Landmark report offers solutions to industry’s recruitment challenges

Attracting younger members into fitness facilities has been a key driver of the industry’s post-pandemic resurgence, but operators are still missing out on substantial growth opportunities.

Clubs across the world can kick member acquisition into overdrive if they can remove the barriers holding many young people back from joining facilities – and one of the biggest is making sure they see people like themselves working there. Bringing on board the next generation of talent helps young prospects feel welcome in our facilities and can ease the labor shortages many are still grappling with.

As every operator knows, Instructors are the backbone of a thriving group training studio, with the ability to make a decisive difference in a facility’s fortunes and retention efforts. But it’s becoming increasingly difficult to find and recruit new Instructors to keep your roster strong. Thankfully, help is on the way in the form of a new report, revealing the insights operators need to turbocharge recruitment activities and attract the next generation of studio stars.

Nurturing the Next Gen: Blueprint for Instructor Recruitment shares unmissable insights from 2,500 young people across the world who are open to working in the fitness industry. The research paints a compelling picture of how the Next Gen see the role of group training Instructor, revealing their motivations, aspirations and barriers to entry.

Access the free report to uncover the key insights and sure-fire strategies for attracting young Instructors to your facility. Here’s a snapshot of 5 key findings:

1. BUDDY UP AND SHOW SUPPORT

The Next Gen is ready to start training as Instructors if you can demonstrate they’ll continue to have support once they’ve qualified. Respondents revealed the top barrier preventing them from starting their Instructor journey is a lack of mentor. 17% said they didn’t have anyone to mentor them through the process, with a further 17% stating they didn’t have enough confidence to train.

The good news is these problems are pretty straightforward to address. Perhaps the easiest solve is to call on your existing rockstar Instructors to help new recruits sharpen their skills and gain confidence. The Next Gen get expert feedback and the mentorship they crave, while your current Instructors will feel valued and gain the opportunity to enhance their mentoring skills.

And if you can provide solid foundations for your young prospects to find their feet, the results can be transformational. Next Gen Instructor Grace says: “Becoming an Instructor has helped me realize I’m stronger than I think, both physically and mentally. It took me outside my comfort zone and pushed me to do something I wouldn’t normally do. But here I am, and coaching my classes is always my favorite part of the day.

2. SCOUT YOUR STUDIO

More good news: it’s likely your next great Instructor is already training with you: 60% of all strong prospects are currently taking part in group training. This makes your in-studio scouting activities crucial, as Next Gen Instructor Camryn, explains. “I would never have become an Instructor if it wasn’t for my GFM picking me out. I didn’t know enough about it, but being told I should do it got me through the door and I haven’t looked back.”

But your Instructor pipeline is only as good as the amount of people you attract into your group training studio. And this all comes down to the importance you place on it. Spotlighting the studio as one of your club’s most important assets shows prospects the value you place on them, too. 38% of strong prospects are currently taking part in Les Mills workouts, but 61% of non-prospects (those willing to work in fitness, but not interested in becoming a group training Instructor) have never tried group training, citing reasons such as inconvenient schedule times and feeling self-conscious in front of others. So breaking down barriers and offering ALL members incentives to enter the studio is key to growing the pool of potential prospects.

3. THE NEXT GEN INCLUDES MEN

Perhaps due to historical associations with legwarmers, tights, and breakfast TV workouts, the historical perception of group training is an industry that skews female. But research showed that 42% of strong Next Gen Instructor prospects are men – highlighting a surprising growth opportunity. Confidence is a major barrier keeping young males away from teaching, so emphasizing the support your facility can offer is key. Mapping out the many choices available to male prospects is equally important. Group training encompasses martial arts, lifting, core, strength, Pilates and many more categories, so making sure prospects are aware of all their options makes them more likely to find the one that resonates with them…and the members they instruct.

4. VALUES AND OPPORTUNITIES MATTER

For prospects considering Instructor training, it’s not enough that you have the right studio equipment or pay the living wage as a minimum (a must for 76% of strong prospects considering Instructing as a full-time job). Prospects want to know your facility aligns with their values, and will support them on the journey to becoming the best Instructor they can be. In tandem with their values, they want to make sure they won’t be standing still at your club. 69% of strong prospects are thinking of their career’s future prospects – and looking for strong pathways for progression.

Next Gen Instructor Ali says being aware of the growth potential was a key attraction of Instructor training for him: "What I really liked about it was that there was a path that was laid out for me. I could see that if I wanted to get better, this is the next step I could take, and here was the next thing I should do. And I’m still learning and growing."

5. START SCOUTING SOCIALS

If you want to fish where the fish are, social media is a solid starting point for finding Next Gen Instructor prospects. They tend to have above-average social media usage stats, because sharing their fitness journey with followers is a strong part of their identity. In fact, 58% of strong prospects have a social media account dedicated to their fitness journey. And the content they engage with overlaps heavily with that of young fitness fans: YouTube, TikTok and Instagram all feature highly. But there’s also strong interest in fitness-specific sites, suggesting Next Gen prospects are savvy when it comes to social media misinformation and seek out credible industry insights and advice to counter it.

There’s a strong correlation between propensity to become an Instructor and time spent online. Young prospects tend to have higher daily usage of social platforms, highlighting the importance of these channels to your club’s Instructor recruitment activities. It also underlines the secondary benefits such prospects bring when they do become Instructors. The tendency to share regular fitness updates with their social media followers makes them particularly effective advocates for your club among younger audiences.