Pandemic Playbook

Main image courtesy of Crunch Fitness.

Barrie Elvish outlines Fitness Australia’s Fightback Strategy

The fitness industry has suffered significantly since gyms closed on 23rd March 2020. However, with the health and wellbeing of all Australians paramount, taking significant steps to flatten the curve has been everybody’s business, and rightly so.

Now, with the tide slowly turning and restrictions easing in some states, the fitness industry is ready to fight back.

But fighting back doesn’t just mean flexing your muscles and putting on a show for your opponent. Really fighting back means lifting your game and pushing the boundaries to be better than you’ve ever been before. Really fighting back requires an acceptance that it can’t be business as usual.

Fighting back effectively needs commitment from within and support of those around you.

Fitness Fightback Strategy Focus #1: Getting gyms safely reopened

As we continue to pave the road to recovery, Fitness Australia is committed to getting gyms safely reopened as soon as possible. There is no reason why gyms can’t be one of the first sectors to reopen.

As an industry, we will do whatever it takes to get back to work and reopen our facilities safely. This is evidenced by the willingness of our members to comply with, and in many cases go above and beyond, preclosure restrictions and precautions.

Now, Fitness Australia has gone one step further and developed a comprehensive framework for the safe reopening of gyms. Over

Barrie Elvish (at right) meets with Federal Minister for Youth and Sport Richard Colbeck.

the past weeks, our team has been working with government authorities, industry stakeholders and our international counterparts including UK Active, the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA), the Exercise Association of New Zealand (Exercise NZ) and utilising the World Health Organization resources to develop this framework.

This framework has now been finalised and submitted to government.

Focus #2: Really raising the bar

Promoting a return to the gym and driving industry growth are two important factors in the industry’s recovery post COVID-19. But simply continuing to do what we’ve always done will not shift the dial or give more Australians more reasons to join the gym, sign up to an outdoor bootcamp or take a yoga class.

An important factor in our Keep on Moving Community Awareness Campaign has been to keep people active during isolation. Generating an increased interest in exercise and engaging a larger pool of potential new gym members can help springboard the industry in its recovery.

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However, with a change in habits (adapting to virtual training for example) and potential new audiences comes a new level of expectations.

As the fitness industry’s peak body, it’s our responsibility to lead and really raise the bar for a new level of excellence. Improving our standards, quality, and service delivery will deliver greater consumer confidence and credibility, while also professionalising the industry in the eyes of government and other allied health.

Service Excellence Program

The introduction and immediate rollout of our new Service Excellence Program will spearhead our fightback. It’s about setting the world’s best standards and striving for excellence.

Demanding and advocating a higher level of industry standards will give our members – from gyms to exercise professionals – more credibility.

But why now?

Like many organisations who are charting new waters, improving our offering and, quite simply, doing things better than we’ve ever done before will help industry recover. Giving consumers greater confidence to return to the gym and resume their exercise routine and memberships, or join a gym for the first time once facilities reopen, is a positive outcome for all of us.

However, the Service Excellence Program isn’t just a shortterm, flash in the pan idea. It is a long-term commitment to quality assurance and service delivery for the whole industry.

Under the program, Fitness Australia will rollout ongoing initiatives focused on a higher level of service delivery.

The first two initiatives of the program that will be implemented are our Quality Assurance Employment and Fitness Australia Accreditation.

Quality Assurance Employment

From next month, all Fitness Australia business members will be required to ensure all their personal trainers and employees are registered with Fitness Australia.

The Quality Assurance Employment will provide businesses with the confidence and guarantee that their personal trainers are following industry best practice, protocols and guidelines.

For the individual registered personal trainers and employees, Fitness Australia registration under the Quality Assurance Employment will provide them with industry credibility, ongoing support, increased employment opportunities and access to continued learning.

Fitness Australia Accreditation

As the fitness industry continues to evolve, it is critical that Fitness Australia solidifies its position as the leader for the promotion of quality service and best practice.

The introduction of Fitness Australia Accreditation will drive a higher standard of service delivery across the industry.

Equally importantly, it identifies an improved standard of service delivery that will be audited and guaranteed by Fitness Australia. It will enable exercise professionals and our industry to be recognised like other allied health professionals.

For our members, Accreditation will provide increased credibility for gyms and personal trainers, resulting in a more professional industry.

Further information about Fitness Australia Accreditation, including details on the assessment and requirements framework will be released over the next three months.

With a renewed focus, the fitness industry is in a strong position to really lift the bar post COVID-19. How we fight back on our road to recovery will determine how we are perceived by both decision and policy makers and the wider community in the future.

Are you going to be part of Australia’s fitness history; or join us in creating a new destiny?

Barrie Elvish is Chief Executive of Fitness Australia.

An analysis of how the fitness industry has been impacted by the Coronavirus crisis, undertaken by Fitness Australia, has found that among clubs and studios less than 10% of staff are still working and that 50% of gym owners have reported a 100% drop in revenue.

Fitness Australia’s release of the COVID-19 Fitness Industry Impact Report shows the devastating effect of gym shutdowns since 23rd March, laying bare the financial, social and economic impact suffered by the $3 billion a year industry that employs more than 35,000 people across more than 6,426 businesses.

The report’s analysis of boutique businesses and multiservice facilities surveyed found: •All businesses have had to stand down employees with less than 10% of staff still working •70% of businesses cited a 100% decline in memberships •24% of businesses reported a 61% decline in memberships due to cancellations or suspensions •Revenue was down 100% for 50% of gym owners •Gyms have only been able to generate less than 10% of their usual income through virtual or outdoor one-on-one training.

In addition, Fitness Australia’s analysis of exercise professionals and sole traders surveyed found: •81% has lost their job or main source of income •71% had not had a single client since gyms closed on 23rd March 2020 •44% of respondents have lost more than 61% of their income •90% are continuing to pay up to $5,000 per month for business expenses despite not operating •Less than 10% of clients had transitioned to virtual platforms or one-on-one training.

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