It's Monday afternoon, 4:45 p.m. Your power-step instructor calls to tell you that her car broke down and she won't be able to teach her 6 p.m. class. This gives you a little more than an hour to find a replacement instructor. If you can't find anyone, you or one of your fitness specialists will have to substitute. But you are short-staffed, the fitness specialists are fully booked with appointments, and you have no idea how to teach power step.

By Mike James

Should you try to bluff your way through teaching a class or take a fitness specialist off the floor during peak hours? Maybe you should post flyers on doors and notice boards saying the class is cancelled. Then it will be your pleasure to face the wrath of 40 members who have made a special trip to take this class. Welcome to one of a club owner, manager or aerobics director's worst nightmares.

If this scenario is an all-too-familiar one for your club, perhaps you should consider using volunteer instructors to teach some classes or to act as emergency substitutes. The World Bank Fitness Center in Washington, D.C., a 33,OOO-square-foot facility, provides extensive fitness facilities to World Bank staff. The center includes four aerobics studios with a group exercise program that includes more than 60 classes per week. Trained World Bank employees teach more than half of these classes. Managers, secretaries, economists, lawyers and accountants who work for the World Bank form a vital part of the group exercise instructor team. The result is a very extensive and diverse range of activities and huge savings on the center's operating expenses.

"That's all very well," you may say, "but how do I find these people, and how can I ensure that they are qualified and service-oriented?" A good instructor is more than someone who looks good or is athletically gifted. He or she must be able to teach, motivate and provide a class other members will enjoy. It is not just a case of asking a regular participant to take over in an emergency. A good volunteer program must be in place, and that involves careful planning in the recruitment, training and regular evaluation of your instructors.

Recruiting volunteers

Volunteers at the World Bank Fitness Center undergo a formal recruitment process that includes in-house training from the aerobics director and an explanation of what the center expects from a volunteer. A formal advertisement is posted in various internal staff bulletins every 12 months. People interested in becoming part of the volunteer program attend an interview with the Fitness Center's management team.

If you are going to use volunteers, discuss with them the time commitment required for training and teaching, substitution procedures, and what is expected of them in terms of evaluating and updating their skills. This will help avoid unnecessary training of people who may not be able to commit the time or who do not understand what is required. Potential volunteers should be given honest feedback on their skills and deficiencies, and be made aware of both the benefits and drawbacks of becoming a volunteer instructor. Being upfront from the beginning will help avoid misunderstandings.

Volunteer motivations

Volunteers have different motivations than paid employees. The management team must understand some of the major reasons and motivations people have for volunteering.

Extrinsic. The first question posed to a potential volunteer instructor should be, "Why do you want to become a volunteer?" Even though the term volunteer in its strictest sense excludes the notion of monetary or material gain, many people are motivated by benefits. The World Bank Health Services Department administers the Bank's fitness program. It offers each volunteer instructor a free membership and locker, a yearly stipend of $200 for shoes and tapes, free CPR certification and financial assistance with advanced certifications. However token or paltry these benefits may seem to an outsider, they can be an important motivation for people. They are a tangible sign of an organization's thanks and commitment to its volunteers and the program itself.

If a person's sole reason for volunteering is based on perceived benefits, this could be a danger sign. It may indicate that the person is volunteering for selfish reasons with little or no understanding of the service component.

Intrinsic. There are other intangible or intrinsic reasons why members may volunteer. Many like the team atmosphere that is engendered and see it as an opportunity to meet new people, improve their self-confidence and develop new skills. Some also have the altruistic motivation of helping other people achieve their health and fitness goals ( a very satisfying and worthy motivation. Volunteers can be motivated for all of these reasons, as well as because they are doing something they enjoy and have fun doing it. This is a very important motivation that employers often neglect to foster. Management must ensure it is a fun experience for all involved.

Management support

Each member of the management team, including the club owner, fitness director, aerobics director and club manager, should show his or her support and appreciation to the volunteers. Teaching is often a very daunting task. Volunteers should be given patience and help along the way to allay their fears.

One of the most difficult aspects of an instructor's role is handling difficult customers and situations. The management team should train volunteers to deal with these problems. Volunteers should be aware that criticism, sometimes constructive, and at times very harsh, is part of the deal. You can hold yearly retreats and regular workshops to discuss issues such as this one.

Open communication is essential, either through group or individual meetings, email messages, memos, etc. The management team should be easily accessible and open to ideas and suggestions from the volunteers.

Also, management, particularly the person ultimately responsible for the volunteer program, should be able to give open and honest feedback to the volunteers. Sometimes this will not be an easy task, especially in cases where a volunteer's skills are lacking. Regular training and skill updates should be available, but if no improvement results, taking a volunteer out of the program is essential. Both management and volunteers must agree that member satisfaction is paramount.

Benefits of using volunteers

The most obvious benefit of using volunteers is the dollar savings a successful volunteer program can bring. In a large corporate program, such as the one at World Bank where volunteers provide more than half of the 60 classes per week, centers can save more than $60,000 per year in wages.

Many other benefits can be gained from using volunteers. In a corporate program, volunteers set a great example for coworkers to become involved in the fitness program. Their commitment to volunteering their time and following their own fitness program is a great example to other workers who may lack motivation to exercise.

Volunteers also help promote the fitness center's classes and various promotional activities by word of mouth. This is often more effective than the regular newsletters, bulletins and promotional flyers that are sometimes overlooked by busy members. Volunteers who are supportive of the management's policies and procedures can also help other members better understand why certain rules and regulations are followed (time restrictions on machines, limitations to class-size numbers, class time changes, etc.).

Careful and skilled recruitment of volunteers can help provide a diverse range of activities that capitalizes on a unique mix of skills and cultural backgrounds. In a culturally-diverse area or company, volunteers can provide unique formats such as Latin aerobics, African rhythm classes, classical ballet and Aussie boxing aerobics.

Potential problems

Working with volunteers is not all smooth sailing. In corporate programs there is often a clash between the instructor's "real work" and his or her volunteer work. If a last-minute meeting is called or a deadline is imminent, it is not easy for volunteers to suddenly leave work to teach an exercise class. No matter how wellplanned a volunteer program is, "real world" crises do arise. Management should be aware of these pressures and have substitute procedures in place. If problems consistently occur with a particular volunteer, management should approach this person. He or she should suggest that, "While we love having you involved and appreciate your efforts, maybe you should have a rest from teaching until your workload is less demanding."

Like any working relationship, there is always the potential for volunteer and managerial conflicts on a wide range of issues. Even with a well-planned recruitment process, some volunteers are not suited for a job in the service industry, or aren't well-versed in the technical aspects of exercise instruction. Sometimes people see things in terms of right and wrong with no room for flexibility or individual variation. Sensible, strong and sensitive leadership should address issues such as these during workshops and the training process. Roleplay exercises enacting some of these situations can be particularly effective in demonstrating practical solutions to problems. These role-play workshops should be open to all employees of the fitness center, as they provide valuable insights for all staff members and help reinforce the team concept.

Another potential problem occurs when volunteers begin to overestimate the extent of their knowledge. This can be a problem if they begin advising members in areas of which they only have basic knowledge (i.e., injury prevention and rehabilitation) . They also might consciously or inadvertently infringe on the fitness specialist's role, which can lead to internal staff friction. Clear delineation on exactly where an instructor's expertise and role within the club begins and ends should be explained during the training process and constantly reinforced, albeit diplomatically, by the management team.

Evaluating the volunteer program

Evaluating the success of a volunteer program is more than looking at the money saved in wages. If the standard of volunteer classes is so poor that members join another club or stop attending, the money saved is worthless. If there is a drop in attendance at the club or in one particular class, the volunteer program should be thoroughly scrutinized for weaknesses.

To gauge the effectiveness of a volunteer program, constant membership feedback is needed . Surveys, focus groups and informal meetings with members are vital for any meaningful evaluation. Ask about the professionalism of the group exercise instructors, the variety of classes offered, overall approval rating of the club, etc.

Not all volunteer programs need to be as extensive as the World Bank's. Volunteers can be used on an emergency-substitution basis, for non-peak hours, or for selected activities in which a volunteer may have the necessary skills and teaching qualifications (martial arts, mind/body programming, dance classes, etc.).

Whatever its role, the volunteer program should fulfill its mission. If it serves as a source for last-minute substitutions, then it should do that. If, like at the World Bank, it is an integral part of the program, every effort should be made to develop the program and the individuals involved. Instructors should be constantly reevaluated for their teaching and class presentation skills. This can be done by the aerobics director or by a consultant employed especially for evaluation purposes.

The way of the new millennium?

The future of volunteer programs will be influenced by many factors. In cities such as Washington, D.C., where unemployment is currently very low, it is increasingly difficult to find instructors to teach classes early in the morning and during lunch hours. This is where volunteer programs are invaluable. Alternatively, if companies continue the trend to become leaner and meaner, people's work pressures may make it difficult for them to find time to participate in a volunteer program.

Incorporating a volunteer instructor program into your center may seem like a radical step. It is not a simple process; it requires a good deal of planning, strong leadership and management support. However, if your club is willing to put in the time, volunteer programs can be a great way to save money and add variety and flexibility to your group exercise activities. Who knows, it may even lessen your stress when the 6 p.m. power-step instructor's car breaks down.

Like any aspect of your club's operation, a volunteer program should be constantly reevaluated to measure whether it fulfills its mission and is a success for your organization.

Mike James is manager of the World Bank Fitness Center, Washington, D.C.