Industry experts share tips for hiring and retaining group fitness talent in the current job market and more.
Group fitness has been in high demand at facilities across the nation as members are craving community after enduring the COVID-19 pandemic. While the pandemic cultivated the want to gather and interact, it also created The Great Resignation which has left job openings everywhere, including the fitness industry.
The U.S. labor market hit record highs with 11.5 million open jobs at the end of March 2022, according to Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey data published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. With a plethora of job openings available, group fitness talent have options. It’s more important than ever to ensure you are a place where people want to work.
“Group fitness instructors want to work someplace they feel supported and valued,” said Michelle Rose, the wellness director at ClubSport at The Plex. “This group is a big part of member retention at our facility. So, making sure they have great conditions to work in is top priority for us.”
There are many things you can take into consideration in order to be an attractive employer for group fitness instructors. For Joshua Fitchitt, the senior director of fitness services at PRO Sports Club, providing studios and equipment that are up-to-date and clean is a great place to start.
“Technology and sound systems in the studios should be current,” said Fitchitt. “Additionally, information about your company should be easy to access and understand. Your current instructors should be highlighted and recognized in the club and through social media.”
Another way to be an attractive employer is to offer benefits and perks to your group fitness talent. For Rose, this includes offering services at cost, paying for licensing fees, personal time off and other opportunities instructors can earn.
Fitchitt noted perks and benefits should depend on the instructor’s full-time or part-time status. At PRO Sports Club, perks often include:
- A membership to the club and access to classes.
- Discounts for club services like personal training, spa, the pro shop, etc.
- Insurance.
- 401(k).
- Various health and wellness benefits.
While perks and benefits may attract group fitness instructors to your facility, it won’t keep them there. As an operator in today’s industry, you need to actively work to retain and keep your employees happy. If your instructors don’t feel valued and appreciated, they will walk away leaving you with a hole in your Group X schedule and upset members.
For Fitchitt, great ways to retain employees include offering or paying for continuing education, recognizing and rewarding instructors for doing a great job — this could be pay increases, gift cards, handwritten thank you notes, etc. — and open communication with team members.
Additionally, Fitchitt recommended attending your instructors’ classes and providing feedback beyond their annual reviews. This allows them to see you appreciate their work and want to help them continue to grow. Lastly, building a community with other instructors is crucial. If your instructors are bought in to the company and have good relationships with their colleagues, they will want to stick around. Having fun quarterly, semi-annual or annual team events are a great way to foster this community.
While you may be feeling the heat to hire new instructors due to shortages or an increase in demand for group fitness classes, it’s important you hire quality instructors who align with your company’s values.
“When hiring group fitness instructors, look for someone with high energy and the fitness knowledge,” explained Rose. “Group fitness is where many new members start out, so it’s important to find instructors that have both the entertainment and the knowledge to help members grow from wherever they are in their fitness journey.”
While you may be feeling the stress of finding quality, hard-working instructors to fill your schedules, it is important to review what you offer as an employer. Do your benefits and time-off match up with your competitors? Is your onboarding ironed out and easy to implement? Are you giving your instructors feedback and helping them improve their craft? It may seem like a lot to take on, but like any other aspect of your business, the smallest things often make the biggest impact.
“At the end of the day all any employee wants is to feel valued and heard,” said Rose. “Make sure to acknowledge your team’s hard work on a consistent basis.”
