Clubs often pride themselves on exceptional member service. In an environment where member satisfaction is integral to success, the club must rely heavily on the performance of its employees to prosper. While not all employees may be member facing, all play an important role in keeping the club running in top condition. Part of ensuring that employees provide the best service possible entails making sure employees want to provide the best service possible. When employees are engaged and invested in their jobs and performance, they often work harder, perform better and create a superior club experience.
Increasing employee engagement and investment can be a complex process, as so many factors contribute to overall employee morale and satisfaction—both of which are key drivers of engagement. One of the best ways to improve morale, increase satisfaction and encourage engagement is to show employees how much the club appreciates its employees’ hard work. Recognition programs play a critical role in employee motivation, as well as create a tangible benefit for the club by functioning as a strategic initiative to help further the club’s mission, vision and goals.
Derek Irvine, head of Global Strategy for Globoforce, notes, “When executed properly, strategic recognition holds the power to increase motivation, enhance engagement levels and drive bottom-line results through improved productivity levels.” When employees work harder, they help move the club closer to its long-term goals.
Rewards
Recognition can come in many forms. While bonuses are one of the most common forms of recognition, the club can reward its employees in various ways. Clubs can consider leveraging several different recognition methods, some of which can be done at little or no cost to the club:
- Issuing performance-based or project completion bonuses
- Providing small rewards, like gift cards or movie passes, for outstanding member service
- Instituting Employee of the Month programs
- Presenting certificates for outstanding performance
- Offering preferred or reserved parking privileges
- Hosting small staff treats, like cupcake parties or lunches, honoring outstanding performance by a staff member or team
- Establishing and curating a member comment board to show employees how club members appreciate their efforts
At Farmington Country Club, for example, club staff helped design and implement a “Farmington Heroes in the Spotlight” program to provide recognition for club employees in key areas, such as exceptional member service, community support and volunteerism, professional accomplishments, personal accomplishments, and performance above and beyond expectations. As the program is run by club staff, employees feel that their colleagues and the club truly recognize their efforts and pay attention to their work.
In addition to implementing specific recognition programs, clubs can also foster a culture of recognition, in which employees are appreciated for their skills, talents and perspectives. Providing a forum for employee input and sharing ownership of club goals and achievements can help to foster an environment in which employees feel that they have a stake in club success.
Club recognition programs should be based around a clear set of ideals and are focused on not only effort, but also specifically on the quality of performance. Outlining clear performance objectives and linking rewards directly to the club’s overarching goals and values helps provide direction to employees and shows them how individual efforts directly contribute to club success.
Designing a Strategic Recognition Program
When designing a recognition program for your club, advance planning is key. The following process can help your club craft a strategic recognition program to help increase employee investment and engagement, improve morale, and further your club’s mission and goals.
1. Establish Standards for Success
Recognition programs should be carefully developed with clear goals against which to measure the program’s success. The club should carefully determine metrics for:
- Program costs vs. benefits
- While costs are easy enough to identify, the club can measure program benefits though employee surveys on morale, engagement and job satisfaction. An initial survey should be given to all employees to measure these elements before the recognition program’s implementation, and then continue to collect information on the program’s effects to track improvements in these areas.
- Performance and service improvements
- Member surveys, supervisor interviews and performance metrics can all help illustrate improvements.
- Progress towards club values and strategic goals
- Though it can be harder to measure these elements, member satisfaction, service expansion and employee engagement are all facets through which the club can track its development.
2. Collect Information on a Regular Basis
Clubs should regularly monitor the success of the program through periodic measurement of employee perceptions and program results in each of the key areas established in Step 1. Information collected should also include data on what kinds of work or performance earned rewards or recognition, and how the attitudes and performance of recognized employees compare with those of employees who have not been recognized.
3. Information Analysis
Whenever the club gathers information on program results, it should look for trends and attempt to determine whether or not the program is being implemented consistently and to what ends.
4. Report Results
Pertinent program results should be reported to the various staff and management involved in the program. For example, employees should be told what actions earned recognition, so employees know what they need to do to earn rewards, while management should be informed of how the investment in the program has translated into improved performance and morale.
Recognition programs are effective ways for your club to engage its employees in working towards the club’s mission and goals. Rewarding employees for outstanding contributions to member service and the club’s mission and goals can have tangible effects on employee engagement, job satisfaction and club success. For more information on the importance and benefits of recognition programs, see the article “Taking Note: Employee Recognition” Also look out for NCA’s upcoming publication, Strategic HR Management: Best Practices for Private Clubs, for other ways to help your club build a more engaged, satisfied and effective club staff.
Jackie Abrams is NCA’s communications manager.