The Ministry, located in Southwark, is an impressive workspace from the founders of legendary music brand, Ministry of Sound. Members benefit from office space where they can hotdesk and enjoy cultural programmes, events, a bar and terrace and the opportunity to network with entrepreneurs, founders, CEOs and creatives.
The Ministry membership originally included access to a boutique studio, but members needed a space to train and access to classes that suited their schedule, so a new gym was installed within the main building a few years ago.
In the pursuit of always improving every minute detail, Ministry has now refurbished the gym and increased its footprint, so members have access to a bigger and more versatile facility.
Kate Corfield, Ministry’s head of fitness development, says it was vital for the space to have a world-class fitness offering.
“We know that when workplace wellness is done well, it has a huge impact on people’s emotional and social wellbeing,” she says. “We were determined to create a fitness space of such amazing quality, it would not only rival our workspaces as a reason to join, but would also significantly improve our members’ quality of working life.
The Ministry has revolutionised the concept of office gyms with the brand’s approach to décor, lighting, and customer experience. The refurbished space features a large gym floor, fitness studio, an area for holistic therapies and space for educational workshops around fitness, nutrition, wellness and even dog therapy.
“Everything we do for our members supports a holistic approach to their success and wellbeing, and this goes way beyond the gym and studio,” Corfield says. “The refurbishment was a chance for us to up our game with a world-class workspace gym for members to use whenever they want.”
Compelling benefit
She continues: “The Ministry’s new gym is equipped to such a high standard some members say it’s now their main reason for joining, while others are quitting their existing gym to join. PTs are also getting in touch to train their clients in this space.
“This represents a significant shift in the workspace model, which has traditionally led with office space, meeting rooms and communications tech as the most compelling offer. The strength of The Ministry’s fitness offer shows how serious the brand is about nurturing physical and emotional wellbeing at work.”
The Ministry gym is included in membership, which Corfield says is proving to be a huge benefit to members and to recruiters who are leveraging the gym offer to attract and retain talent.
Partnering with Technogym
Corfield and her team scoured the market to identify the best fitness kit and chose Technogym Skillrun and Skillmill machines. She says: “Skillrun is the best on the market. It offers so much versatility for individual training, PT and small group circuits that we’ll never have to compromise on quality, and Technogym is helping us deliver on this promise.”
The gym serves people with different goals and experience levels, with the advanced functionality and user-friendly connectivity of Technogym Skillmill and Skillrun helping all users get an effective workout. And as Corfield says, Skillrun’s aesthetics make it a prime candidate for sharing on members’ social media feeds.
Mywellness – connecting colleagues
Technogym Mywellness is a key part of the digital member journey at Ministry. “It’s a great tool for members who need the support of a virtual trainer, and adds a friendly level of competition between colleagues who can show up on each other’s Skillrun screens,” says Corfield.
“Technogym is a reputable, reliable brand that members trust,” she says. “For me, it’s about all the ways Technogym goes above and beyond, with support such as the maintenance plan and team training.
“As a female in this industry it’s a pleasure to work with people who respect you – Technogym’s attitude throughout our partnership has been refreshing.”
After the success of The Ministry’s new gym project, the team is now planning an exciting new development at its Shepherd’s Bush location in West London, which will once again offer a combination networking, fitness and wellness for an ultra-modern take on co-working spaces.
More: www.technogym.com
