No to proposed outsourcing of the World Bank's gym
307 Comments
M
Mariam Safaryan
12 years ago
Outsourcing a new GYM personnel might really undermine the bank staff high morale and willingness to participate in Gym activities as for many years we have built good relationships and trust with the current GYM instructors.
M
Martine Wauters
12 years ago
Leave us at least something that works!
J
Jennifer Asego
12 years ago
Why target to save costs in something that is already cost effective?
F
Frances Allen
12 years ago
Don't break what's not broken!
E
Eliza Namugenyi
12 years ago
The intangible benefits of the camaraderie created by WB staff volunteer instructors (who we personally know) cannot be quantified but are enormous all the same. And surely the cost of unpaid volunteers cannot compare to that of a corporate/clinical outsourcing company.
R
Rose Escano
12 years ago
we love all the volunteer instructors at the gym and the staff at the fitness center, they are exceptional in taking care of the members.
L
Liu Yang
12 years ago
No to outsourcing, the instructors are great and provided more value to our staff compared to commercial gyms.
U
Unnatti Mishra
12 years ago
Would strongly support the fitness centre not being outsourced
C
Cecilia Lim
12 years ago
no to outsourcing
K
Kristyna Bishop
12 years ago
It will definitely compromise the service. I was at the IDB for 9 years and they outsourced the management of the gym. The contract staff had no real commitment to the organization and it showed in their attitude and the low quality of their service. I was involved in a fairly egregious situation where one of the managers had some kind of personal issue with a long term yoga instructor who was beloved by pretty much all the members and she fired him. When the staff protested, we found out that there was nothing we could do because the members of the gym actually had no leverage or say with regard to staffing and HR issues with the management company. This also meant that there was nothing the staff could do in terms of the rude, arrogant and horrible manager who arbitrarily made decisions about classes, instructors and other issues. The IDB tried to institute a small committee of members but they were limited to things like proposing new classes and authorizing expenditures for new equipment. When I joined the WB, I immediately noticed the huge difference in the vibe and management of the gym. It is so nice to go to the gym at lunch with such friendly and helpful staff. Please please please don't outsource. It will change everything and the constant turn over of staff and arms length approach to management will ruin the WB gym.
A
Anonymous
12 years ago
These people are what make the gym great!
I
Ian Gillson
12 years ago
I have lost over 100lbs in weight during the past 12 months which would not have been possible without the support of the World Bank Fitness Center staff, its excellent classes (many of which are volunteer-run e.g. spinning, boxing) as well as some of its inspiring members. I no longer need to take my Bank-insurance paid blood pressure or cholesterol medications which has been very cost effective for the Bank.
C
Christopher Saunders
12 years ago
This is a simple push to externalize costs. I fundamentally believe the gym is an asset to the Bank by increasing staff health and productivity.
H
Hinda Jarik
12 years ago
I fully support not outsourcing the fitness facilities. Any savings derived from outsourcing is certainly not worth the harm it would do to staff morale and the disruption in the lives of our colleagues who work there. The fitness center is not just a place we go to exercise; it is an integral part of the WB Group fully reflecting our diverse cultural backgrounds—something that private company could never do. We love and support our friends in the fitness center and I hope that Management will reach the conclusion that benefits of our in-house facility out weight any possible savings.
A
Angela Walker Gary
12 years ago
I have both worked and been a client at more than 20 corporate and commercial fitness facilities. I have yet to encounter a team that provides higher quality service than the World Bank Fitness Center. I believe it will be very difficult to find better “quality” service in terms of knowledge, programming, responsiveness, and client orientation that we are currently receiving from the professionals at the World Bank Fitness Center. I am curious to see what the “financial” exercise reveals, but I wouldn’t be surprised to find that outsourcing may actually cost more than our current in house arrangement because of the large number of staff volunteers the current team has developed and trained. From a business perspective, research shows many corporate benefits of staff wellness and exercise including improvements in efficiency, increased productivity, and reduced health care-related costs. Most of the commercial facilities I have experience with are driven by sales and profit rather than wellness. A client who pays matters (whether or not they actually use the centers services doesn’t factor into the bottom line). The current World Bank Fitness Center staff have demonstrated their commitment to improving the health and quality of life of our staff. I hope the possible impact of a change in focus from “client wellness” to “profit” is being considered in the analysis.
C
Chris Warner
12 years ago
Dear Mr. President, Using the gym several times a week and seeing our same highly professional full time and part time gym colleagues is one of the most motivating parts of the day. It is one of the daily constants in our lives. Please make the right decision on this by recognizing its important in helping us to maintain a healthy work - life balance. I would encourage you to also make use of the gym and to experience for yourself the professionalism of our gym staff.
Z
Zibusiso Sibanda
12 years ago
This is more than a Fitness Center. It is a Wellness Center. The staff have supported me through recovery from two accidents, challenged and encouraged me to strive to be more, and keep up with the joys and sorrows of my life! I am the fittest I have ever been, thanks to the work and advice I get on a daily basis from the team. Please, do not outsource this important service!
A
Annie Lugassy
12 years ago
In my opinion, It would be counterproductive to proceed with GSD's action of outsourcing to an outside provider. Our much dedicated staff of many years at the Fitness Center have devoted themselves to the excellence of services provided by the Fitness Center. I do trust that GSD will revisit the issue at length and depth so as to maintain the present services in place.
M
Martin Lenihan
12 years ago
As far as I know, there is no fitness center service in the DC Metro area, that can match the Bank fitness center in terms of price and quality. .
E
Eileen Truman
12 years ago
Staff morale is already low. This is the nail in the coffin!!
Outsourcing a new GYM personnel might really undermine the bank staff high morale and willingness to participate in Gym activities as for many years we have built good relationships and trust with the current GYM instructors.
Leave us at least something that works!
Why target to save costs in something that is already cost effective?
Don't break what's not broken!
The intangible benefits of the camaraderie created by WB staff volunteer instructors (who we personally know) cannot be quantified but are enormous all the same. And surely the cost of unpaid volunteers cannot compare to that of a corporate/clinical outsourcing company.
we love all the volunteer instructors at the gym and the staff at the fitness center, they are exceptional in taking care of the members.
No to outsourcing, the instructors are great and provided more value to our staff compared to commercial gyms.
Would strongly support the fitness centre not being outsourced
no to outsourcing
It will definitely compromise the service. I was at the IDB for 9 years and they outsourced the management of the gym. The contract staff had no real commitment to the organization and it showed in their attitude and the low quality of their service. I was involved in a fairly egregious situation where one of the managers had some kind of personal issue with a long term yoga instructor who was beloved by pretty much all the members and she fired him. When the staff protested, we found out that there was nothing we could do because the members of the gym actually had no leverage or say with regard to staffing and HR issues with the management company. This also meant that there was nothing the staff could do in terms of the rude, arrogant and horrible manager who arbitrarily made decisions about classes, instructors and other issues. The IDB tried to institute a small committee of members but they were limited to things like proposing new classes and authorizing expenditures for new equipment. When I joined the WB, I immediately noticed the huge difference in the vibe and management of the gym. It is so nice to go to the gym at lunch with such friendly and helpful staff. Please please please don't outsource. It will change everything and the constant turn over of staff and arms length approach to management will ruin the WB gym.
These people are what make the gym great!
I have lost over 100lbs in weight during the past 12 months which would not have been possible without the support of the World Bank Fitness Center staff, its excellent classes (many of which are volunteer-run e.g. spinning, boxing) as well as some of its inspiring members. I no longer need to take my Bank-insurance paid blood pressure or cholesterol medications which has been very cost effective for the Bank.
This is a simple push to externalize costs. I fundamentally believe the gym is an asset to the Bank by increasing staff health and productivity.
I fully support not outsourcing the fitness facilities. Any savings derived from outsourcing is certainly not worth the harm it would do to staff morale and the disruption in the lives of our colleagues who work there. The fitness center is not just a place we go to exercise; it is an integral part of the WB Group fully reflecting our diverse cultural backgrounds—something that private company could never do. We love and support our friends in the fitness center and I hope that Management will reach the conclusion that benefits of our in-house facility out weight any possible savings.
I have both worked and been a client at more than 20 corporate and commercial fitness facilities. I have yet to encounter a team that provides higher quality service than the World Bank Fitness Center. I believe it will be very difficult to find better “quality” service in terms of knowledge, programming, responsiveness, and client orientation that we are currently receiving from the professionals at the World Bank Fitness Center. I am curious to see what the “financial” exercise reveals, but I wouldn’t be surprised to find that outsourcing may actually cost more than our current in house arrangement because of the large number of staff volunteers the current team has developed and trained. From a business perspective, research shows many corporate benefits of staff wellness and exercise including improvements in efficiency, increased productivity, and reduced health care-related costs. Most of the commercial facilities I have experience with are driven by sales and profit rather than wellness. A client who pays matters (whether or not they actually use the centers services doesn’t factor into the bottom line). The current World Bank Fitness Center staff have demonstrated their commitment to improving the health and quality of life of our staff. I hope the possible impact of a change in focus from “client wellness” to “profit” is being considered in the analysis.
Dear Mr. President, Using the gym several times a week and seeing our same highly professional full time and part time gym colleagues is one of the most motivating parts of the day. It is one of the daily constants in our lives. Please make the right decision on this by recognizing its important in helping us to maintain a healthy work - life balance. I would encourage you to also make use of the gym and to experience for yourself the professionalism of our gym staff.
This is more than a Fitness Center. It is a Wellness Center. The staff have supported me through recovery from two accidents, challenged and encouraged me to strive to be more, and keep up with the joys and sorrows of my life! I am the fittest I have ever been, thanks to the work and advice I get on a daily basis from the team. Please, do not outsource this important service!
In my opinion, It would be counterproductive to proceed with GSD's action of outsourcing to an outside provider. Our much dedicated staff of many years at the Fitness Center have devoted themselves to the excellence of services provided by the Fitness Center. I do trust that GSD will revisit the issue at length and depth so as to maintain the present services in place.
As far as I know, there is no fitness center service in the DC Metro area, that can match the Bank fitness center in terms of price and quality. .
Staff morale is already low. This is the nail in the coffin!!