As someone extremely knowledgeable about your gym’s business, there are likely things you do to run your gym that you inherently know you have to do. For example, you know that payroll has to be called in on the 15th and 30th, you know that the rent payment has to be paid on the 25th, and you know that your past-due accounts need to be followed-up on every four weeks.
But, are those tasks documented, or are they just floating around in your head?
The reason I bring this up is because a few years ago, Club Solutions’ parent company, Peake Media, began growing rapidly. In just the past couple of years we’ve launched two new publications, Box Pro Magazine and Campus Rec Magazine, and have nearly double our staff.
As a result, the amount of work I had to keep track of grew. And the things I used to keep in my head so effectively, were now a lot harder to keep a grasp on. This was especially the case when it came to training new employees. How could I train staff on all the things that I do, if I don’t have a list to reference? Remembering everything you do on a daily, weekly, monthly and yearly basis is a lot harder to do when you try to think of it on the spot — trust me.
That is why it’s so important to have a list of tasks, processes and systems written down for not only your reference, but those around you as well. This not only makes is easier to train new employees, but it also allows for peace of mind as well. Because let’s face it — if you’re keeping track of your to-do list in your head, I bet there have been a few instances when something has been forgotten.
Also, what if something were to happen to you? Or you went on vacation? Would the business fall apart? With a list of systems and processes for running the business, that wouldn’t be the case.
If you don’t have a list, don’t fret. Take things day by day and begin keeping a running list of the things you do on a daily basis. As the weeks go by, add your weekly, monthly and eventually, yearly duties. Be sure to be as detailed as possible as to how to execute each task, so that anyone reading the document can follow the directions effectively.
Trust me, creating a list of systems and processes will give you the peace of mind you need to know that if for some reason you’re not there to execute important tasks, that your business won’t stop dead in its tracks.
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Rachel Zabonick-Chonko is the editor-in-chief of Club Solutions Magazine. She can be reached at rachel@peakemedia.com.
