“We have turned part of our basement engineering storage into an associates’ gym,” said Ben Trodd, GM of Beverly Wilshire Beverly Hills, A Four Seasons Hotel in California. Now, from this very month, any associate can go into the well-lit space, 24/7. There are two Technogym runners, recycled from the hotel’s main gym, and stretch machines, Pilates balls and weights.
Trodd is himself totally immersed in wellness. He starts every day by taking his 14-year old daughter to 5:30 a.m. swimming practice (his wife later picks her up) before he heads for his own gym. He is one of the leaders of the 395-room hotel’s associates’ Tuesday afternoon running club, 5 p.m. and around four miles, and he enthusiastically encourages Housekeeping’s yoga and zumba classes, at the end of shifts. All exercising is done in employee, rather than hotel, time.
“The gym is part of our commitment to staff when it comes to health and well-being and the benefits are huge,” said Trodd, who started thinking how he could help his 800 employees in their wellness quest about three years ago.
Following company policy, the all-free, buffet food in the associates’ dining room stresses healthy items, with lots of gluten-free and other allergy options, but the physical side was needed, too. Over 200 of his team have been with one or other Four Seasons property for more than 20 years – his head painter has just retired after 35 years’ service – and he wanted to help them keep as young as possible.
“Apart from anything else, it is all jolly good fun,” he said in his still very-English accent. “It is really good networking, and great for hotel morale, to work out together, or share that evening run.”