Sports, Fitness & Nutrition: Why should I Invest in Employee Training for My Gym?

Training and upskilling your staff is a very useful way in which to create this offering to members. Below are the various reasons why you should invest in your gym staff through employee training so you can focus on what matters to you, growing your business. 

Why is upskilling important? 

Did you know that 70% of employees are likely to leave their current job for another one that invests in employee training and growth? Employees who are trained and upskilled are far more likely to have a long-term commitment to their employer, helping you stay out of the constant revolving door of hiring and training new staff.

Providing employees with training can:

• Improve the overall employee experience, making them feel valued
• Improve your company’s reputation by showing that staff can build their skills in the future
• Create loyalty and long-term stability within your gym or health club
• Boost staff morale and increase motivation, productivity and quality of performance
• Improve customer service and member satisfaction
• Actively attract potential employees to your business
• Keep people safe, ensuring all knowledge and expertise is up to date

What types of courses should I be investing in?

A good starting point is having a look at your business and identifying where there are skills gaps. 

You might have only one team member who is trained to instruct kettlebells but it is a popular class with limited spaces. This means you have members disappointed that they can’t get into the class and you are missing out on potential income from those who pay as they go. Perhaps upskilling another member of staff to teach kettlebells will help you meet the demand by making more classes available, maximising the revenue potential and most importantly, making your gym members happy.

There are a range of courses available to upskill the staff in your gym that factor all areas of wellbeing not just the physical, such as nutrition and mental health. D&A College currently offer classes in:

• Sports Psychology
• Kettlebell Instructing
• Personal Training
• Mental Health Awareness
• Sports Nutrition
• Swimming Teaching
• First Aid Training

And so much more. These courses will help you expand your current service offering and are designed to be flexible so they can fit around your team member’s working schedule and home life. 

For more information on what courses we offer, view our Sport, Fitness and Nutrition eBook.

Unsure of what skill gaps your business has? 

We offer a free skills analysis to businesses who are unsure about their training needs. Get in touch with our Business Partnerships Team for a free Training Needs Analysis.

You also may be eligible for funding to train your staff. 

Funding Opportunities 

Did you know that certain courses can be fully funded for Scottish Businesses?

The Flexible Workforce Development Fund (FWDF) is funding from the Scottish Government that is used to develop bespoke training programmes, enabling employers to prioritise capabilities and address skill gaps in their team. 

Working with our Business Partnerships Team, your skill gaps or training needs can be identified and a fully funded, bespoke training course can be tailor-made to your business.

Case Study: Angus Alive

Angus Alive identified that there were some gaps in basic gym knowledge for front-facing staff such as receptionists and lifeguards. Watch how the Business Partnerships Team at D&A College aided the organisation with fully funded training for staff:

What next? 

Explore our Sport, Fitness and Nutrition eBook to see what courses can be provided to upskill your employees. 

You can also get in touch with our Business Partnerships Team if you are interested in learning more about funded, bespoke training.