Corporate fitness classes are a staple for organizations focused on prioritizing the health and wellness of their employees. To discover what type of fitness solution is best suited for your unique population, it’s important to understand the nuances of live fitness classes versus on-demand classes. They each have benefits and drawbacks depending on what goals and objectives the company wants to achieve with the initiative.

This article delves into what considerations need to be made to make an informed decision on which approach best serves the organization’s needs.

Comparing Live Fitness Classes to On-Demand Fitness Apps for Employees

In this post:

1. Identify the Goals & Objectives of the Intitiative

2. On-Demand vs. Live Fitness Classes

a. On-Demand Fitness Classes

b. Live & Interactive Fitness Classes

3. Commonalities of On-Demand & Live Fitness Classes

4. Strive Onsite & Virtual Corporate Fitness Programs

Identify the Goals & Objectives of the Intitiative

Before deciding whether to offer on-demand or live corporate fitness classes, it’s essential to first identify the goals and objectives of the initiative. What do you hope to achieve by implementing a fitness program for your employees? Is the primary goal to improve employee morale and the culture of health, or to enhance retention rates and reduce healthcare costs? Identifying your goals and objectives is crucial in determining which approach will be the most impactful and effective.

Setting goals also allows the success of the initiative to be measurable and informs where to focus internal resources. Some solutions require more administration from your team than others.

Discover How-To Choose the Right Corporate Wellness Partners.

On-Demand vs. Live Fitness Classes

Let’s explore the differences between interactive fitness and on-demand platforms.

On-Demand Fitness Classes

On-demand fitness classes are pre-recorded, delivered virtually, and accessible at any time. This convenience factor is attractive for organizations with widely varying timezones, such as a global workforce. Because there’s no live instructor feedback, on-demand classes tend to appeal to employees with pre-existing interest or dedication to their health and wellness, rather than those who are new to its benefits. While on-demand classes are a great way for employees to develop their individual physical well-being, they don’t provide opportunities for colleagues to interact or connect with one another. This is a downside for organizations looking to enhance their culture with the initiative.

It’s important to monitor engagement levels when providing an on-demand fitness platform to employees as they can be expensive and under-utilized. They use a per-employee-per-month (PEPM) subscription model, as opposed to a unit cost. A final consideration to make when deciding if on-demand fitness classes are the best option for your population would be this: with an abundance of ‌free resources and pre-recorded fitness content available online, is purchasing an expensive platform valuable for employees?

Live & Interactive Fitness Classes

Live fitness classes are instructor-led, available onsite or virtually, and typically weekly recurring. They provide instruction, corrections, and modifications in real-time, appealing to a larger demographic of employees. Because live fitness classes are interactive, they’re more engaging and provide a great outlet for employees to connect with one another. Exclusive to your group, live classes foster team-building, community, and a culture of health.

Live fitness classes are ideal for mid-market or large groups as their unit cost model is more affordable than a PEPM model. They’re typically budgeted for annually and take place on specific days and times to encourage consistency and healthy habit-building. While organizations are encouraged to leverage a registration portal to track engagement data and facilitate liability waivers, employees don’t have to download any software to participate in live corporate fitness classes.

Commonalities of On-Demand & Live Fitness Classes

While the approaches differ, both types of corporate fitness classes provide employees with the opportunity to enhance their physical and mental well-being. Each option has a wide variety of fitness classes to choose from, and data collection allows organizations to measure the success of the initiative. Investing in employee health creates workforces that are happier, more innovative, and motivated to achieve company goals.

Strive Onsite & Virtual Corporate Fitness Programs

Strive’s live onsite or virtual corporate fitness classes are led by certified, experienced, and professional instructors. Our registration platform facilitates simple sign-ups and a seamless liability waiver process. Strive offers a wide variety of instructor-led classes, from yoga and HIIT to Bollywood dance and kickboxing. Our services include a program manager to coordinate instructors, provide marketing materials, and report data monthly. Book a discovery call to learn more about how Strive’s live fitness classes enhance employee well-being, social connections, and company culture.