged from 10 to 30, and in turn, these companies were more likely to outperform those with even fewer women executives or none at all. 

Company culture

We should gauge our golf club employees’ thoughts and feelings about the company culture and values to have a better understanding.

One of the biggest challenges in the creation of an attractive employee experience is the company culture. The physical and technological environment development matter too!

We have to make sure that the brand, culture, and context be continuously aligned and advanced. A great company culture not just recognizes the individual employee needs, but also great performance + behavior.

If you need more help then please contact me: mikibreitner@gmail.com