Recruiting and Retaining Lifeguards
Paul Fawcett, Ball State University
Volume 4 Issue 2 (2001)

Recruiting and retaining lifeguards can be one of the most vexing problems facing aquatic facility managers. Safe and effective operation of our facilities depends on an adequate number of trained, certified and experienced staff. However, finding and keeping this group of individuals is easier said than done. While there is no magic solution to this problem, there are some things that can be done to ease the difficulties involved.

Go Where They Are
One of the best methods for recruiting lifeguards is to personally go where they are. The most logical place is of course lifeguard classes. Make a point to request permission from lifeguard instructors for a short time period to recruit lifeguard candidates. Do this near the conclusion of the course to be sure to contact those most likely to pass the course. Bring application forms and flyers with you to make it easy for these new lifeguards to become an employee.

High school and college swimming teams also are likely to have a high proportion of lifeguards among their members. Swim coaches often know their athletes well and may be able to point out those that are currently certified and who would perform well as a lifeguard.

Hosting a lifeguard training course is one of the best ways of recruiting lifeguards. You have an extended time period to impress upon these students the merits of your facility. Conversely you also have the opportunity to observe them to determine those that are best suited to your needs.

Birds of a Feather
Most marketing experts will tell you that the best form of advertising is a form you can’t buy: word of mouth. The same is true when recruiting staff. Your best tool for securing new lifeguards is the staff you already have. Lifeguards tend to talk about their jobs and often compare notes. Lifeguards that are having a good experience and are enjoying their work environment are likely to share this with friends and encourage them to apply. This good experience that draws quality lifeguards may be less dependent on wages than on creating a positive work environment.

Another method of using your staff to assist in recruiting lifeguards is to offer a finder’s fee to those staff members that refer a prospective lifeguard who is subsequently hired. The finder’s fee of $25-$50 is paid after the new staff member has been employed for a set period, usually a month.

Advertisement
Plain old-fashioned advertising can also pay dividends in staff as well. The local newspaper want ads are one of the first locations to begin advertising. Announcements placed in high school newspapers also reach one of the prime target audiences: high school students.
Larger agencies may want to consider adding employment information on their websites. In many cases municipalities have preexisting employment sites and adding aquatic staff information is relatively simple. To ease the application process, consider creating an on-line application or a downloadable form.

Contacts with high school guidance offices and college career centers are another method of reaching students. College and university physical education departments may also be able to recommend students to fill vacancies for assistant pool manger and beach captain. Institutions with aquatic minors and emphasis should be among those first contacted, as they will have candidates with more extensive training.

Retaining
All your recruitment efforts will be futile if you are unable to keep your staff for an appreciable period of time. Lifeguards often site poor pay as a reason for leaving employment. Remember a staff member has invested significant time and money just to be eligible for this position. Even small raises for good performance and longevity can have a significant impact on staff morale.

Creating a positive work environment is essential to encouraging staff loyalty. Be consistent and fair in enforcing personnel policies. Be liberal in praise and swift with correction when needed. Staff does not appreciate it when one of their own is allowed to break policies. A lifeguard of the week or month program is a great way to single out someone consistently exceeding expectations. Be sure to communicate to staff what type of criteria is used in determining this award.

Lifeguards want the opportunity to take on added responsibility. Structure your staff in such way that good performers can advance. Create lead lifeguards, head lifeguards, program supervisors or other positions of added authority. If you can’t pay additional wages, allow these supervisors first priority for shift choices and a distinctive uniform. This added responsibility allows more experienced lifeguards to feel more useful and that they are furthering their career.

Occasional staff parties at the facility are a nice thank you gesture. These events should be held when patrons are not present and should be supervised. Staff members should adhere to the same rules patrons do. A few hours at the pool or park, complete with refreshments, can go a long way towards establishing good will with lifeguards.

Provide regular, relevant and rigorous inservice training that includes CPR, first aid, rescue skills, public relations training, fire prevention, incident management and other advanced skills. You can even provide opportunities for your staff to recertify their lifeguard training as a benefit to them and you. Failing to have training says you, as an employer, don’t care. If you do not, why should they?

For an unexpected bonus to your staff, try an exchange with a local movie theatre. Trade passes to your park or pool for a like number of free movie passes. Both agencies can distribute them to staff members in their paychecks. Neither agency has spent any money on this good will effort and both will undoubtedly reap some profit from concessions in any event.

Closure
At some point staff members will terminate their employment permanently. For some it will come after high school or college graduation, for others when permanent employment is secured. When this occurs to a valued employee of some longevity, some form of recognition is appropriate. A certificate presented during a staff meeting or luncheon signals to this and other employees that they are appreciated valued and will be missed. Remember these people become your “alumni” and can still refer other lifeguards to you.

Your staff is your most important asset. They represent your facility and safe guard your patrons’ lives. Recruiting and retaining good staff is key to the success of your facility. Remember, if you are having difficulty finding or keeping staff, seek advice at the source; it’s sitting in the stand on your pool deck.