Here at Ashbourne Membership Management, we know how to hire great staff, both in the gyms that we have operated and in our own company. Over our 25 years of experience in the fitness industry, we have hired countless talented individuals to help contribute towards our continued success and that of our partners.
Owning and operating our own fitness clubs has been invaluable in helping our partner gym owners get the most out of their businesses. Whether it is collecting direct debits, providing bespoke software or installing sophisticated access controls.
So our article today condenses what we have learned when it comes to hiring staff for your gym or fitness club.
In the competitive fitness industry, the success of an independent gym often hinges on the quality of its staff. Great gym staff are vital not only for delivering exceptional customer service but also create a welcoming and motivating environment that keeps members coming back.
Choosing the right team is crucial, so here is our guide on how gyms can ensure they consistently hire great gym staff.
1. Define Your Gym’s Culture and Values
Before the hiring process even begins, it is essential to clearly define your gym’s culture and values. We often talk about someone being ‘the right fit’ or ‘the wrong fit’ for a role and for a business. Before anyone sits down in that interview chair, it is important to understand what the right fit and the wrong fit look like within a fitness facility.
What kind of atmosphere do you want to create? Is your gym focused on community, high-intensity training or functional fitness? The type of person who would thrive in a hard-rock pumping powerlifting club might be a little at odds with a more casual environment.
Understanding your gym’s identity will help you identify candidates who align with your vision and contribute towards the improvement of the environment and the growth of the facility you are trying to run.
Action Point: Create a mission statement and core values that reflect your gym’s ethos. Use these as a guide during the hiring process to ensure candidates are a good and positive fit with the culture of your facility.
2. Detailed Job Descriptions
A clear, specific and well-written job description is the vital first step in attracting the right candidates.
We have all seen these vague job profiles online and we understand the temptation to cast a broad, unspecific net. But a broad net will catch all the fish, regardless of quality.
Be specific about the roles and responsibilities, required qualifications and any certification that is either needed or merely preferable. Make sure to include details about the culture you wish to create, whether it is reinforcing that your gym desires creativity, energy or a community focus.
Action Point: Include not only the technical skills required but also the soft skills, such as communication, empathy, and teamwork, that are crucial for creating a positive member experience.
3. Utilise Multiple Recruitment Channels
To attract a diverse pool of candidates, it is important to use a variety of recruitment channels. Relying on just one website or method will only attract people using that method to find employment.
Post job openings on fitness-specific job boards, social media platforms and local community boards. Independent gyms should rely heavily on their local network. The fitness community is also often heavily interconnected. As such, networking within your local fitness community can also yield strong candidates.
Action Point: Attend fitness expos, workshops and local events to connect with potential candidates. Encourage current staff to refer qualified individuals from their networks. Expand the number of job search websites you would consider using in the future.
4. Conduct Thorough and Focused Interviews
The interview process is your opportunity to assess not only the candidate’s qualifications but also their personality and fit with your gym’s culture. Too often the interview process can be unfocused. Each interview should have a set number of goals in mind, information you wish to learn about the interviewee.
Consider using a combination of traditional interviews, practical assessments and scenario-based questions.
Action Point: Ask questions that reveal how candidates handle real-life situations, such as dealing with difficult members or managing a busy gym floor. Observe their interpersonal skills and enthusiasm for fitness.
5. Check References and Backgrounds
References and background checks are critical to verifying a candidate’s qualifications and character. Speak with previous employers to gain insights into their work ethic, reliability and to understand how they would interact with members and other staff.
Action Point: Always conduct thorough background checks, especially for roles that involve close interaction with members or access to sensitive areas of the gym.
6. Offer a Competitive Salary and Staff Benefits for your Area
This one might seem obvious but it is vital. As the saying goes, you get what you pay for.
To attract and then retain the top talent in your area, you have to offer a competitive salary and attractive benefits.This includes not only salary but also perks such as free gym memberships, continuing developmental and education opportunities and, if possible, flexible scheduling.
It is one thing to find a great member of staff, it is another to keep them. Other gym and fitness club owners will also be on the lookout in their local area. We talk a lot about membership retention but failure to retain staff can cause a significant degradation in the quality of service a gym is providing to their members.
Action Point: Research industry standards for compensation in your area and consider offering additional incentives, such as performance bonuses or wellness programs.
7. Invest in Training and Development
Great gym staff are often made, not only hired. We have all seen someone grow into a role. Invest in ongoing training and development to help your team grow and stay motivated. This could include workshops, certifications and mentorship programmes.
Just as members never truly stop their fitness journey, a member of staff never stops theirs either. There is always something new to learn, whether it is the latest health and safety training, new techniques, scientific or technological advances or leadership and motivation training.
Action Point: Create a structured onboarding process for new hires and provide regular opportunities for professional development. Encourage staff to pursue certifications and attend industry conferences.
On the subject of training and development, Ashbourne Membership Management has helped thousands of gym staff provide a more effective, data-driven service with our BI Dashboards and cutting-edge membership Software.
Designed in order to be powerful with very little training, find out how your staff could be utilising our industry-leading technology today!
8. Create and Maintain a Positive Work Environment
A positive work environment is key to not only retaining great staff but ensuring great service and member experience. Encourage open communication, recognise achievements and create opportunities for your team to genuinely connect. Happy employees are not only more pleasant to be around, they are more likely to go the extra mile for your members.
Action Point: Regularly solicit feedback from your staff and address any concerns promptly. Celebrate milestones and successes as a team to build camaraderie.
9. Regular Performance Evaluations
Evaluating performance can often be a balancing act. Too often and staff feel stifled or dissatisfied, too irregularly and bad habits can form. Done at the correct pace, performance evaluations can help ensure that your staff are meeting expectations and provide opportunities for growth.
It is important that these performance evaluations are centered around the experience of the members of staff and are used to their benefit. If they are seen as a purely invasive measure, they will sap morale and create a negative atmosphere. Use these evaluations to set goals, provide constructive feedback and discuss career development.
Action Point: Implement a system for regular check-ins and formal evaluations. Use these sessions to recognize achievements and identify areas for improvement.
10. Build a Community Within Your Gym
And to close off our list, great gym staff thrive in environments where they feel part of a community. We have spoken at length about the importance of building a sense of community within a gym and the profound effect we have seen it have on membership retention rates.
But these changes don’t just benefit the members, they benefit staff as well!
Encourage your team to build relationships with members and with each other. A strong sense of community can lead to higher job satisfaction and better member experiences.
Action Point: Organise team-building activities and social events for your staff. Encourage them to engage with members and create a supportive, inclusive atmosphere.
Our Final Thoughts
Hiring great gym staff, like any function vital to a business, is a multifaceted process that requires careful planning, thorough evaluation and ongoing investment in your team.
By identifying and defining your gym’s culture ahead of recruiting, leveraging multiple recruitment channels, conducting thorough, focused interviews and fostering a positive work environment, independent gyms can build a team that not only meets but exceeds member expectations. Your staff are the face and the heart of your gym, investing in them is investing in the success of your business.
And remember, our advice isn’t theoretical. Not only have we helped countless gyms and fitness clubs transform vast swathes of their operation, with everything from cutting-edge software and access controls to streamlined direct debit collection and professional membership-facing customer service, unlike many other Membership Management companies, we know what it is like to run a facility.
So if you are a gym or fitness club owner and you are interested in only working with the best, our demonstration team is standing by, ready to understand how we here at Ashbourne can help take your facility to the next level!
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Get your club in shape.
Want to discover how? Let us show you.
Simply select your preferred timeslot and we’ll be in touch to have a chat about your health club,
the goals you want to achieve, and how our system can help you.
the goals you want to achieve, and how our system can help you.
Get your club in shape.
Want to discover how? Let us show you.
Simply select your preferred timeslot and we’ll be in touch to have a chat about your health club, the goals you want to achieve, and how our system can help you.
Get your club in shape.
Want to discover how? Let us show you.
Simply select your preferred timeslot and we’ll be in touch to have a chat about your health club, the goals you want to achieve, and how our system can help you.
