Like many other corporate campuses, Best Buy's 16,000-square-foot on-site fitness center (the Wellness Zone) that serves its 1,400-plus corporate employees, has been empty since mid-March when the COVID-19 pandemic began. As employees started working from home, it became obvious: the company had to do something to engage these 1,400-plus team members who were now working from home full-time for the foreseeable future and build off the momentum their onsite program provided with its fitness and well-being options.

So, Best Buy activated its Wellness Zone Facebook page to help support the health and well-being of its employees.

The Wellness Zone was not a new concept. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, it was used by the wellness team to post articles and share group exercise class schedules. Today, it serves as employees' one-stop shop for virtual fitness.

The Facebook page now includes information about live group exercise classes, fitness challenges and educational content the wellness team was previously sharing on-site at the fitness center. Over the last few months, the Best Buy team has noticed many new faces showing up to the page, engaging and feeling more connected than before.

Prior to the outbreak, group fitness classes and personal training were the most popular offerings among employees within the Wellness Zone. Not surprising, really, as they provide a more intimate workout experience and a personalized and familiar connection. Knowing the importance of that connection, the wellness team started streaming the classes on Facebook Live so team members could participate together and watch at a date and time that is convenient for them. The team has also created specific class content and adjusted schedules to accommodate Saturday classes so people working from home have the opportunity to connect when the home environment may be less stressful.

Personal training has also taken a virtual approach. Best Buy wellness team members now connect with employees via Zoom and Microsoft Teams to provide personal training options. Some even get customized workouts that can be accessed via a private YouTube link! So far, the feedback has been extremely positive. Employees appreciate the seamless continuation of accountability and social connection the virtual training provides.

What have the results been from this shift from in-person to virtual fitness? In the first four weeks of the new program, 105 people signed up for personal training sessions (up from just 15 in week one).

These results are in line with what we're seeing across our corporate clients. For example, in the last seven weeks more than 468,000 individuals participated in 7,000 of our virtual fitness and wellness activities. Among those activities, fitness classes were the number-one most popular activity. In fact, 30-minute fitness classes typically receive the greatest participation along with afternoon classes and classes on Mondays (according to our data so far).

As this pandemic continues and the working environment changes, Best Buy may shift its approach again. But, it's been interesting (and, fun) to watch them evolve and change quickly to adapt to a challenging situation and prioritize their employees' health and well-being.

Ann Wyatt is vice president, program management & engagement at HealthFitness, where she oversees a national account management team. Her role includes strategy development and driving engagement for new and existing health management and corporate fitness programs, employee recruiting and training, program quality assurance and operations management.

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Best Buy's pivot to virtual fitness during COVID yields results, more engagement

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