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organization , and your culture and diverse makeup reflect that reality , it is truer and more organic than putting a policy in place just to say you have a policy ,” said Rich Hartman , vice president of people and culture at Planet Fitness Growth Partners . “ We make sure every team member who wants an opportunity to grow within the organization has that opportunity and knows that it is true . Because of this , we have a very diverse population from service desk through ownership .”
The rapid growth of the Planet Fitness brand across the U . S . in the last decade has been a factor that helps organizations ensure diversity . As club counts quickly grew at organizations such as PLNTF Holdings , which operates 83 PF clubs , hiring for the clubs was naturally focused on people from the communities in which the gyms are located . “ We pride ourselves on our diversity , as many of our clubs are a reflection of the communities in which we operate ,” said Bridget Nelson , director of human resources at PLNTF Holdings .
“ Diversity builds awareness , cohesiveness and helps with team unity . Many of our team members participate with local chambers of commerce to help promote the brand ,” she added . “ Having a diverse group of employees is critical to our success .”
It ’ s the same for P-Fit Development , which operates 10 clubs in Massachusetts and Texas . “ Typically , our team members live in the community where they work ,” said Emily Gregory , vice president of franchise operations . “ Our teams reflect the diversity of that community . Because we try to promote from within as much as possible , that means our leadership tends to reflect that same level of diversity .”
“ The community sees that our team members and leaders live
amongst them , and therefore , they feel there is a shared interest in the growth and well-being of that community ,” added Gregory .
National Fitness Partners , which owns 78 clubs in four states , is another organization that makes the brand ’ s culture of inclusion an important focus . “ Our culture is inherently wired with diversity and inclusion in mind with the Judgement Free Zone ,” said Andy Sholly , chief people officer at the company . “ Diversity and inclusion are part of our DNA , and events in recent months have further solidified the importance of our Judgement Free organization . Our Judgement Free mindset has provided us with a foundation from which we can build a more intentional culture to drive unity .”
These organizations emphasize the importance of diverse teams . “ Diversity allows us to think differently and explore various ideas and solutions . Differing viewpoints driven by diverse teams allows us to tap into various experiences and perspectives where we can see problems and solutions through different lenses ,” Sholly said . “ By embracing these differences , team members from all levels of the organization , regardless of race , gender , religion and belief , provide valuable input and ideas .”
“ From day one , we have had an unwritten policy that ‘ the best idea always wins ,’ meaning it doesn ’ t matter who it comes from , if there is something that will push us forward and help us continue to grow in a positive direction , we will adopt that idea ,” P-Fit Development ’ s Gregory said . “ Our member base is not monochromatic , just as our team members are not . We want our team members and members alike to know that we value them as individuals and as part of the Planet Fitness community .”
Through the summer of social justice protests following Floyd ’ s Continued on page 30
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GearedUp | 2020 Issue 3
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