Workplace wellness is a movement by any workplace to support healthy behaviors and improve the health of employees. If you own a health club, partnering with companies that support workplace wellness is critical for your club's success. Discover why it is still integral to building a fitness business and the best practices to get involved.
The reasons behind the movement
Any company can benefit from healthier employees; fewer sick days, productive team members, reduced health care costs and boosted company morale. Companies aren’t just competing for customers, they are competing for top talent as well. According to Tony Robbins, company culture is the main factor that makes a place appealing to work for the long term and employee well-being is the key to strong company culture.
How companies promote health in the workplace
Take a closer look at all the ways your target corporations are integrating wellness into the lives of their employees. The Sentinel Group describes workplace wellness programs as wellness initiatives that can include smoking cessation programs, on-site gyms, healthy food initiatives, and wellness education. Budgets, company size, and emphasis on wellness lend itself to a variety of corporate programs near your health clubs. Workplace wellness aims to promote healthier lifestyles, but it really comes down to what kind of culture has been established. With a Millenial driven workforce, it is easy to see how the wellness craze has seeped into office culture. Yoga classes at lunch, massage chairs in break rooms, conference rooms reserved for mediation, or on-site juice bars. Some attempts to influence healthier lives in personnel are far more subtle, like providing fresh fruit in the break room, or offering regular stretch breaks. Still, others are willing to make larger investments, like adding outdoor sports courts or bike racks to promote biking to work.
Wellness incentives that help gym growth
Obviously, the wellness incentive for these employees that benefits your bottom line directly is company-sponsored gym memberships. Some companies will reimburse employees for the cost and some are willing to pay a larger sum upfront to provide their personnel discounted rates. If the business is willing to pay directly for health club memberships, another option is to bill the company directly for the total cost each month. Work with your billing company to get them set up on EFT if at all possible, since invoicing and collecting payment requires additional time and attention that increases your payroll costs. How can OneFitStop help your boutique fitness studio? Request a Demo to learn more.
How to connect with these companies
Gym memberships can be considered a deductible fringe benefit, there may already be companies in your area that have wellness programs in place. If you are looking to add more corporate memberships to your roster, first check if your target businesses already offer membership reimbursements. Afterward, you can plan out your strategy to connect with them.
Directly through corporate representatives
In large corporations, there is typically at least one person running the health initiatives of their business. Get in touch with that person and learn more about their current programs and needs. Chances are this rep would be open to hearing new ideas to freshen up their programs.
Through third party programs
Sometimes companies will outsource their wellness incentives to a third party. There is a lot of room for variety in this approach and many companies are seeking to be the go-to facilitator for corporate wellness. Find out what your target companies are using. If that third party is promoting gyms in your area then make sure your health club is on that list.
Through insurance
If you own a health club with a senior population, you have likely heard of the Silver Sneakers program, where gym memberships are paid for under certain insurance plans. There are also insurance plans that offer small reimbursements for gym memberships. This is an alternate way to find out more about local corporations and their wellness incentives. While you may not be able to find this information directly through the companies, pay attention to what members request check-in records to get insurance reimbursements. You can discover businesses with these incentives through their insurance and add them to your list of companies to target for corporate wellness.
Become the go-to gym for big companies near you
Once you have your foot in the door, you want to position your gym as the best option for every employee at the facility. The mindset has to ensure a spectacular experience and that your team genuinely cares about their team’s health. So what can you do to guarantee this happens? Here are some ideas to keep your business fresh in the minds of your target companies’ staff:
1 Make the enrollment process a memorable experience. Make sure everyone who walks in from that particular company feels like a VIP every time.
2 Host a fitness class at lunchtime or after work, based around the company’s business hours and staff schedules.
3 Offer to come to their location and host an on-site lunchtime fitness class. This is a great way to capture additional memberships and generate interest in personal training.
4 Host a lunch and learn on-site. Ask the company to cater a healthy lunch, while you or a staff member provides tips for staying active. Talk to the business about offering a special enrollment incentive on the day of the event.
5 If you have a juice bar, offer a special time to provide a smoothie delivery to the office. The more you build relationships with the employees, the more likely they are to remain a long term member and refer their friends and families.
6 Put together a friends and family enrollment offer and ask your contact to disperse the info in a company email.
7 Offer to host an active obstacle race as a team-building activity. You can host this in your facility or theirs. Connecting with the employees through a rewarding experience will help them remember your facility.
Workplace wellness should be an ongoing topic in all your marketing strategies. Having support from the large businesses in your area can make or break your gym’s success. As you scale your business, you need the support of a billing software to keep everything running smoothly. How can OneFitStop help your boutique fitness studio? Request a Demo to learn more.