For more than 30 years, IHRSA’s annual Industry Data Survey (IDS) has gathered key performance indicators (KPIs) among leading health club companies. The resulting report, Profiles of Success, compiles and analyzes key metrics as well as common club practices such as club reinvestment and pricing. Whether your club company is among industry leaders or you’re…
For many small businesses, understanding employment law can be one of the most time consuming tasks. For health clubs, the rules defining independent contractors can cause a major headache. In fact, questions about independent contractors were the second most frequent legal question IHRSA has fielded from members in the past decade. Understanding employee classification can…
One of the eternal truths of the fitness industry is that club owners and operators are always in search of new non-dues revenue sources. The examples that come to mind most quickly are special fee-based services—e.g., yoga, Pilates, barre, personal and small-group training, racquet sports, spa treatments, aquatic offerings, youth programming, and food and beverage….
As fitness movements go, few have been as explosive as the boutique studio concept. One reason is that studios accommodate a range of fitness programming that capitalizes on red-hot lifestyle trends. With programs like yoga, Pilates, cross training, stationary cycling, heart-rate, boot camp, and HIIT, a studio can concentrate on individual instruction and small-group training…
Should I limit a member’s use of the club if I suspect they have an eating disorder? Be aware that it would be legally risky to do so. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protects individuals with eating disorders. If you restrict, or prohibit, someone you believe has anorexia or bulimia from using the facility,…
HIPAA (the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996) is United States legislation that outlines data privacy and security regulations for safeguarding medical information. When President Bill Clinton signed the act into law in 1996, it had three predominant goals—one of which was to standardize regulation of electronic data transmission while protecting the security…
With the new European Data Protection Regulation going into effect on May 25, businesses are working feverishly to understand what is required to be in compliance. Containing 99 articles, the comprehensive regulation “was designed to harmonize data privacy laws across Europe, to protect and empower all EU citizens’ data privacy, and to reshape the way organizations across…
There’s an almost limitless number of things standing in the way of effective workplace communication. We all know people who type away on their phones during meetings, or those whose attention spans are so short they never quite read to the end of an email. And there’s more than modern-day distractions to contend with in…
We go through a lot of trouble to protect our property. Home security systems are big business. You may even have one yourself. Research firm MarketsandMarkets estimates that Americans spent over $34 billion on safeguarding their property in 2017. That staggering statistic makes more sense when you consider the range of home security products and…
Are you absolutely positive your membership contracts are in shape? If not, it may be time for a review. Every year, health clubs, whether large or small, are the target of costly and time-consuming litigation. Much of it is filed on behalf of members alleging harm from illegal business practices, such as violation of the…
The locker room is a central feature in most health clubs, offering club members a convenient place to shower, dress, and store belongings during a workout. But locker rooms are also host to some of the most sensitive legal issues facing clubs, namely personal privacy and security. Antidiscrimination Protection For club operators, there are significant…
Harassment, in any form, and for any reason—whether predicated on age, gender, race, religion, or other factors—is a minefield issue that no business wants to cross. In the case of health clubs, the problem might arise in relationships between management and staff, managers and subordinates, or staff/trainers and club members. Any one of the combinations…