Developing David Lloyd’s Future Leaders through “Step Up to HoD”

Challenge / Opportunity

David Lloyd Clubs, Europe’s largest health and leisure group, had an ambitious goal: to strengthen their internal talent pipeline and empower aspiring managers to step confidently into Head of Department (HoD) roles.

While they already had an internal management training programme in place, they wanted to evolve it into a more structured, flexible solution that not only reflected their operational excellence but also supported career progression with an accredited qualification.

With a strong focus on staff development, retention, and future-proofing their leadership team, David Lloyd needed a learning partner who could align with their values, build on their existing programme, and deliver meaningful impact across their UK clubs.

Strategy / Approach

David Lloyd partnered with Remit to co-design and launch the “Step Up to HoD” apprenticeship programme – a bespoke development experience aligned to the Team Leader Supervisor Level 3 standard.

Together, we:

• Mapped their existing internal programme against national apprenticeship standards to retain what worked and add new depth.

• Embedded David Lloyd’s core principles of operational excellence and premium customer service into the learning journey.

• Created a flexible delivery model, combining Remit development coaches with David Lloyd’s own Regional GM Champions for a blended, hands-on experience.

• Delivered a consultative partnership that allowed the programme to reflect David Lloyd’s brand, business needs, and long-term goals – not a one-size-fits-all solution.

Outcome

The programme officially launched during National Apprenticeship Week 2022, offering over 200 team members the opportunity to develop into future HoDs across England, Scotland and Wales.

Since launch, the impact has been significant:

• Multiple participants have already progressed into new leadership roles, such as Activities Manager, thanks to the skills and confidence gained.

• Apprentices describe the programme as transformative, noting how it helped them develop leadership skills, reflect on their career path, and gain confidence in their ability to manage day-to-day challenges.

• The flexible, apprenticeship-based approach opened up career development opportunities for those who didn’t follow traditional academic routes.

As one participant put it:

“This has allowed me to work at my own pace, reflect on my future, and build trust with my team. I’ve even been promoted since starting the course.”

By combining David Lloyd’s internal strengths with Remit’s apprenticeship expertise, the “Step Up to HoD” programme has become a key part of the group’s talent strategy – helping them grow and retain the leaders of tomorrow.