Creating fun & appreciation to help recruit members and employees

Get your staff out of the office and create some fun?

As part of a generational issues session I led at last week’s Syngenta Business Institute (SBI) for selected golf course superintendents, I asked small groups of participants to come up with solutions for three key questions:

1. How to create fun in your work place?
2. How to recruit younger members/golfers?
3. How to create appreciation for your staff?

While these participants focused on golf clubs, their tactics can apply to staff of associations and other nonprofit organizations.

Here their ideas:

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO RECRUIT YOUNGER GOLFERS/MEMBERS?

• Family movie night
• Kids camps
• Music series
• Hot air balloon glow events
• Kids programming
• Family dinners/events
• Tiki bar
• Kids camp outs

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO CREATE FUN?

• Lunch/BBQ/cookout while on the clock
• Employee golf outings
• Employee bring a guest to play golf
• Play golf at the club when allows
• Gift card raffle
• Sporting events away from work site
• Meetings with team that have early & paid endings
• Staff field trips
• Fun Fridays: HR brings candy, cookies, etc.
• Morning cheer: different every day. Example: “Go Ladies Day!”
• Employee-member scramble
• Employee of the month- employee receives Fridays off for a month (paid)
• Employee photos streamed to TVs in breakroom
• Buy scratch-off lotto tickets and give to staff
• Employee golf clinic once a month
• Thirsty Thursdays – beverages after work
• Take staff out for breakfast
• Thanksgiving pitch-in at shop (the day before Thanksgiving)
• Breakfast buffet for staff after member events
• Holiday parties - members provide services to staff at club

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO CREATE APPRECIATION?

• Employee of the month
• Gift cards
• Soda machine’s profits (and recycle can profits) back to staff (gifts/food/time off, etc.)
• Play days on the clock (golf, soccer, basketball)
• Variety food/drink machines
• Free coffee/water/Gatorade
• Employee/family days (staff appreciation)

As always, review these ideas and consider which might be tailored to meet the needs of your organization!