February 2018
The UK’s No 1 fitness industry magazine
Staff could be putting data at risk, claim By Christina Eccles
GYM staff using unofficial channels such as Facebook and WhatsApp to communicate with colleagues could be putting company data at risk, new research has claimed. A survey, carried out on behalf of team communication platform, Our People, discovered more than two thirds (69 per cent) of employees are using platforms such as these to communicate with their team around work matters. Founder and CEO of Our People Ross McCaw explained: “Whilst management are adamant their companies don’t use Facebook or WhatsApp for staff communication, their employees clearly do, according to our research. “Whilst these group chats are set up with the best intentions, company data could be at risk if employees leave the company with full access to confidential information.” The findings are at odds with the rating of seven out of 10 which respondents gave to the importance of security. But with more than a third of leisure employees without access to email, more than four in 10 said day to day communications with colleagues is a key challenge for the industry.
Ross added: “From our research, it appears head offices are unaware of these practices going on at their sites, which leads to the question what other IT or operational procedures and policies are being ignored? “Terms and conditions for platforms such as Facebook and WhatsApp say they should not be used for business purposes, meaning companies would be in deep water if an incident were to occur. “From a personal point of view, colleagues added to a WhatsApp group have their mobile number shared with everyone in the group, which some staff may not feel comfortable about. With the Our People platform, all personal data is hidden.” Our People is a smart-phone driven communication tool enabling employees to communicate in realtime with team members that don’t work from a desk. All communications are tracked and can be reported on. Ross added: “Perhaps it’s time operators carry out an internal review to find out exactly how their staff are currently keeping in touch, remind them of company policies, and put measures in place for both safe and effective communication channels going forwards.”
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Wearable technology among top 2018 trends
TV presenter and fitness enthusiast Helen Skelton is helping Nuffield Health raise awareness of the importance of a personalised approach to fitness. Nuffield Health members receive a free Health MOT, which includes looking at resting heart rate, aerobic fitness and sleep levels among other indicators, all of which can be used to plan a bespoke fitness programme based on a person’s goals. Helen said: “A Health MOT can help identify the best exercises and frequency to help people reach realistic and achievable goals.” *Full story, Page 10.
WEARABLE wellness technology and gamifying your workout will be among the technology trends the industry should watch out for in 2018. Representatives from MINDBODY were among the attendees at the recent Consumer Electronic Show: the world’s largest tech trade show. Their predictions for trends to watch out for include wearable wellness technology, such as Spire Health Tags, which feature a small piece of tracking technology, keeping users connected and monitoring activity, sleep quality, heart rate, breathing patterns and stress. Senior marketing manager at MINDBODY, Charlotte Newton, said: “The future of health and wellness is evolving, with consumers taking an avid interest in their own wellbeing, and eager to track every component via their smartphone or wearable device. “Businesses may consider how these technologies could be integrated into services offerings, or how the latest trend will impact consumer demand for a certain product.”