Nordic Wellness, Sweden’s largest gym chain, is in the midst of a controversy as 29 employees have come forward to testify about difficult working conditions at the company. These conditions reportedly include domineering techniques, sexism, and public berating.
One employee, who worked as a site manager at one of the gyms and chose to remain anonymous, stated that she was asked to fire a receptionist because she was considered “too thick” – a request that she found to be outrageous and offensive.
Another employee, who also wished to remain anonymous, discussed comments made by a manager about her appearance, including being told that she had a small butt and should exercise it more. Additionally, she mentioned that a boss once told her she had to fire her receptionist because the receptionist was “too fat.”
The allegations also stretch to public personal attacks, comments about appearance, and sexism. According to Aftonbladet, many employees either experienced or witnessed colleagues being subjected to these types of discrimination.
A former middle manager at the company chose to quit after witnessing the mistreatment of employees. She described the company as “eating young people,” stating that there is a responsibility to the younger generation entering the workforce, and that Nordic Wellness simply chews people up.
Unfortunately, these allegations directly contradict Nordic Wellness’ code of conduct, which states that the company has zero tolerance towards all types of bullying, harassment, or other offensive discrimination at any of its workplaces or clubs.
Nordic Wellness founder and CEO Magnus Wilhemsson has addressed the accusations, stating that he does not recognize them and insisting that the company has always been well-liked. However, he did acknowledge that he takes the accusations seriously.
As the allegations continue to unfold, it remains to be seen how Nordic Wellness will address and respond to these serious accusations.