Communication Tools for Fitness Managers

By Shannon Fable

Communicating effectively with a fitness staff is one of the most challenging aspects of our jobs as fitness managers. We’re dealing with remote, mobile staff who may teach anywhere from one to 40 classes a week, train clients on the side, or have another full-time job outside of fitness. They’re often difficult to track down, and it’s uncertain whether the information we need to impart is being heard. That’s why developing a simple communication plan and employing a user-friendly software system can help.

Communicating with your staff in a way that’s familiar and comfortable to them will go a long way. Meet them in their comfort zone. These days, that means more instantaneous and low-touch methods like e-mail, Facebook, and Twitter. Frequency of communication should be predictable and clearly defined and the content relevant. Your communication should be in one centralized location and the method of retrieval should be consistent.

Group fitness managers are the connectors in the facility. We have a responsibility to interact with, organize, and mobilize our staff; schedule substitute instructors; interview potential employees; and communicate with our members, prospective members, supervisors, peers, vendors, and community leaders. With our team of instructors, we’re often expected to operate as the communication hub and “heartbeat” of the fitness center.

In addition, group fitness managers are equal parts leader, instructor, accountant, marketer, negotiator, motivator, salesperson, public speaker, liaison, community spokesperson, scheduler, customer-service representative, and more. This can make the amount of information that we have to deliver overwhelming. Your communication solution should be easy for you to take with you on the go; easily archived to retrieve information and pass along; and contained so it’s easy to digest.

When choosing or developing a communication solution, look for the following components:

•     A central place to post notices, i.e., short snippets of information that are stored in reverse chronological order, with an easy way for you to track whether the information is received.

•    A place for instructors to post comments and questions.

•    A sub swap board that shows available classes, who’s available to sub, and a quick way to approve and spread the news.

•    A calendar that can serve the needs of the team internally and privately. Specifically, communicating special events and subs to members.

•   The ability for pictures to be attached to profiles to allow instructors who may never see one another to connect.

•    A really robust system will have a scheduling feature that links to instructors’ pay rates with class numbers to quickly calculate cost per head and confirm payroll information.

•    The system should be accessible from anywhere via a handheld device.

Most clubs—though they have software to run their business—don’t invest in software that’s specific to communication and the fitness department, but there’s no question that a system that does all of this will be cost-effective and invaluable for a club to eliminate the headaches that sometimes come with a large part-time staff. At a cost of less than $1 per instructor, per month, it significantly decreases manual communication and tracking costs for your group fitness managers, and provides an opportunity for upper management to track fitness department activity. Look for a system that’s been built by someone in the industry, preferably one who has held the position of group fitness manager. They will understand the intricate needs of the department and the club, which will make the tool an effortless addition to the standard operating procedure of the department. 

Shannon Fable is the President/CEO of Sunshine Fitness Resources and the Group Fitness Manager at Colorado Athletic Club in Boulder.