Pool Information

What is a Pool Attendant?

If you’re looking to hire staff for a pool located on the property of an apartment complex, resort, golf course, or country club, you might have heard of the job title “attendant” before, but you may not be totally familiar with the intimate details of the position. What do they do? What skills do they need to have? What overlaps do they have with other jobs on your staff

Pool attendants are hospitality workers who are responsible for making sure that the swimming pools are safe and clean at a given hotel, country club, golf course, or resort. Not only do they conduct maintenance duties and customer service, but at locations with large staffs, they also coordinate with other employees who provide support, such as servers, cleaners, groundskeepers, gate guards, lifeguards, and pool technicians.

Though they may share similar duties to other stations at the pool, generally, pool attendants are tasked with simply maintaining a safe, clean, and comfortable atmosphere around the pool. They may greet guests and help them with any customer service needs, and they may also be tasked with helping facilities managers conduct tests or maintenance or cleaning up. It’s a versatile position built to help provide support wherever necessary.

Some of their specific responsibilities may include:

Distributing towels and stocking restrooms

In popular culture, this seems to be what attendants are most prominently known for – having hot, clean towels slung over their shoulders to hand out to guests as soon as they get out of the pool. Some resorts have attendants waiting at a booth or table with towels, while others may just leave attendants in charge of bringing towels from the laundry room to their designated bin and wheeling the dirty towels away. Regardless, this part of the job is integral to your guests’ comfort, and it’s a major duty. Similarly, pool attendants are expected to be responsible for keeping restrooms tidy and well-stocked with paper towels, soap, toilet paper, and other toiletries in order to keep the pool a pleasant and relaxing experience for visiting guests.

Setting up and cleaning furniture

If your pool has chairs, tables, or umbrellas that are put away at night and put out again, or are stowed in case of inclement weather, it’s likely that a pool attendant will be responsible for those. They help set up the pool area’s furniture at the beginning of their shift and help to neatly stow it away once guests have left. Additionally, they are often responsible for cleaning furniture – wiping down chairs for the next guests and wiping up spills and condensation left on tables.

Enforcing rules

Pool attendants can help make the rules of the pool or resort clear to guests, and they may help other staff members enforce the rules. They won’t have whistles like lifeguards, but they will walk over to guests and politely let them know that they are doing something that is not permissible in the pool areas. They can be tasked with enforcing general pool safety rules, such as calling out horseplay, as well as enforcing rules specific to your club or HOA.
Conducting light pool maintenance

Pool attendants also help with some of the lighter pool maintenance, including skimming the water for bugs and trash and conducting pH tests to be sure that the pool is safe and clean to swim in. Pool attendants are usually not certified to work with the pool chemicals, unlike a facilities manager, but they may help facilities managers with maintenance work when necessary. Additionally, they may also be expected to clean slipping hazards or remove animals from the filter or pool – of course, only when it’s safe for them to do so.
Customer service

At any pool or resort, your pool attendants are likely to be the members of the staff who deal the most directly with guests. As a result, part of their responsibilities may include attending to customer service needs, such as answering guest questions, greeting guests, and helping to resolve issues.

Looking to hire a pool attendant?

Interested in hiring a pool attendant to care for your property’s pool? Look no further. We offer exceptional attendant service across Charleston, Columbia, Lexington, Hilton Head Island, Myrtle Beach, Pawleys Islands, Greenville, and Beaufort area to many HOAs, apartment complexes, and clubs. Contact us today!

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convergesc September 14, 2024

Pool Information

What does a Pool Attendant do?

What is a pool attendant?

A pool attendant is a hospitality worker who tends to a pool on the site of a resort, apartment complex, country club, or other private location. They handle the needs of guests around the pool, including taking drink orders, distributing towels, and answering questions, in addition to keeping the pool area clean and safe.
As a somewhat seasonal job, one might assume that it’s only students working the position. This isn’t necessarily correct – many people from all different walks of life work as attendants.

Pool attendant skills

While being a pool attendant is not the most strenuous job, it does require some physical strength and endurance. Pool attendants will often be expected to be able to lift and assemble furniture, in addition to carrying towels and trash cans. Further, some locations may expect pool attendants to be able to help servers or take drink orders themselves, and they can occasionally be asked to assist lifeguards.

Attendants also may be expected to clean the pools, which can require movement which may be difficult for some people. People with severe physical conditions who would find this kind of work difficult, painful, or excessively tiring would not be a good fit for being a pool attendant, as the job could potentially be a hazard to their health.

Additionally, the job requires that attendants are able to be on their feet for all or much of the day in hot, humid weather. Though some people thrive in these conditions and enjoy the summer time, some people may be prone to fainting or heat stroke.

Being a pool attendant also requires excellent customer service skills. Many clubs and resorts expect attendants to double as servers and act as generally friendly, public-facing staff to which guests can address questions and concerns. While the amount of guest interaction can depend on the day and location, this may not be a good job for those who strongly dislike customer service jobs.

Who can be a pool attendant?

Anyone with physical ability, good hospitality skills, and summers off would be a great fit for any pool attendant position. Pool attendant is a popular job for older licensed high schoolers in the summertime, and it can be great for young people who may be interested in working at a pool who don’t have life saving certifications. Because they will be out of school for the season, this can allow them to work more hours than they would be able to work at a non-seasonal job. Some pools require that attendants have a high school diploma or GED, but some smaller, local pools will allow minors to work. Similarly, many college students elect to work as pool attendants in order to earn a little extra money over the summer.

However, this isn’t just a job for the young – some retired folks in good shape find working as an attendant fun! It can be a great way to spend the day in a relaxing environment and earn just a little extra cash. While the hourly wage for pool attendants may not be exceptionally high, many attendants make money from tips, which can boost daily earnings into more solid territory.

Simply put, pool attendant is a job that can be done by anyone, so long as they are physically able and willing to put in the legwork. The job can be very fun and rewarding – you can garner tips and gratitude from guests with your excellent skills, have fun with coworkers, and feel accomplished in your daily tasks of keeping the pool clean.

Looking to hire a pool attendant?

Interested in hiring a pool attendant to care for your property’s pool? Look no further. We offer exceptional attendant service across the Charleston area to many HOAs, apartment complexes, and clubs. Contact us today!