February 27, 2022

By Jason Boaz, PGA

Attracting and Retaining talent can be a challenge in the world today, but it does not have to be.  Good help isn’t hard to find when top talent looks for you.

With a strong job market, employees prefer companies with good cultures, competitive pay and advancement opportunities. Giving employees what they need will help you get — and keep — the top talent that you want.

Benefits, location and commute time are increasingly important factors. To attract and retain talent, leaders will need to meet workers' hiring, onboarding and career expectations and provide the perks, work-life balance and career advancement opportunities they demand. Becoming known as a facility where employees want to work takes time and a strategic approach.

Below are a few steps to help attract and retain top talent.

1. Know your company’s mission and values.
● Identify the most important skills and values for your company.
● Fill positions around those needs instead of just hiring one employee to replace another.
● Candidates have a better time assessing their fit when you’re clear with your employer brand and values from the outset.
● Employees feel more engaged and are more likely to flourish when their values are aligned with those of their employer.

2. Build an employee-focused culture.
● Consider what you can offer employees.
● Employees value work-life balance.
● Offer flexible work schedules, for instance.
● Candidates and employees also appreciate career opportunities like on-the-job training and potential promotions.
● Show appreciation by having employee-recognition programs, performance bonuses and comfortable work environments.
● Help employees unwind as well.
o Activities like group yoga, friendly athletic competitions, and regular team-building
activities outside the office provide welcome breaks.

3. Involve employees in recruiting.
● Happy employees usually stay longer, they also help attract top talent by showing the best
potential hires that they also could be happy at your club.
● Referral incentives also encourage your employees to help you attract top talent.
o Consider rewards like gift cards, cash bonuses or extra time off.

4. Get out and meet people.
● Meeting a potential hire in person is still the best way to establish a fit between them and your club.
● If you know you will eventually need to hire a skilled professional or an up-and-coming leader, go to networking events that top talent will be attending.
● PGM Campus recruiting also can provide a pipeline for future talent.
● Connect with candidates by attending job fairs, sponsoring events and providing internships.
● Connect with the PGA Universities and build a relationship with the Program Directors.

5. Connect online.
● Social media is a good place for business professionals to search and to be found.
● Use keywords like job titles on LinkedIn to find candidates with the experience and skills you want.
● Contact them directly to see if they would be interested in working for you.
● Attract top talent by sharing lots of information about your company, such as recruiting videos, photos from company events and testimonials from employees.
● Show what differentiates your company and makes it a great place to work.
● Post company announcements and industry news on social media to reach candidates
Build and promote a facility where employees want to work—and where they enjoy doing so.

Please reach out anytime if I can help in any way.
Jason Boaz, PGA, APRW
PGA Career Consultant
PGA Certified Professional
Executive Management
Golf Operations
Player Development
Advanced Professional Resume Writer
Proudly Serving the Southwest and Sun Country Sections
jboaz@pgahq.com
319.651.3510