FOCUS TODAY - March 2005

Members, Members’ Children as Employees

The PCA used its Web page Q&A section to ask whether clubs hired or would consider hiring members or members’ children and, if they chose, to share some of the reasons for their positions on the subject.  A summary of the responses ran in the March 2005 PCA.  The more detailed responses appear below.

What Club Executives Told Us—

“We have a rule stating no members or members’ children can work at the club.  It’s a can of worms we just don’t want to open.”

“We have the problem of members wanting the club to employ their children.  We have a policy that the club will not employ children of members.  It’s tested about every other year.  To date the board of directors has always upheld that policy.  I believe it is a good policy.  Employing members’ children creates many problems.”

“We hired a member to be general manager of the club about 15 years ago and it was the best move the club could have made.  The club was a disaster financially and under his leadership the club turned around.”

“We don’t hire members because there is too much potential for conflict of interest…too much at stake.  Children of members may only be hired by approval of the board.  Therefore, it must be a special situation before the manager will stick out his neck to bring it before the board.  That special situation arises in our sailing program, where we need inexpensive hourly labor for our expanded summer program, or when a child has impressed the staff while growing up at the club as someone who would be a good worker.  It happens infrequently.”

“We say no on members because of possible problems with other members; yes on the children who have an interest in the club business and need an opportunity to work.”

“Hiring members or their children would create some touchy situations when it comes to disciplining, firing or having to explain why someone was not hired.”

“We hired a member once and it was a disaster.  Sensitive information flows with a few margaritas at the bar.  As far as hiring members’ children, it’s too difficult to draw the line between staff and member.  The member tells you on Thursday that Junior must have off for the weekend, what can you do?  Fire the member?”

“I am a member of the club and was hired as general manager several years ago, when the club was convulsing over some serious financial issues.  There was some discontent over this situation, as you might expect with a member being put in charge of the club.  But the advantages far outweighed the negative implications.  I was knowledgeable of the club’s finances and the personnel dynamics, as well as the willingness to address and resolve the many problems.  That is something the club could not get from any outsider.  Normally this is not always so vital, but the problems at the time would have required too much time to decipher.  Whether or not a person is a member should not be a deterrent to hiring any individual capable of performing in any capacity in the best way possible.”

“Hiring members or children of members is not good policy.  One good example why:  All staff—and that would include a member-employee who is on duty—must eat in the staff dining room.  Often employee conversation at meal time includes comments made by other staff members about club operations.  You never know what kind of information might end up being circulated club-wide.  It could have an adverse effect and backfire on both employees and members.”

“There are far more negatives than positives to this.  There should be a clear delineation between management and members, with members making policy and management doing the rest.”

“The one time I made an exception to my policy of not hiring members’ children I ended up firing the child of a member because he wasn’t doing his job.  It wasn’t pleasant, but it had to be done as the other employees could clearly see that this individual wasn’t pulling his weight.  If a manager gets pressure to hire a member’s child, he can always try to get the child introduced at another local club.  The child gets a job, and the manager is seen as helpful in an otherwise lose-lose situation.”

“I hired a member in the past and never will again.  The same goes for members’ children.  How do you separate the privileges of a member from those of staff?  The member gets to use the club; employees work there.  Then what happens when ‘employee talk’ gets back o the members—and it will!”

“A very qualified junior member has been performing in the role of marketing and membership director for three years and we’ve had no problems whatsoever.  We also have hired member’s children as lifeguards.  We have a year-round indoor pool operation and staffing is sometimes difficult.”

“We hired a member the last two times that we hired a controller.  It has been effective because members are less likely to question the controller’s integrity.  Additionally, we feel that the possibility of embezzling from the club is minimized.  We’ve also hired members’ children as lifeguards, bag-room attendants and banquet servers.  The parents appreciate their children learning important employment skills in a secure setting.  Most parents do not want us to treat their children differently.”