Pros
-The other trainers here were pretty chill, down-to-earth people who wanted to help each other out in any way; it really felt like we were all learning together, I felt like we got close in the short time I was there.
-team meetings on occasion
-flexibility in determining when you want to schedule your sessions (more on one day, less another) after grand opening sales got more steady.
-ability to let your unique personality shine as a trainer.
-they will adjust availability if you need to block off time to outside commitments or feeling overworked
-Trainerize is an awesome workout building app with so many exercises, you could spend days on there. And a lot of videos that are EOS branded, making it more professional.
-ability to chat with clients thru PT app.
-friendly front desk staff and others in different departments.
-members are rather friendly compared to other gyms I worked at previously.
-management is very text-responsive.
- sales people will try to get to know you when you pop by the break room, I felt welcomed by them.
-GREAT senior managers who will invite you to connect with them, seriously care about training staff well and being a resource, friendly and encouraging people. I wish club management were like them! CEO is also personable from what I have heard.
-fantastic company culture training, best I’ve had in a variety of industries.
-if you make friends with management, there are lots of growth opportunities as this company is rapidly expanding.
-discounted certs
-amazing clients to connect with from a variety of backgrounds, allows you to be creative and problem-solve.
Cons
-the majority of this crew was new to training at grand opening; as none of us had worked a trainer role and had no knowledge base to draw from, a lot of it was having to pepper managers with questions when they were already running around closing sales, responding to emails, or putting out fires.
-it seemed like other trainers had knowledge I didn’t have due to when I came on in the hiring cycle. I had no idea we had client folders, for example, until another trainer showed me theirs. I am the kind of person who enjoys dynamic workdays, but there was so much I didn’t know, and accordingly wasn’t doing, that it started impeding operations and creating problems management had to address.
-my manager never responded to emails after the first week of opening.
-managers work 12 hour days 50-60 hours a week, sometimes without a day off, and it shows; they are constantly under stress, probably from trying to manage sales and the issues that come with training a new staff, and it comes out on staff via a “don’t step out of line or…” approach. That makes the job stressful. I would be interested in returning to the company if this management approach was changed to being more collaborative and encouraging.
-impersonal, typical corporate culture; the majority of people will not take time to ask the usual “get to know you” questions. They show up, do their job and go home. I cannot say this is true of all EOS locations or even other departments at this location, but all anyone talked about was work. Management also does not take time to get to understand employees personalities, tendencies, strengths and weaknesses. They are focused solely on operational procedures and developing staff for the sake of meeting sales targets, which is why they are always telling staff to “be productive” (aka get money for the company). Any feedback given on client relations is also geared toward keeping sales, not focused on customer experience for the sake of building relationships.
-very numbers-focused at the expense of building quality programs for clients. No time to program without permission from management and you are reliant on using a template for essentially every client (unless you have a very nice AFM covering to help you make those programs, I appreciated everything he did for me).
-there was quite a bit of “bait and switch” between the interview and actual job: I thought I was signing up for primarily hour-long sessions but clients start at 30 minutes and then have to upgrade. You also must log the number of floor pulls and supplements you sold if you choose to clock in between sessions, which doesn’t account for natural human rejection or slower traffic times. And multiple trainers on the floor. No weekly 1:1’s as promised. Was not initially told standing at a table selling supplements for hours was part of the job, only that I had to sell to clients. And training locations can be 2-3 hours away from home since it is corporate. Very high expectations for people with no experience in the role right off the bat (just two weeks after opening). No time for learning curve. Requirement to work 6 days a week.
-no sales training, just generic advice that only goes so far if you are not a social bro with the gym guys.
-I have not gone to the EEOC about this, but my Fitness Manager asked for the specific reason I had a doctor’s note after I was already sick a couple days before that. When I sent the note, he also told me to come in on Monday and my return date was Tuesday. This was a violation of privacy and not legal.
-company value is “be optimistic” but management only has nice things to say about people who sell $800+ in supplements. Some people are really trying, they are not lazy but just not as naturally talented, either.
-your personal cell is listed on your email signature, and you are required to confirm appointments off the clock. No cellphone stipend or pay for this, though the company says you should get paid for contacting clients at any time.