The Flu Pandemic – Is Your Club Ill-Prepared?
By Mike McPhee
Every business needs a business preparedness and continuity plan.
The Business Development Bank of Canada identifies the leisure industry, along with the travel, hospitality, retail and restaurant industries, as one of the top five businesses that would be hardest hit by a flu pandemic.
Based on years of research, the U.S. Centre for Disease Control predicts that it is not a case of “if” a flu pandemic spreads throughout North America, but rather “when”.
So what are fitness club owners and operators to do?
Although many North American government and privately-funded agencies are reluctant to estimate how quickly and deadly the spread of a flu pandemic could be, they all agree on one fact: all businesses need a “business preparedness and continuity plan” to addresses the health and safety of their employees, customers, partners and communities.
It can take as little as one month for a small- to moderately-sized club to research, develop and communicate a plan. Here are some suggested steps to creating your own business preparedness and continuity plan:
1. Delegate a specific employee to be your project champion (preferably your resident policy and procedures specialist), or hire an emergency planning expert or a business consultant. Provide this person with clear guidelines and timelines for researching, developing and communicating the plan.
2. Provide your project champion with time to conduct extensive research. At a very minimum, it would be wise to visit the websites listed here to gather information.
3. Require the project champion to customize the recommended any generic best practices information so it is specific to your operation.
4. Distribute copies of the first draft of your plan to all managers and department heads for their review and input. Evaluate the input, and include it in the second draft as appropriate.
5. Once the final draft has been approved by the club owner or operator, communicate the protocols and responsibilities of all staff (and members where appropriate) via a policy manual, staff and/or member newsletters, website links, bulletins, notice boards, email blasts, memos, etc.
Studies suggest that in the aftermath of a severe pandemic, as many as 50% of small businesses will never again re-open for business. But with a comprehensive plan, your club can increase its odds for survival.
Club TeamWorks and Fitness Business Canada encourage club owners and operators to share their pandemic-readiness ideas and experiences with fellow readers of FBC magazine and FitNet, the online newsletter. Contact us at clubteamworks@hotmail.com and fbc@fitnet.ca. We regret that we are unable to provide specific advice.
Recommended websites:
• www.bdc.ca/en/Business_continuity/Pandemic/default.htm
• www.flu.gov: Flu Home > For Professionals > Business Planning
Mike McPhee spent over 20 years managing and/or owning several large and profitable sports and fitness clubs before starting Club TeamWorks , a club design, marketing and management consulting service. Over the past 10 years, he has provided 100+ North American clients with customized reports, systems and business plans, as well as public relations support and brokerage services. Contact Mike at clubteamworks@hotmail.com.
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