While COVID-19 has presented a lot of uncertainty for the fitness industry including our teams and members there are still areas we can focus on to make the best of the current situation and environment. We are all navigating this together, but as a manager you are a leader and you want to keep your teams focused, engaged and motivated while operating in today’s world.
Be Transparent
Throughout the pandemic, transparency has always been at the forefront. Be upfront with your teams; let them know what challenges you are facing, what the state of the business and our industry is in, and where you need support. Being honest builds trust and confirms to your team that you are there to support them, not just in their career but also with their own health, safety and well-being.
Check-In Personally and Professionally
Everyone is having a different experience in this climate, so it is important to check in on your team individually and keep those 1-1 meetings consistent. Make sure that when you do meet, you are not just checking in on them professionally, but personally as well. You never know what they might be going through or how this is affecting them outside of the workplace. Your team should know you care for them as a person first and then challenge them with new tasks and opportunities during this time. The industry has a lot of great and free content, so encourage your team to participate in webinars, roundtables and/or other events they might otherwise not have had the time to attend. We suggest checking out Club Solutions, IHRSA, the Medical Fitness Association and Club Industryfor free educational resources for your team.
Provide Feedback
Share the feedback, the good and the bad. If a member is having a positive experience, share it with your team and keep them encouraged that everything they are doing IS making a difference. Everyone loves to hear when something is going well, so do not keep that positive praise to yourself, share it with the team! If you receive feedback that is not so great, share it too. Work together to make improvements and recognize that you do not have all the answers. Allow your team to contribute to making a difference in the success of your fitness center’s future.
Remember your WHY
Remind your team of WHY we do what we do. Why did you get into this industry or join this company? When we are aware of the heart of our WHY, it is easier to stay motivated. We are not doing this for ourselves, we are doing this for our members and those who need us to stay active and healthy. We are doing this to provide a better quality of life for our members and to create a community of people who chose to #LiveActively!
Plan ‘Fun’ Time
Plan time to allow your team to get to do something fun. Many of the best parts of the day (classes, clients, conversations, etc.) do not look the same as they once did and we have replaced those times with cleaning and enforcing policies. COVID-19 has changed our schedule, so during our closed periods, we have a different exercise or challenge to complete each day. I.e. Monday – 10 pull-ups, Tuesday – 10 leg raises, etc. (of course after cleaning is done!)This allows the team to bond and/or compete with each other. Additionally, we have used our Friday closed period to have our team meeting and I provide breakfast tacos and coffee. It is a treat for me to be able to reward my team during a challenging time and allows them to end the week on a positive note. By planning time for some fun, it gives us all a little sense of normalcy and team building!
Kiley Mutschler | Senior General Manager
Kiley supports teams across the US and Canada. She is staying connected to her teams via Google Meet and on-site where accounts have been able to reopen. Kiley has enjoyed spending more time outdoors and is looking forward to having some professional sports return to the TV (although she would much prefer to attend in person).
