As restrictions continue to lift and more facilities are able to reopen with increased capacity and services, not only are you welcoming your members back but you are welcoming back the most important part of your business, your employees and team members.
To deliver great customer service = you must deliver a great internal employee service.
Here are some key aspects to remember when welcoming your employees back:
Define the Role and Discuss Expectations
Has the job they are returning to changed? Likely, YES, and it involves enforcing mask policies, additional cleaning and operational responsibilities. Spend time discussing the “new” role and what the expectations of that role are. It is important you are setting up your employee for success during the transition back to work. Take time to understand what they are also looking for in returning to work and make sure everyone is on the same page.
Ask and Listen
Have you actually spent the time to ask your employees how they are doing or what is going on in their lives? Listen and make genuine effort to check in personally on a regular basis. The majority of your employees may have been either out of work and/or working remotely for the past 12-plus months and have anxiety about returning to work or are struggling with other stressors. Work has become a second family for many people in today’s world and your employees should know you care about them and their well-being, just as you do for your members.
Support and Provide Opportunities
Maybe your membership base, class numbers and/or personal training clients are not quite back to what they were but that doesn’t mean you can’t find other opportunities for your employees. Consider adding in new programs based on their interests. For example, small group training, mindfulness classes, outdoor options, etc. Encourage your employees to share their ideas and other ways to improve operations, member experience, classes and community events.
Celebrate Success and Milestones
With everything else going on, these small celebrations can be easy to overlook but they add so much value to your employees. While it is great to celebrate success at work, meeting membership or sales goals, it is also important to recognize success or milestones that might not always be attributed to financials.
Mark your calendar and make a point to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries – work and personal – as well as other personal events such as babies, engagements, competitions, etc. Your employees should know how much they are valued and appreciated not only while at work but that their personal successes are also celebrated.
“Clients do not come first, employees come first. If you take care of your employees, they will take care of the clients.” – Sir Richard Branson
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Kiley Mutschler is a regional manager with Active Wellness, overseeing corporate and multi-tenant fitness centers in Texas, Arizona and Canada. She has over 10 years of experience managing people at all levels; responsible for hiring, training and building strong teams within the organization. Kiley has held many roles within Active Wellness and was named an IHRSA Rising Star in 2019. She can be reached at kiley.mutschler@activewellness.com.
