Should you use consultants or hire your own staff? The pros and cons of each will help you to decide which is best for your fitness center.

By Mike James

Being aware of different staffing models can help you maintain an efficient and productive relationship with consultants.

Your business has decided that to stay competitive, it needs a fitness center. Surveys and general feedback show significant interest, and there is enough room for a range of treadmills, bikes and some strength-training equipment. A recommended group of fitness consultants has planned and equipped your center, The appropriate 'ratio of showers and lockers' has been arranged, and if the architects approve some refurbishments, there might be enough, room for group exercise classes.

Now comes the most important question: Once you are ready to open your doors, do you just have people sign a waiver and leave them to workout on their own? Or, do you staff the facility with qualified fitness professionals? Should you use a fitness consultancy group for staff, or an in-house manager to employ freelance instructors?

Staffing issues are some of the most important decisions to make when planning an onsite fitness center, The following will examine three of the most common staffing models.

Mission or Vision Statement

The lack of a clear vision is one of the major reasons many onsite fitness centers fail. The people ultimately responsible for the fitness center often have only a vague idea of what they want. A fitness center sounds great, but few executives have any idea of how they operate. Unfortunately, many still think it is just a case of putting some equipment in a room.

Company executives may like tile idea or concept of an onsite fitness center, but are usually unsure of how far they should take it, The first step toward transforming vague ideas into a concrete plan is formulating a mission or vision statement. Include in the statement the function of your facility. Do you want a few treadmills, a couple of benches, s6me free weights and shower facilities? Or, would a fully serviced fitness center that offers the convenience of commercial facilities and services be better? Maybe you want something in between.

Your mission statement needs to be clear and concise. And, if you choose to work will consultants, your first step should be to make clear to them your facility's mission or vision statement. Have ready the answers to a few simple questions consultants might ask, such as, "What do you want in your f."1cilit:y?" or, "Can you paint a picture for me of how you see this center operating on a day-to-day basis?" The answers will help clarity the direction you need to take in terms of staffing and future programming.

Model No.1: Minimal or no supervision

Being aware of different staffing models can help you maintain an efficient and productive relationship with consultants. A staffing model with little or no supervision may be suitable for a small operation. The majority of people in this type of company or resort will be regular exercisers who just want somewhere to get a basic workout and a shower afterward. If this is the case, a consultant may only be necessary to help recommend and install fitness equipment. Your relationship with them will probably be brief; once the equipment is in place, they may only be called in for some basic orientation to the equipment. It will be up to you to have members and guests sign the appropriate membership forms and legal waivers.

Debbie Vincent, president of Pro Active Fitness in Washington, D.C., recently recommended equipment purchases for a local non-profit company with 30 el1lployees. "Once I recommended the type of equipment to purchase and conducted a group orientation on how to use it, my job was over," Vincent says. "We may look at offering some personal training sessions in the future, but for now, that was the extent of our work with the company╙

Model No.2: Staffed by s fitness consultancy

Many large resorts, private companies, government departments and non-profit institutions see the benefit of providing a fully staffed facility for their employees and guests. For these, the need for a consultant extends beyond equipment purchasing. Luckily, many companies now specialize in providing fitness staff and group exercise instructors for corporate facilities.

While fitness center managers may specialize in fitness, they should familiarize themselves with the business' values.

The overall management and staffing of these facilities is left to the particular fitness company hired. The advantage here is that the hiring institution does not have to worry about the day-to-day operation of the center. Staffing is left entirely to the fitness company hired as the management consultant.

There are some disadvantages to consider, as well. Coles Myer Ltd. is Australia's largest retail company, employing more than one million people. Coles Myer has been Australia's leader in corporate fitness centers since the inception of its nationwide fitness programs in 1978. Tom Leehane was employed as manager of the program that same year. Says Leehane, "Our initial fitness consultants did a great job recommending equipment, fitness evaluations and generally helping us set up facilities throughout Australia. However, they were not able to provide us with staff to supervise our facilities .... " Leehane hired a smaller consultancy firm to supply staff for Coles Myer. Unfortunately, this solution was not successful. "The staff they sent us was mainly young physical education students, with limited people skills," Leehane explains. "We tried another agency with the same results. There was a lot of staff turnover and you got the feeling that, because they were getting paid typically low fitness employee wages, the staff really didn't care."

In a radical step for the time, Leehane approached the Coles Myer chief executives and proposed employing freelance instructors at three times the hourly rate paid at commercial centers. Amazingly, Coles Myer accepted tlus proposal. "This helped us a great deal," says Leehane. "I knew there were good people out there and, while money isn't everything, it certainly helps .... We attracted some good people to work for us on a part-time basis (15 to 20 hours per week). It really didn't cost us any more, because we were just cutting out the middle man ... and paying the instructors directly."

Model No.3: Fitness manager employed by the corporation

In Washington, D.C., former Medical Director of the World Bank's Health Services Department Dr. Bernhard Liese was instrumental in launching the fitness program for "World Bank staff in 1990. The World Bank fitness center now boasts two fully equipped facilities with more than 4,000 members and 60 group exercise classes per week.

Liese shares many of Leehane's views on staffing corporate fitness centers. "While the [consultancy1company we used was very helpful to us in setting up operational procedures and the group exercise program, there was a constant turnover of staff, which led to a lack of continuity and follow-up for members," Liese says. "We eventually employed our own manager, who acted as a liaison between us and the fitness company .... Eventually, we stopped using the fitness consultancy With no real hard feelings. I believe we outgrew what they had to offer."

Choosing the right model

The staffing model used for a successful onsite fitness center will depend on the resort's or corporation's vision or mission.

The Coles Myer program had a clear vision from executive management, and strong leadership in place that ensured its success. A similar situation occurred with the World Bank. For large programs like these, a good model for staffing is employing an in house manager who employs freelance staff.

Another important point to consider is the hotel or corporate culture. Managers need to have a firm grasp of the culture they are representing. A company like Coles Myer, comprised of hard-nosed, profit-driven retail executives, will have different values and expectations than an international development institution like the World Bank. While fitness center managers may specialize in fitness, they should familiarize themselves with the business' values.

The in-house model is not without its challenges. The manager and staff must spend a lot of time on staff training. With a central city location, it can be difficult to attract good staff because there are so many large commercial fitness centers operating in local suburbs with fewer commuter hassles. One solution is to make outreach efforts at colleges and universities for prospective staff.

One way to attract good employees is with higher-than-normal hourly rates (two times the industry standard). Another route is to promote the rewards of gaining experience in an onsite fitness center setting, Stress that being employed directly by a resort or corporation offers great opportunities for personal growth and regular stable employment. There is also the chance to provide quality programs without the pressure of sales.

Not everyone is suited to working in an onsite fitness environment. An international institution like the World Bank is more conservative than traditional fitness centers. Some employees may find the bureaucratic nature and lack of career path not to their liking.

If an organization does choose model No. 3, Liese stresses that, "they should show their full support and provide access to their institutional systems for budget and payroll, human resources, and legal and insurance matters. A manager cannot be expected to create his or her own systems for these, as well as look after the day-to-day operation [of the facility]."

While employing staff directly is fine for large organizations, not every company or resort has the budget for such large programs. If a business wants a medium-sized program with some of the conveniences of a commercial fitness club, it may be better served by bidding out to companies that specialize in supplying staff for onsite fitness centers. The manager of the center can then report directly to the resort or company representative or board. And the business may then decide to re-bid periodically everyone or two years. 

Staffing without vision = mission impossible

Clearly, each of the three staffing models has advantages and disadvantages. While the need for strong leadership is a priority, the most essential f."1ctor in effective staffing of a successful onsite fitness center is the mission or vision statement. Without a clear vision, effective staffing could be a case of mission impossible.

Mike James is the manager of the World Bank fitness center, and a freelance writer with years of experience as a corporate fitness center consultant. He is based in Washington, D.C.