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Improve Your Class Instructors with Staff Development

Aerobics class in session

Staff Development: Getting the Most Out of Your Instructors

It is well understood in the fitness industry that member retention and recruitment is key to success. With nearly 50 percent of new gym members quitting within six months, finding any factor that helps improve retention and recruitment is key to success. So the question remains, what is it we can do to encourage members to keep at it and remain motivated?
One possible area for improvement is your staff development, specifically with your fitness coaches and instructors. Today, SFM will discuss some staff development techniques that you can use to ensure that you help your instructors become the best they can be.

Where Can You Improve?

The first step you should take when looking to improve your instruction team is to identify where improvement can be made. Talk to your instructors and get their feedback, speak with members who attend classes, or provide a way for clientele to offer anonymous feedback. Whatever you do, it is important to find the areas where you excel and the areas where you can improve. Receiving honest, forward advice about your instructors can be difficult, but once you have it, you can begin to improve your staff development.

Coaching Personality is Important

We don’t mean the personality of your coaches when we talk about “coaching personality.” When we talk about coaching personality, we mean the ways in which they motivate guests. Research has shown that aggressive, “no pain, no gain” coaching may produce results, but can often result in a higher chance that your guest gives up.
Instead, train your instructors to make your participants feel supported and confident. Staff development that focuses on teaching communication and the ability to create personal connections makes for lasting relationships. You want your instructors to develop an environment of working together to accomplish goals, instead of an instructor pushing them to succeed. Mutual success can be a fantastic motivation and should be fostered with class participants.

Invest in Staff Development

You can’t expect your instructors to improve on their own. Investing in your instructors by sending them to training workshops or retreats can be an excellent way to keep their class on the cutting edge. Providing your instructors with the equipment and space they need is another important investment. If you want real staff development, you can’t expect them to take the initiative and do it on their own.

Contact Sports Facility Management Today

If you are looking for a sports management team to provide your facility with the knowledge and skill that comes with years of experience, SFM is the team for you. Contact us today at 727-474-3845 to learn more.

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