Author Topic: Free workplace fitness room  (Read 3624 times)

Micona

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Free workplace fitness room
« on: December 17, 2015, 04:17:29 PM »
Where I work, we turned an older unused room into a fitness room. It can be used for free by employees. I usually go up there after work to put a few miles running on the treadmill. We currently have a weight machine, one treadmill, an elliptical, stationary bike and a gazelle. Along with that, we have two TV's to watch videos and mats to work out on for yoga etc. It's not a full blown gym with all the various types of equipment, but it does meet the needs for some people and saves having to pay for a local gym membership.

Does anyone else have a workplace fitness room where they work? If so, what is it like?

aFrugalFather

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Re: Free workplace fitness room
« Reply #1 on: December 17, 2015, 04:30:51 PM »
I work from home on a treadmill that I converted to a treadmill desk, does that count?  :)

Jack

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Re: Free workplace fitness room
« Reply #2 on: December 17, 2015, 05:07:28 PM »
I work in a skyscraper. It's got a fitness center for the whole building that has dozens of various aerobic machines, free weights, the whole assortment of weight machines, a "fitness studio" room (the kind with a wooden floor and mirrored wall) and locker rooms with showers. It's pretty darn nice.

The building also has a separate "spin class" business, which is very expensive. Inexplicably, people pay them to use their exercise bikes (while loud music plays and an instructor yells at them) instead of using the ones in the fitness center for free (or biking to work, like I do). Admittedly, the business does attract some idiots who don't work in the building and thus aren't eligible for the free fitness center, but that makes even less sense: they make a special drive to ride bikes!

Zikoris

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Re: Free workplace fitness room
« Reply #3 on: December 17, 2015, 09:46:50 PM »
We have a free employee gym in the building, with standard gym equipment. They have lockers and showers. I think they offer some group classes as well. I've never actually used it though - I much prefer outdoor activities, exercising at home, or classical ballet lessons. It's extremely popular though. A lot of my coworkers work out together at lunch.

I think Vancouver has more of an "outdoor activities" culture honestly.

CALL 911

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Re: Free workplace fitness room
« Reply #4 on: December 21, 2015, 07:55:45 AM »
Once upon a time I worked somewhere with a fitness center room. 300 sq ft of fancyish stuff, mirrored wall, etc. Open to all employees.

Then one day a memo went out from HR that the fitness room was off limits until further notice. Evidently, someone hurt themselves (or MAY at one time in the future hurt themselves - that was never clarified). The room was closed until the liability issues were solved.

Two years later, it was still closed, but it was listed in the HR amenities guide. Technically, it existed so, I guess they were being honest?

Bill76

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Re: Free workplace fitness room
« Reply #5 on: December 21, 2015, 09:49:21 AM »
We had an employee fitness center with multiple treadmills, bikes, ellipticals, weight machines, and an indoor track.  Plus a locker room with showers. They had yoga and other classes a few times a week. Our CEO decided it was a waste of money and spent millions renovating the space into new offices and conference rooms. I just wish they'd kept the showers for when I want to run in the morning before work.

LiveLean

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Re: Free workplace fitness room
« Reply #6 on: December 21, 2015, 11:08:08 AM »
Back in the '90s I worked for a Fortune 500 company. The chairman was a fitness nut and had the basement converted into a fitness center. Each employee/member even got a mesh bag and locker cubby and they'd wash your gym clothes for you and have them back the next day. The chairman was ahead of his time thinking that this would improve employee productivity, reduce absences and health care costs, etc.

Unfortunately, only about 5 percent of us used the gym, which was well equipped and cost us only a $10 month paycheck deduction. It was always empty. I'll never forget my chain-smoking boss giving me grief one day for spending just over an hour down there on my lunch break. I could have pointed out that I always ate lunch at my desk and that his multiple smoke breaks -- our office was on the 21st floor -- took up far more than my 75 minutes at the gym (to say nothing of his lunch hour as well).

At one point someone even made a pretty funny video about the little-used gym, showing someone on the treadmill while smoking a cigarette. Then again, I look back at those folks. Sadly a lot of them have died before 55.

Helvegen

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Re: Free workplace fitness room
« Reply #7 on: December 21, 2015, 12:55:34 PM »
We have a fitness room that was just updated with new cardio machines and weight equipment. There are also different fitness/yoga courses offered along with personal training. We have a full locker room with showers. I use it everyday at breaks and lunch because I am too cheap to pay for a gym and too lazy to go before/after work.  It works for me because I have been consistently using it for over a year now.

I would say overall utilization is low. 

mizzourah2006

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Re: Free workplace fitness room
« Reply #8 on: December 22, 2015, 09:13:04 AM »
Where I work, we turned an older unused room into a fitness room. It can be used for free by employees. I usually go up there after work to put a few miles running on the treadmill. We currently have a weight machine, one treadmill, an elliptical, stationary bike and a gazelle. Along with that, we have two TV's to watch videos and mats to work out on for yoga etc. It's not a full blown gym with all the various types of equipment, but it does meet the needs for some people and saves having to pay for a local gym membership.

Does anyone else have a workplace fitness room where they work? If so, what is it like?

That's awesome! My work has a work fitness center, it's about the size of a standard planet fitness. They typically charge $234/yr for a family membership, but for $20 you can take a few tests (push-ups, body-fat, glucose, cholesterol, stretching, etc.) and if you get "Gold" the membership is free for the year. We have had it for free this year and have qualified for next year as well.

BTH7117

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Re: Free workplace fitness room
« Reply #9 on: December 23, 2015, 03:01:16 PM »
At my office, we have a small workout room that can be utilized by employees. It has a dumbbell and barbell set with a bench, treadmill, elliptical, and a weight machine with 3 stations.  The big plus is that there is a shower in the restroom, so I can workout before work and get ready there.

Nothing fancy, but I'm thankful I don't have to pay for or travel to a gym.