Behind the scenes at a golf resort is a sizable workforce responsible for smooth daily operations. They make sure that golfers get on course without delay, are not disturbed by maintenance, and can relax with a drink or meal after completing their rounds. They staff fitness facilities and retail shops, and provide expert lessons. Management of this workforce spread across locations, jobs and shifts can be challenging. A new approach to timekeeping helped Wildcat Cliffs Country Club reduce overtime, improve job coverage and give managers more insight into their workforce.
Management in the Rough Wildcat Cliffs Country Club lies at the foot of North Carolina’s majestic Whiteside Mountain. It boasts more than 350 acres of rolling landscape surrounded by lakes, streams and scenic views at an elevation of 4200 feet. The residences on the property provide a cool respite for business executives, influential leaders, and heads of government from states throughout the Southeast.
That said, managing the resort is anything but leisurely—it takes many people doing many jobs to make it seem so effortless. Wildcat Cliffs has employees spread across four places on the property including Pro shop, restaurant, fitness center, and golf course maintenance.
Each location had a biometric time clock. These clocks provided basic clock-in and out information, but did no calculations, applied no rules, added no job codes and shared no digital data. Managers had no way to know which employees were clocked in at what location and no way to effectively manage their workforce, resulting in unplanned overtime. Resort management knew they had a problem and contacted their payroll provider for help. When analysis showed that 8% of wages were going to overtime, the management team decided it was time for a change.
As Wildcat Cliffs began to review its operations it found that there were several fundamental improvements that could be made for both managers and employees. Automated timekeeping would allow managers to track their workforce across locations and save time spent manually aggregating time cards, assigning job codes, matching wage data and submitting to payroll. Managers would have more time to analyze work patterns and identify additional staffing needs. In addition, employees would have easy access to their digital time cards to see hours worked.
Wildcat Cliffs selected a workforce management solution that includes automated timekeeping and the option of advanced scheduling. New biometric clocks were installed in all four locations and connected through an online portal. Managers can use a mobile app to access time card data from wherever they are whenever they want.
Managers now can see who is working at all four locations in real time. The new clocks enforce clock-in time, labor code and meal/rest breaks. Anyone having trouble clocking in through the biometrics can use a fob instead. The clocks manage missed punches, so less correction is required.
Clock data is collected remotely and available for both managers and employees. Rules and calculations are automatic, reducing errors and improving compliance. Managers can easily spot any remaining issues and make adjustments.
Employees have better assurance that they are paid for the work they do. Those who take on different work assignments can easily select the proper job code to receive the proper wage. They can review their time data whenever they want and identify any issues before the pay period, reducing payroll errors and improving trust.
Perhaps most significantly, Wildcat Cliffs Country Club managers now have the time and tools to analyze their operations. They have already hired additional staff to address under-staffing and overtime conditions identified through this analysis.
This is one of the best management tools I have had at my disposal in the last 34 years,” says General Manager George Shook. The next step in perfecting their game is advanced scheduling.
If you have questions about automated timekeeping and/or advanced scheduling for your organization, we encourage you to contact a PEO specialist with Zamp HR to learn more. Experience the Zamp HR difference for yourself. For additional questions, please contact us online or by phone.