Closed, short and normal days
Give every holiday one of three labels. Closed days are few, often just Diwali, with Holi morning handled as a late opening. Short days run mornings only, like many Sundays. Normal days are holidays for other businesses but ordinary days for the gym, which covers most of the list. In ZeniaHR, apply a holiday only to the studios that actually close, and roster a short shift on short days so the day's attendance is judged correctly.
Holiday duty and comp-off
Trainers who work a listed holiday earn comp-off from the worked day, with an expiry so it is taken in the following weeks. On New Year's Day and the first working days of January, plan full staffing; those are sales days for the front desk and induction days for new members. Offer those shifts first to staff who want comp-off for a later break, and keep a note of who worked which festival so next year's roster is fair.
Optional holidays and multi-city studios
A chain with studios in Chandigarh, Mumbai and Kochi meets Lohri, Ganesh Chaturthi and Onam at different times of year. Tag regional holidays to the studios where they apply, and give optional holidays with a yearly pick limit so trainers can take their own festival. The optional holiday report shows who picked what, and the club manager checks it before fixing the class timetable for that week.
Days that are busy, not holidays
Some dates work the opposite way for a gym: International Yoga Day on 21 June, the week after Diwali when members return, and the first Monday of January. Mark them in your internal calendar, ask staff not to plan leave around them, and roster extra instructors for Yoga Day sessions. These are not holidays in ZeniaHR, just days when every trainer is needed on the floor.
How to set it up in ZeniaHR
- Enter the year's holidays in Holiday Calendars, marking the few days each studio closes.
- Tag regional holidays to the studios in each city, and mark recurring yearly ones.
- Build morning-only shifts for short festival days and roster them in advance.
- Set an optional holiday pick limit and review the pick report before planning class timetables.
- Turn on comp-off for worked holidays and set how long it stays valid in the leave rules.
Read more about holiday calendars in ZeniaHR.
Roles this applies to
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Are gyms open on public holidays in India?
Many gyms stay open on public holidays, often with Sunday or morning-only hours, and close on only a few days such as Diwali. Each gym publishes its own list. Staff who work a listed holiday usually earn comp-off, and those rostered off enjoy the paid holiday.
Do gym trainers get paid for working on holidays?
Trainers are paid their normal salary for a holiday either way. Those who work a listed holiday usually earn a comp-off to take later, or extra pay if the gym's policy offers it. Hours beyond the shift on a holiday are overtime, paid at the holiday multiplier.
How should a gym plan staff for New Year's Day?
Treat it as a full working day with extra cover: the front desk handles walk-in sales and trainers run inductions for new members. Offer the shifts first to staff who want comp-off, and restrict leave in the first two weeks of January through the leave rules.