From Community to Culture: How Clubs Build Impact That Lasts

It’s easy for many to underestimate the role of registered clubs, especially given all the scrutiny they’ve been under for the past few years. For some, they’re just places to eat, drink, and socialise. But the truth is actually much bigger.

Clubs are cultural anchors - providing careers, shaping community, and proving that impact lasts when culture and community work together.

This month’s conversations reminded me that the hospitality and club sector is not only about entertainment. It’s about education, human rights, and creating safe spaces where community truly matters.

For too long, hospitality has been seen as a stopgap job. But across the registered club industry, people are building rich careers in people and culture, marketing, operations, leadership, and beyond.

Sharyn Buhagiar’s journey is proof. From McDonald’s to five-star hotels to becoming Chief People Officer at Revesby Workers Club, she shows what’s possible when the industry invests in people.

Every role, from bar staff to senior leadership, offers training, mentoring, and life skills that extend far beyond the workplace. Clubs don’t just employ - they develop futures.

Clubs as Community Builders

What I truly believe sets clubs apart from other organisations in the hospitality industry, is their community heartbeat. Their funding, grants, and partnerships create ripple effects well beyond their venues.

Biyani House, Revesby Women’s Shelter is just one example. With Revesby Workers providing a property for $1 a year and rallying support through drives and donations, thousands of women and children now have access to safety, dignity, and pathways to rebuild.

And this isn’t an isolated story. Across the industry:

• Clubs are funding grassroots sport.
• They’re providing support to multicultural communities.
• They’re investing in local health, education, and social services.

This is culture made visible - not just in slogans, but in action.

How Community Work Shapes Workplace Culture

The beauty of the club model is how community impact feeds back into workplace culture.

• Staff feel proud to work for an employer that stands for more than profit.
• Values like teamwork and support become more than training-room theory - they’re lived experiences.
• Members and guests see their club as a force for good, strengthening loyalty and reputation.

When a workplace aligns its culture with its community, it creates a cycle of trust, pride, and purpose.

The future of hospitality and clubs depends on making culture and community inseparable.

• If you want to attract and retain talent, show them careers with meaning, not just shifts.
• If you want to strengthen your brand, invest visibly in your community.
• If you want culture that lasts, prove it outside your walls.

From small regional venues to large multi-location organisations, the registered club industry is one of Australia’s greatest untold stories of impact. It’s time to see clubs not just as venues, but as cultural and community leaders shaping careers and futures.

Because when clubs bring community and culture together, they don’t just build businesses. They build legacies.

🎥 Watch the full conversation HERE  
🎧 Listen to the podcast episode HERE 

Whether you’re in hospitality, leadership, or the broader business community, ask yourself:

What legacy are we creating beyond our walls?

Because clubs are truly showing us the way: careers built, communities supported, and cultures that last.