Assembling the right workforce for the new season is always a challenge for the pool and spa industry because of its seasonality in the Northeast. But here are 16 actions you can take this month and next to strongly encourage your best people to return for the 2020 season. These ideas were drawn from NESPA’s continuing series on workforce development that can be found in past issues of The Edge magazine.

1. Pay a bonus for a job well done in the 2019 season, but with a hitch. Pay half the bonus this season and the second half when they return to work next spring.
2. Pay good salaries that will attract them back next season.
3. Sit down with your best employees and lay out a career path for them working for your company. Show them how you will help them get further training and further certifications as they advance in their careers.
4. Arrange with employees now to take them to the Pool & Spa Show in 2020 to help them learn more about the industry and to feel like part of the team.
5. Tell your key employees that they are a valuable part of the team. Pay is actually fifth on most surveys of why employees stay on a job. Feeling valued and part of the team is often first.
6. Catch your key employees doing a good job in August and September and reward them in front of everyone.
7. Offer to give key employees more responsibility in 2020. Tie that in to getting them training at the Pool & Spa Show in January 2020.
8. Get employee feedback (360-degree feedback) regarding the organization, its projects and its people. Get feedback on ownership, management, tech and others.
9. Create special end of the season awards for the key people you want back in 2020. These awards could be for best on-time service, best customer feedback, etc.
10. Have a special end of the season celebration and recognize key employees on a video in front of other employees and their families.
11. Have an employee of the year award with a substantial cash award like an all expense vacation.
12. Always celebrate milestones at the end of the season for good employees who have been with you for multiple seasons.
13. At the end of the season, write a personal thank you note to key employees who did a great job and invite them to return in 2020.
14. For any off-season businesses that you may have, make sure that your key employees get first shot at those jobs, whether it is snow plowing or something else.
15. Make employees aware of a sign-up bonus that you will offer them next spring if they return.
16. Finally, always conduct a “stay” interview. Conduct an interview at the end of the season on what key employees like about the job, what they did not like and what would make them return in 2020.