Your Work Environment May Not be what you Think it is – Part 2
Many people get involved in this business because they enjoy fitness and have a perception that owning a health club will be fun and allow them to make a living doing something that they love. There is nothing wrong with this as long as they realize that this is a business that takes a lot of work and ongoing education to become successful. Get out of the office once in a while, get to know the members again, regain that feeling that you had the day the doors opened for business. Member service begins and ends with you, your front desk staff, entry-level trainers and floor staff. They must have more interaction with your members than anyone else.
Staffing will be the most difficult issue you’ll have to face in the fitness business. Standing for long hours, getting minimum wage and doing repetitive tasks does not motivate employees to become high achievers. When you stray from your basic role of being a leader, your business and staff suffer. To achieve maximum success, you must find, educate and motivate your staff to work at their highest potential.
Create the environment that will attract people to you and the club by starting with three basic staffing rules:
1. Spend an hour per week recruiting staff. Aggressively go out and pursue them. Find them malls, restaurants, corner stores and continue to do it even if you don’t need any staff. It gets you out of the club and you never know when you may stumble upon the one jewel that will help you drive the business to the next level.
2. Interview someone in the club every two weeks. Many staff become complacent in their positions because they know that you can’t find good staff so there is no repercussion to their mediocrity in the workplace. Interviewing someone every week keeps them on their toes and it also proves that you are always striving for excellence.
3. Spend two hours per week with all full-time employees teaching new concepts and role-playing existing concepts regardless of their experience. This keeps skills sharp, keeps you in-touch with the staff, and sets the example for the entry-level staff that they will have the ability to move up in the company.
If you invest in your staff and they will invest in you. Set the example, spend some time with them, and work the business rather than have the business work you.
