On Site Gym?

scottorr · July 2003

We are in the process of building a new facility so that we can all be at one site rather at our current four locations. We are considering including an on site gym and locker rooms. Do any of you have this benefit? If yes, is it utilized enough to justify the cost?

atherese · July 2003

We have an onsite gym, weight room, exercise room, pool and raquetball court. The facility is also open to the public for memberships. Each employee receives a free single membership to the health and rec facility. We have 104 employees with very few using the health and rec benefit. Usage averages about 60 visits per month amonst all the employees.

Rockie · July 2003

We have one as part of our medical practice and call it Total Life Center. Patients use it and also employees and spouse may use it for free. We also opened it up for the public and offered a lower fee than the health clubs around town (of course, we don't have ALL the amenities of a health club (pool and sauna), but surprisingly we have quite a few members who either come early, at lunch or after hours. This helps us defray costs of running the center.

manofomega · August 2003

we have an on site fitness center. however, legally you need to be very careful. our employees have to do two things in order to use the center; sign a waiver of liability and submit a note from their doctor stating that they are medically fit to use the center.

deniseE · July 2003

We have small facility onsite with locker rooms and showers (a must if you think employees will use the facility over the lunch hour!). Memberships are nominal (60.00/year) and at the beginning of each quater a trainer is brought in to assist in developing a workout plan and showing employees how to use the facility correctly.

Ours is open to employees only. It receives moderate use and it is a nice benefit.

DeidreFR5 · July 2003

We have a small "fitness center" in the main office of our bank. All Employees are free to use it between 7am and 7pm (business hours are 8am - 5pm). We have about 100 employees in this building and 60 at the branches. Branch employees never use it although all employees are welcome to. We have a handful use it before work and a larger handful after work. Quite a few use it during lunch. The center includes two treadmills, a lifecyle, a stairmaster, tv/vcr and freeweights. We also have m/w locker rooms with showers. There are only six lockers in each - which seems to be enough. People seem to use it in waves (January you can't get in; the first warm day of spring - fear of bathing suit season). Even though we expected more usage, we find employees consider the option of using it a bonus.

Cinderella · July 2003

I would just like to say: I am jealous! I WORK for a fitness equipment company and we don't even have an on-site gym.

Cinderella

Sue · July 2003

We did a similar thing during a building expansion. We surveyed the employees and 75 percent they would use the center. So a Fitness Room was added with two very nice locker rooms with showers, etc. Unfortunately, with 50 employees in the building, only 3 or 4 use the fitness center on a regular basis. When we surveyed employees regarding why they don't use it, the biggest constraint was lack of time. We're now thinking how to address this. Good luck!

System · July 2003

We have small locker rooms and showers for 120-some employees. A few male runners/walkers use them, but no women I know of. A handful of men use our basketball hoop, even after it got hit by a truck and all bent out of shape.

My hunch is that few women would like to work out alongside co-workers, especially men. I've coached or recruited for a lot of co-ed teams over the years, and most women are reluctant to do anything athletic in public. Apparently they're afraid of making a fool of themselves, while most men don't suffer from this inhibition. xB-)

James Sokolowski
HRhero.com

Don D · July 2003

James: You have obviously been taking lessons from Ray. I will watch now as the landslide descends on you. Only your head will be sticking out of the sand and gravel and there are plenty of fire ants in TN. Nice knowing you.

Rockie · July 2003

>We have small locker rooms and showers for 120-some employees. A few
>male runners/walkers use them, but no women I know of. A handful of
>men use our basketball hoop, even after it got hit by a truck and all
>bent out of shape.
>
>My hunch is that few women would like to work out alongside
>co-workers, especially men. I've coached or recruited for a lot of
>co-ed teams over the years, and most women are reluctant to do
>anything athletic in public. Apparently they're afraid of making a
>fool of themselves, while most men don't suffer from this inhibition.
>xB-)
>
>James Sokolowski
>HRhero.com

James...you could be right about the male issue. You will get no argument from me on this one. The "woman thing" I have found, at least in our facility, is that the women don't have enough time at lunch time to get themselves back together. Again....not a concern of the men. They are more wash 'n wear types. I can't imagine being able to work out at lunch, get a shower and get myself back together in an hour. We have had issues from other employees about coworkers taking an hour and a half to two hours to work out during the day.

Even though we offer the facility early and late, most people find an excuse not to use it during that time.

ritaanz · July 2003

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 08-01-03 AT 02:14PM (CST)[/font][p]Hey Jimbo! Have you noticed the time it takes you to shower, towel dry and dress compared to the time it takes your roommate to do the same thing? It's not being athletic in public, as you put it. Who needs the stress of exercising and then watching the clock to get back to work on time???

"Apparently they're afraid of making a fool of themselves".......poppycock. Is that what you are thinking when you see a female using the threadmill? Eh? Then it is YOUR problem not ours. Amen.

System · July 2003

Yes, I've noticed that women get ready slower than men, but I'd look like a sexist pig to mention it.

But I stand by my making-fools-of-themselves statement. I've organized co-ed teams in softball, soccer, volleyball, running, walking ... all taking place after work or on weekends. I could round up 10 male softball players in 10 minutes, half of them couch potatoes. I'd be lucky to sign up three women in three days.

And there are two or three private gyms near our office that are for women only.

James Sokolowski
HRhero.com

psrcello · August 2003

There are exceptions - I can get out of bed and be ready to leave for work 20 minutes later (30 minutes if I have to dry my hair), and be freshly showered, made up, and neatly dressed. My spouse, on the other hand, needs to be out of bed a full 90 minutes before I can expect him to be ready to go anywhere!

Crout · July 2003

My wife's company maintains a nice fitness center that costs the employees who use it $15 a month. Not to express solidarity with James on this issue, (and...gulp...share the coming wrath) but I use the center far more than my wife does, ALTHOUGH I must say that quite a few women are regulars. One thing to consider is whether or not you plan on staffing your center with qualified fitness personnel. My wife's company was basically told by their insurance carrier that it was mandatory, so they contracted out to Health East to staff the facility.

lharper · August 2003

We have a very nice area set up with a lot of equipment. I seldom see anyone use it although I think there is some after work use.

We do have employees sign a release against injury to lessen our exposure to lawsuits.

Pork · August 2003

This is one of those "think outside of the box" issues! Offer a two hour meal break for all and pay those that certify the use of your fitness center one paid hour for the two hour break,as regular hour worked benefit, but not for O/T accural. I bet you'll get lots of participation and a much healthier work force, I would include off site fitness centers of their choice. The work will get done and everyone will be happier and more fit for duty. Shutting down the assembly line for a two hour lunch break might give the maint' crew some good quality time to fix and service things!

The pig speaking. PORK

On Site Gym?

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