Should You Pay for Your Employee’s Gym Membership?

Some business owners do make the decision to pay for their employee’s gym memberships. If you’re mulling this over, you should know that there are many great reasons to pay for these gym memberships for your staff members. Studies show that fit employees are more productive and that they have better attitudes.

 Regular exercise is extremely beneficial to mind, body and spirit and giving your employees free access to fitness machines and other gym perks will help them to perform at their best for your company. While the expense of paying for gym memberships is something that some business owners can’t afford, those who can afford it should probably give some thought to doing it.

Group Rates May be Affordable

If you are concerned about how much you will need to spend on this type of service, you should think about contacting some gyms in your area. It’s possible to get group rates and/or corporate rates and many business owners do this in order to get a great deal on gym memberships for those that they employ.

Gyms welcome groups and tend to reward business owners for choosing them. They quite often provide lower rates to those who are signing up groups, rather than just signing up for solo gym time. So, it’s quite possible that a great deal is out there, waiting for you. For example 24 hour fitness has a discounted corporate rate that they give to business.

Group Gym Time Builds Teams

 If you do decide to pay for your employee’s gym memberships, you should try to schedule group gym time at least once in a month. While employees should always have the option of working out whenever they want to, group gym time can be a good team building and bonding exercise. Furthermore, organizing health challenges, getting employees to set personal fitness goals and once a month or fortnight organizing a group gym session, can help sustain fitness and can promote the achievement of those health and fitness goals.

 As you can see, there are many great reasons why these gym memberships are worth the money. Now that you know more about this idea, you’ll be able to weigh the pros and cons and decide whether or not to try this type of incentive program at your company. It’s safe to say that paying for the gym memberships of your employees will create a lot of goodwill. Your employees will be grateful and this gratitude is likely to influence their work habits. Employees love to be recognized and rewarded. Paying for their memberships will show them that you care about them and this is good for everyone. But if you don’t have the budget for a full gym membership for all of your employees then you can always subsidise 30% to 75% of the cost or alternatively you can buy a range of health supplements that support those health and fitness goals. Pick supplements that are commonly used at the gym, like a post-workout protein powder.

Regardless of what method you pick to increase employee productivity in the office, you’ll find most employees will appreciate any perk from the above list, making them happier, healthier and more productive.

Image courtsey : localfitness.com.au