2020 Issue 3 | GearedUp
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Interviews Continued from page 37
culture- and value-based questions , and a role-playing exercise where the candidate conducts an informational call . If that goes well , a second interview is scheduled for another club tour and more culture and value questions . Multiple tours demonstrate the importance of this job function and a second interview provides another opportunity for company leaders to measure cultural fit .
“ Before we discuss our expressed core values , we give the applicant a list of values and have them circle four to six that they feel are most important them ,” said Emily Gregory . “ We are looking to see if their values align with our own . They don ’ t have to match exactly , but we have to be rowing the boat in the same direction .” Culture is a recurring theme in discussions with franchisee organizations about their interview practices . “ We put such a high value on our company ’ s culture ,” Calcamuggio said about Impact Fitness . “ One thing we do that makes such a lasting impression on candidates is after sharing our company values , we ask the candidate to share their personal values . It opens great dialogue between the interviewer and the interviewee . It keeps the interview more conversational . This is one of the most crucial questions we ask .”
“ Our interview guide was specifically crafted around our core values and mission ,” Sholly said . “ They are the focal point of our interview process . As we continually search for excellent talent , we are focused on finding the right person for the job and then providing the training to build his or her skill and knowledge to serve our members and perform club operations .”
While these organizations have made changes to beef up their interview processes to reveal better candidates , some have made
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For instance , PFGP used Zoom to conduct interviews and some training processes that were once done face to face . “ Post COVID- 19 , we have continued to use Zoom as a resource for a first interview in most cases ,” Wolz noted . “ We have also refined our process to where potential new hires are taking a wellness assessment when they come into the club for an interview . The interviewers make sure to practice physical distancing . During the interview , the teams discuss with the potential new hire the safety and cleanliness standards in the club so that they know exactly what we are doing to mitigate the risk of spreading COVID-19 in the clubs .”
“ Technology has been such a perk during the pandemic with interviewing and communicating to our prospective employees ,” Calcamuggio said . “ We still try to bring in candidates if they are comfortable as it ’ s still important for them to get a feel for the club environment and see firsthand the member interactions and employee responsibilities . For our field and office positions , we have used online platforms and kept the interviews as similar to an in-person experience as we can .”
While the physical form of some of the interview process may have changed , the purpose of it has not – finding the right candidates willing to learn PF ’ s service values and put them into practice . “ Nothing has changed because what was important [ before the pandemic ] is still important now ,” Nelson said . “ Safety and sanitation were always important ; we just emphasize it more now due to COVID-19 . Diversity was critical then , and it still is . We are continuously trying to improve our company , processes and managers . Interviewing is one process we keep improving and training on because it is important to consistently evolve as an organization .”
“ What we look for hasn ’ t changed much because our values and culture are still the same ,” agreed P-Fit Development ’ s Emily Gregory . “ The biggest difference is that the applicant pool has increased as people have lost their jobs . We do have to try to discern if an applicant is looking for a stopgap until they can find something else or if they are really interested in building a career with us .”
The importance of the interview process may become even more pronounced in the wake of COVID-19 as every club welcomes back members happy to return , but perhaps also anxious about safety . As clubs reopen , members are looking for signs that new safety protocols are executed , and they may want the staff ’ s guidance on how to safely work out . They may even want reassurance that they are making the right choice to come back to the gym . Having the right people in place to offer this extra attention and service will be critical .
“ We are looking for team members who are self-motivators . Now more than ever , we want someone that does not need to be told to go on the floor and sanitize the club when we are slow ,” Wentzel said . “ We are also trying to find people who are talkative . With the mask on , we have found it easier for team members to be shy with members because it creates a safety barrier . We want a team member that still engages with members on a regular basis .”
“ Whenever we are making a hire , we want to ensure we are finding someone who believes what we believe and will be a good fit for the team dynamic ,” Wolz said . “ It is important to make sure we are finding people who are team players and will take initiative to deliver plus-1 % customer service .” G
Sean Ireland is the Elevanta associate director of communications .