Pros
You are able to work with others in helping them achieve their fitness goals. Overall, the members are wonderful
Cons
I worked for the Crunch in Tustin, and it is riddled with racism and bullying. I began working at this location in November, and was immediately met with racist insults from a fellow trainer. He made comments such as me not being allowed to like the super hero "Black Panther", because that would be "cliche" (I was the only Black employee at this location), and then another time told a new trainer that he could not choose Black Panther as his favorite character, because "we already had one", and gestured towards me. Another instance occurred where a front desk associate said the N-word, and this fellow trainer found it necessary to tell me that, "in this day in age, no one should be offended by derogatory words". Upset about this trainer's continued behavior, and verbal attacks on me, I spoke up and told both my fitness manager and general manager. They handled the incident. This same trainer was not only racist towards me, but also a bully towards members. He would regularly yell at his class in anger, and intimidate members who did not wish to purchase personal training from him. He constantly threw tantrums. In addition to all of this, this trainer would regularly come into the break room and stare you down if you did not strike up a conversation with him. I did not feel safe at this location whenever this particular trainer was there. Another fellow trainer, was a bully. She would regularly start arguments with everyone over absolutely nothing, and then go and lie to the managers, claiming that she had been disrespected. That could not be any further from the truth. In reality, this trainer made everyone uncomfortable. In addition to creating issues with others and lying, she would regularly talk negatively about the trainers to her clients. I overheard her speaking very nastily about a fellow trainer, to one of her clients, while she was supposed to be training her client. In addition to all of this, she also found it acceptable to take photos of us, with her personal camera, without our knowledge or consent. She once took a photo of my little sisters while they were at the gym without my knowledge or consent. My sisters came with me to work because there was no one else to watch them. The entire time they were there, they sat at a table in the front of the gym, away from any and all equipment. They are only 7 and 8 years old. Many guest have done this before, and this is not an issue. She would only take photos of things that she felt would get others in trouble. I began distancing myself away from this trainer, because she was both emotionally manipulative and abusive. One day she came to me, asking me why I did not talk to her any more, and that if there was anything that she did wrong, to let her know. When I let her know that she was a bully, and a mean and nasty individual, she went and lied to the owner of this franchise. I WAS A VICTIM OF RACISM FROM NOT ONLY A COWORKER, BUT ALSO A MEMBER. When this occurred, I informed the new general manager, who then told the owner. The owner called me later that day. When I told the owner what happened, he made excuses for this member's actions and words. He further went on to explain to me that this member had been with the company for 3 years, and not issues had arose--yet at the same time, the owner did not know how involved and dedicated I was with HIS company. I was hired as a personal trainer. Not even 1 month after being hired by HIS company, I was doing front desk work. 1 month after being hired by HIS company, I was teaching small group training classes, as well as group fitness classes. His excuse behind knowing so much about the member, but absolutely nothing about HIS employee of almost 6 months, was that, the member was under investigation, but not me. Regardless of who is under investigation, it is only good business practice to pull the file of both parties involved. To cross all of your T's, and dot all of your I's. In addition to this, I informed the owner of the racist behaviors, and bullying behaviors of my fellow coworkers. The owner's response was to ask me what he should do. I told him that he needed to fire the coworker who was not only racist, but always blowing up towards gym members, and to transfer the coworker who is a bully to another location. He told me that I was not being realistic. I had to deal with the owner not only talking to me like I am an idiot, and mansplaining the definition of the word "context" to me, but also, with him going back to the worker who is a bully, and discussing with her what we talked about, and telling her that I'm a "loose cannon". I worked hard, coming in at 5:30 am, 3 times a week, and subbing classes for many instructors at various gyms within this franchise, to be talked down to, made to feel less than, and not valued.
