How healthy is the fitness industry?

SkillsActive - 22/09/09

SkillsActive, the Sector Skills Council for Active Leisure and Learning, and the Register of Exercise Professionals (REPs), are releasing this year’s survey results to mark the start of Leisure Industry Week (LIW) 2009.  The survey remains popular and influential, with almost 1,500 Fitness Industry workers taking part in 2009.

Pay

This year – for the first time – SkillsActive derived the equivalent annual salary for those earning hourly wages. This resulted in an increase in average earnings year-on-year (£20,300), and showed that freelance workers can earn more than permanent full-time staff (£22,900). This may reflect the more accurate calculations rather than a genuine increase in earnings. In fact, fewer people received a pay rise in 2009 – just 34% of respondents compared to almost half (49%) in the previous 12 months.

The public sector workers fared reasonably well with over half reporting a salary rise in 2009, a similar percentage to 2008. The situation was markedly different in the private sector, where less than a quarter of workers enjoyed a salary rise in 2009, and 8% reported a decrease in earnings.

The gender salary gap in the sector, however, is evident with males earning on average 16% more over the course of a year than females.  The difference is more pronounced for freelance and self-employed workers with a 33% gender pay gap, which is largely attributable to the number of hours worked.  The pay gap was smallest for advanced instructors and studio or fitness managers, and largest for personal trainers (males earn £4,400 more than females) and club/duty managers (males earn £3,400 more). Group exercise and aqua instructors and gym instructors also see differences greater than £1,000.

Education and Training

Despite the economic background, the average number of training days for employees in the Fitness sector remains high at six per annum.  Overall, average training spend has remained constant at £484, but more people are paying for their own training this year at 58% compared to 45% in 2008. Private sector workers are having to pay for more of their training with 72% forking out this year compared to 65% last year.  Slightly fewer people (17%) felt they had not had sufficient training to do their jobs this year.

The general level of education and training among respondents is good.  More than a quarter (27%) of respondents revealed their highest qualification is an honours degree and 11% hold a Masters or other postgraduate diploma, with 45% of those being in a sport and fitness related subject.  59% of all respondents hold a Level 3 Fitness qualification* with a further 26% qualified at Level 2, and 10% qualified at Level 4.

Stephen Studd, chief executive of SkillsActive says: “Given the economic environment it would be unreasonable to expect the fitness market to remain unaffected; however it’s reassuring to see continued investment in training. When times are tough and pay-rises just aren’t an option for many employers, providing staff with quality training can illustrate your commitment to their personal growth and can help retain and motivate employees.”

The Working in Fitness Survey 2009 also examines issues such as workplace diversity, benefits, motivations and barriers to seeking or continuing employment in the industry and job satisfaction.

To view the full survey findings click here.