Those in the city who were
choosing to return to our clubs were
prioritising group workouts over
gym floor training
allowed in each class, we’ve had to increase the number of classes on
offer in order to accommodate member demand.
The Victorian situation
Our Melbourne clubs opened on 22 June and closed again two and a
half weeks later on 9 July due to the resurgence of COVID cases and
reintroduction of Stage 3 Lockdown for six weeks. Our hearts went
out to our colleagues and members in Victoria – such tough times and
very challenging for everyone. That being said, people are Virgin’s
first concern, and this needs to happen to keep everyone safe, so
we will regroup and re-emerge after this new lockdown and live to
fight another day! This Stage 3 Lockdown in Victoria brought some
nervousness to NSW, but we took it one day at a time, continuing to
do what we do well and delivering great exercise experiences.
A heightened focus on health
More than ever, everyone’s health is a priority. We all need to move
more, boost our immunity, support our mental health and stay
physically strong. The bonus of doing this with a side helping of
socialisation and community connection has brought members back
to clubs in droves. The safety of our staff and members is our priority,
accompanied by respect for how people may be feeling differently
about returning to clubs at this time.
Mandatory temperature checks for staff have ensured that those
of us who would have soldiered on when mildly ill in the past, have
had to prioritise our own health and stay at home to rest (which
arguably we should have always done).
There is no ‘new normal’
The art of disruption is to offer members what they need before they
know they need it. To this end, constant inter-team communication
has been the key to predicting member behaviour and getting on the
front foot with changes. Sales, customer services, operations, group
exercise, PT and senior managers have all been conversing regularly
to ensure we are doing what our members need.
There is no new normal. We have had to be nimble in our
responses to the market. We are analysing statistics on member
behaviour daily in order to anticipate needs and be responsive.
Adjustments are constant, with class additions, subtractions or
changes, and amendments to class booking rules and restrictions
(to keep things fair for members), as well as to cleaning procedures
to ensure staff can cope with the increased workload while still
delivering exceptional standards of care for our members.
Unexpected challenges
While many challenges were anticipated upon return, others were not.
Booking
Member booking behaviour has been completely different, with
many booking at the last minute or booking and then not showing for
class. Analysing and overcoming this challenge is currently where
our heads are at.
Music volume
Interestingly, some members have found a return to the usual studio
music volume a bit of a shock after the quietness of isolation and
we have chosen to reduce music volume in select classes to allow
members to adjust.
Personal space
A class that previously accommodated 24 people was reopened with
16 people and then, based on member feedback, further reduced to
14 people per class to ensure everyone had the room to exercise and
feel safe while they did it.
Staff work/life balance
Some clubs have seen a drop-off of some staff over the three months
of isolation, for a range of reasons, and it has also been common for
many to have used that time to reassess their work/life balance and
choose a modified way of working on their return. This has required
adjustments to be made to club staffing levels and to timetables.
Knowing that people’s work/life balance is front of mind, and will likely
continue to be, has meant that we need to work a little differently and
accommodate this important change.
Cycle dilemmas
Cycle floor coaching is tough to execute, due to having to keep 1.5m
between participants. This does affect how classes are delivered for
some program styles, and we are currently re-assessing how we do
this during this time.
Hands-on technique assistance
Yoga and Reformer Pilates hands-on adjustments, or member
assistance, are a thing of the past, and this brings challenges for our
mind body coaches.
More program-specific training has also been delivered to our
teams by our Head Coaches. Despite the mammoth task to reopen
our clubs, everyone has had a smile on their dial and couldn’t
be happier to be back. It is true that when you love what you do, it
doesn’t feel like work, even in times of adversity.
Leisl Klaebe
Leisl is the Group Exercise Manager of three Virgin Active
clubs in the Sydney CBD. She manages a timetable of over
400 classes a week and a team of over 70 GEX coaches.
With close to 20 years’ experience in the health and fitness
industry, Leisl is a well-respected motivational leader and
a former recipient of the prestigious Virgin Star Award. She
has recently been appointed Global Ambassador for the
Women in Fitness Association.
60 | NETWORK SPRING 2020