VITENSO – QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Important questions and answers about VITENSO Health Center Darmstadt and our specialist areas and services:

The concept

There will be a fitness studio on the ground floor and a physiotherapy practice on the first floor. A service provider will be fully responsible for both.

There will be no successor model for Fit@Merck. We deliberately decided against the local providers who offer a training programme throughout Germany. It is important to us that we ensure security of supply here in Darmstadt for all those who need care quickly, who want quick and easy access to physiotherapy and at the same time ensure a close connection to fitness.

Fit@Merck expires on 30.06.2024. Annual and semi-annual applications can be submitted until 31 December 2024.

The Health Center will be accessible to all employees with an existing employment contract. Including:

  • Active Merck employees
  • Merck employees as day visitors
  • Long-term account savers
  • Employees on “garden leave” (in relation to leave of absence)
  • Women on maternity leave
  • Employees on parental leave (with or without part-time in DC)
  • Employees on sabbatical
  • Employees on secondment (expat)
  • Employees on long-term sick leave

No, as the Health Centre is only available to active employees.

Opening hours

The opening hours are as follows:

  • Monday 08:00 – 21:00
  • Tuesday 06:00 – 21:00
  • Wednesday 06:00 – 21:00
  • Thursday 06:00 – 21:00
  • Friday 08:00 – 20:00
  • Saturday 09:00 – 15:00

The Health Centre will be open on Saturdays from 09:00-15:00. Sunday is a day off.
On public holidays we open according to the notice board.

Courses are offered in the early morning, at lunchtime and in the late afternoon/evening.

Courses

The Health Center will offer a wide range of courses. The course content may vary and is always based on current trends. If you have any requests/suggestions, please contact the Health Centre staff. For example, the following courses can be offered at the Health Centre:

  • Classic prevention courses, e.g. back exercises, Pilates, functional gymnastics
  • Trend sports courses
  • Mental balance programmes
  • Relaxation room / power napping
  • Counselling options

Once you have become a member of the gym, you will have access to an online platform provided by the gym operator. This makes it very easy to register for classes.

There will be target group-specific course times (before/after work, during the lunch break, at shift changes) in which every employee can participate. Thanks to the wide range of courses on offer, each employee can choose a course that suits them.

The individual course sizes can vary depending on the course.
The course rooms are generally designed for approx. 15-20 people.

Things to know

Yes, a change of tariff is possible. Find out more at our studio.

You have the opportunity to train not only on site, but also in Fitness First’s partner studios throughout Germany. You can use the Red Studios for a surcharge of €10 per month, while the Black Studios can be booked for €20 per month. You can find an overview of Fitness First studios here.

No, the company medical department will remain in D44.

The company doctors are still based in D44, and the Health Centre will only have physiotherapists.

Fitness area

These are health-promoting offers in general. In addition to the classic fitness studio, there will be many prevention courses as well as the option of a physiotherapy centre close to the site.

Yes, there will be a free weights area. In times when no courses are taking place, the course rooms can also be used for free training.

The entire fitness area covers an area of approx. 1100 square metres.

In principle, you are welcome to come and train together and promote the Health Centre to your colleagues. However, the prerequisite for this is that they must be active employees.

Membership

The following price structures will apply in the fitness area:

  • Employees 3 months: 49 € month
  • Employees 6 months: 44 € / month
  • Employee 12 months: 39 € / month
  • Trainee 3 months: 39 € / month
  • Trainee 6 months: 34 € / month
  • Trainee 12 months: € 29 / month

A one-off fee of €69 is charged for the starter package at the start of membership, regardless of the tariff model selected. This fee is waived if an existing membership from the former Body Culture studio network is transferred.

With the opening of the Health Center, you have the opportunity to train not only on site, but also in Fitness First’s partner studios throughout Germany. You can use the Red Studios for an additional €10 per month, while the Black Studios can be booked for €20 per month. You can find an overview of Fitness First studios here.

In the physiotherapy sector, you can receive treatment at the physiotherapy practice via your statutory or private health insurance provider using a prescription or by paying for treatment yourself.

With the opening of the Health Centre and the fitness studio inside, we will be competing with other health and fitness centres in the Darmstadt area. We must therefore make absolutely sure that we do not undercut the minimum price of membership fees in relation to the quality that we offer there.

All those who are insured with Merck BKK receive an additional discount on the membership fees.

Existing members who wish to switch to the Merck BKK tariff can do so directly at our office after opening the VITENSO.

Yes, every employee can visit the Health Centre for a week on a trial basis and then decide whether or not to become a member.

The contributions must be paid separately and cannot be offset against the salary.

No, there will be no service charge. The monthly membership fee covers all costs.

Contract terms

As is certainly already known from other fitness and health centres, there will also be various contract term offers in our health centre in the gym. These are currently 3, 6 and 12 months. This means that the membership fee also changes depending on how short or how long I sign a contract.
Of course, there is also the option to train once with a day pass.
It is also important to mention that the contract is concluded directly with the fitness provider and therefore there is no billing of the final fee.

No, there will only be monthly contracts.

Opening

Other

The large staff car park is easily accessible for parking.

Everyone can organise their personal training times individually. After consultation with the team and your line manager, training can also be integrated into working hours, provided that the work is made up afterwards. Training does not count as working time.

Yes, there will be a physiotherapist in the Health Centre with a 48-hour appointment service.

There will be no sauna in the Health Center, but the studio network can be used for a surcharge of €10, which means that the saunas in the other studios are available.

The training island is independent of the Health Centre and will continue to be available for booking.

Use of the fitness area or therapeutic treatments takes place during leisure time.