Ashley Wright is the Head of Gym & Spa Management at motive8. She is a leading industry expert in gym and spa management and works with gym and spa facilities all over the UK.
We spoke to Ashley about the evolution of the leisure and fitness industry and the challenges facing gym managers. Read about the impact of the pandemic and her excitement for future developments in the gym management space.
People are more aware of wellbeing than ever before
It is a very exciting time for the leisure industry as we navigate out of the pandemic. People are putting more focus than ever before on taking care of their wellbeing. It excites me when you see people begin their fitness journey.
I believe that there is a type of exercise for everyone whether that be yoga, a walk in the countryside or a high intensity class. It is just about finding what it is that makes that person feel good.
It’s good to take a step back and not be reactive
The challenges faced within our gym and spa facilities can cover a vast range of issues. When dealing with a challenge I like to break it down into stages to try and resolve the issue efficiently.
A lot of the time our industry is very reactive. By taking a moment to step back and assess the cause we can begin to delve into the root of the problem and see what changes need to be made and take a more proactive approach in the future.
Creating a bespoke offering makes all the difference
As Head of Gym & Spa Management I have to keep multiple plates spinning at the same time. I work closely with our Area Managers to support them and their onsite teams in all aspects of the running of our residential facilities.
The key element to the role is helping the managers to create a bespoke offering as each gym and spa is unique to the site and its residents.
We have been focusing on creating a real sense of community across the facilities as restrictions ease. We have more opportunity for resident interaction with events, workshops and specialist classes. I am excited for us to really enhance the services we are delivering.
Fitness is becoming more accessible to everyone
Covid has obviously had a major impact on the leisure industry. One of the changes is a real progression in online fitness offerings that are accessible from home.
It’s great to see functional fitness develop and open up to a wider audience. The stereotype of a generic gym has softened. It’s no longer an intimidating environment.
The functional element of the gym and the broad range of classes has seen people view fitness as a way of leading a healthy lifestyle not just lifting weights.
Learning skills keeps standards high
I feel lucky to have a role where no two days are the same. The teams onsite are the driving force behind the service we deliver. I really enjoy seeing people develop and grow within their roles and the company.
There is a ‘one team’ mentality at motive8 and all departments work together to try and provide the best service possible. There is a lot of emphasis on staff progression and helping people to develop within the industry, whether that be within their current department or learning new skills in other areas of the business.
The support that you get from all members of the team is what makes motive8 a special place to work and keeps us consistently maintaining high standards.
We are constantly improving our operations
I am proud of how our gym and spa facilities transitioned to a new way of operating after the initial lockdown. The implementation of a new membership app and booking system across all our sites was challenging but well received.
The feedback we got from residents as to how the teams adapted to the new procedures was a testament to all the hard work of everyone across the department.
I am looking forward to the new contracts that we have coming onboard over this next year and to keep working on how we can improve our existing facilities.
