In general, a better-trained employee is a more effective employee. In order for a club team to operate like a well-oiled machine, training must be thought of as an ongoing initiative rather than a one-off first week requirement. In the New Year, set goals, train employees, focus on developing their knowledge and skills, and commit to reviewing performance goals year round.
Keeping effective training and development on the front burner in 2014 will lead to greater employee accountability. Equally important, providing ongoing training demonstrates to club employees that their place of employment cares about their future; it creates a work environment in which employees can thrive; it leads to greater member satisfaction; and it contributes to employee engagement.
Often workload, time and resources are roadblocks preventing training from taking place on a consistent basis. According to PeopleMatter Institute’s “Ultimate Guide to Training,” less than one in 10 service industry companies spends more than five hours each week developing existing employees. Furthermore, more than half of companies surveyed offer less than one hour of ongoing training per week.
The following article provides suggested approaches to amplifying training and development at private clubs that will pay off in the near and distant future.
Ask the Right Questions
Clubs should periodically evaluate their employee training programs by asking questions such as:
1. Does the training process at our club have defined, realistic goals?
Training programs should be developed with a clear result in mind. Having defined end goals helps ensure that training is appropriately targeted to correct specific skill deficits or prepare employees for specific situations. Avoid unattainable goals, as they set the training program up for failure.
2. Will training improve on-the-job performance?
Even if training addresses skill deficits or knowledge gaps, the onus eventually falls on employees. They need to have the desire to incorporate what they’ve learned into their daily performance. The organizational culture of a club can play a big part in training success. If the club’s culture embraces education and improvement (as demonstrated by year-round training), employees will likely strive to exemplify those values by using their new knowledge and skills on the job.
Make Employee Training a Team Sport
It shouldn’t solely be up to the management team to ensure that lessons learned in training stick. Encourage employees to work together to solve problems using their newly honed skills and to share what they’ve learned with others. It’s no secret that teaching others is one of the best ways to reinforce new knowledge. Partners provide support and keep training at the forefront of an employee’s thought process.
Another approach is to advocate that employees work together to create helpful visuals such as models, action steps or diagrams that can be placed behind the scenes in work areas. Visible reminders from training can prompt employees to use what they’ve learned.
Finally, it’s important to communicate that if an employee is struggling to incorporate what they’ve learned, it’s okay to ask for help—whether from peers or management.
Take Advantage of Technology
There are a host of online training platforms in the market that are by nature, more interactive than paper and pencil forms or printed materials inserted into a binder. Talent management systems with training components can integrate well with other workplace technologies like scheduling. There’s also interactive or pre-recorded webinars, including those from NCA, available at little to no cost to clubs. NCA webinar information can be found at: www.nationalclub.org/education/nca_webinars/
Using video can make all the difference. According to a Fall 2013 article from Training Industry Quarterly, 83 percent of human learning occurs visually, and combining pictures with audio is even more compelling and effective. The article states a one-minute video equals almost 1.8 million words in terms of retention.
Additionally, video can also demonstrate complex concepts or processes that can be saved and viewed whenever necessary, and it also contributes to training consistency. With video capabilities on almost all of our phones and digital cameras, and easy upload platforms like YouTube and Vimeo, shooting and uploading video is no longer reserved for the technologically advanced with flashy, expensive tools.
Training offered year round, even to seasoned employees who are familiar with club operations and customer service, sends the message that the club cares, which contributes to retention.
Zero in on Development
Career development helps prepare employees for their future in the club industry and it can be done throughout the year. Development is a vital part of grooming current employees for future leadership positions and preparing employees for expanding demands that accompany the rapidly changing workplace. This is especially true given labor shortages of skilled workers within the hospitality industry. Clubs are being prompted to look within their own ranks for employees capable of filling both leadership roles and positions with a strong forward-facing element of member service.
This can also be thought of as succession planning, which is crucial because staff turnover is costly both in terms of time and potential revenue. Formal succession planning typically involves:
- Identifying the club’s future direction and potential challenges
- Determining core competencies necessary for leaders to cope with challenges and support club growth
- Identifying internal and external target candidates
- Researching and tracking candidates’ development
- Then when turnover occurs, selecting the appropriate candidate deemed ready to take over the role
Think of how much institutional knowledge would be gained by the club if a busperson stayed at the club for decades moving from busperson to host/hostess, to assistant steward, to beverage manager, to assistant catering manager and finally to food and beverage director with several steps in between. This individual would know club culture, member preferences, front and back of the house operations and much more, and could then pay it forward by training others.
Further Guidance
Comprehensive information about training and developing private club employees is available in NCA’s popular publication—HR Management: Best Practices for Private Clubs. It provides guidance in the areas of strategic planning, workforce planning, the hiring process, orientation and onboarding, compensation, benefits, employee discipline and more. Visit the online store on the NCA website www.nationalclub.org to purchase your copy today.