How to build a highly effective team in your gym

Your team can make or break the success of your gym business. You rely on their support, so your team needs to understand your goals and your operations inside out.

You need a team you can trust to represent your offer effectively and consistently to members.

That’s why supporting and developing your team right now is one of the quick wins you can deploy to prepare your gym for the new year.

So how do you build a highly effective team in your gym?

1. Always be recruiting

With unemployment low, candidates are king. Potential new recruits have lots of options open to them, so you need to always be recruiting, always looking out for the best candidates.

Don’t wait until it’s too late:

2. Hire for qualities and culture match

When you’re going through the recruitment and interview process, look for new hires that share your values and your culture. You want team members who have the qualities and personalities that fit with you and your current team.

You can’t teach someone to have the right qualities or be a good fit, but you can train teams in the required skills, processes, and use of technology for the job.

3. Identify missing skills and abilities

Alongside recruiting, focus on your existing team members. Check their performance and see where they might be struggling.

Are there certain tasks that aren’t always done correctly? Are they great in some operational areas but not others?

When you have a clear picture of missing skills and abilities, you can focus your training to provide extra help, support, and encouragement. This will boost engagement as well as competence.

4. Buddy up star performers

As part of your skills review, pinpoint those team members who shine.

Who’s always motivated and always putting the extra effort in? Who goes the extra mile to support your members or help others?

Recognise those efforts and then ask if those star performers will partner with more junior or unengaged team members, to help them overcome any challenges they face and set a strong example.

5. Bring your team into planning

One of the driving forces behind a lack of motivation is team members being unaware of the big picture. They don’t know why what they do matters, so show them.

Help your team feel fully involved and invested in your gym business by bringing them into your planning sessions and taking them along on your journey. Ask for their opinions and encourage them to contribute their own ideas.

Then make sure to talk them through your key targets for the month or year so they have a clear understanding of what’s expected.

6. Train your team in best-practice marketing tactics

When you know your goals for the next year, create a mini training programme to help your team reach them.

Focus on your key KPIs like increasing memberships and revenue and show your team how they can promote your gym business effectively to reach them.

You could:

7. Support your team with the right tools and technology

To do their job effectively, your team needs help. They need tools and technology that can streamline labour-intensive processes and automate repetitive tasks.

Consider gym management software like Xplor Gym that eliminates paperwork and unnecessary admin, and you’ll free up your team’s time so they can focus on supporting your members.

8. Recognise their hard work

Most importantly, you need to recognise and reward the hard work your team does on a daily basis. They should know their contributions are valued.

Motivate and encourage your team with incentives that keep them engaged and show your appreciation. This might be free drinks, gift cards, or contributions to a staff party.

It’ll help you keep your team happy and less likely to leave for a job elsewhere.

Support your team and they’ll support you

Your team is your biggest asset. Look after them, give back to them, and they’ll give back to you.

With the right software and training, you’ll build a highly effective team who will support your continued success.