The UK’s gyms were keenly missed during lockdown, as we relied on daily walks and PE with Joe Wicks to keep in shape. But times have changed, and gyms are back – and booming. And it’s not only people returning to their old haunts – for obvious reasons, it seems lots of us have become more health conscious. All this means that happily the fitness industry appears on the road to recovery. If you’re wondering whether you should get involved, the short answer is yes – and here are five reasons why. 

 

Er, it’s good for you

 

OK, we’ll start with the obvious one. You don’t need us to tell you about the health benefits, be it a spin class, body pump or pumping iron – or all three. Remember it won’t just make you live longer and physically stronger, you’ll find it easier to focus your mind on everything else too. Just remember to take it easy if you’re returning after a long absence – it’s not a good idea to try to replicate your pre-pandemic workouts straight away. Experts advise building your strength up slowly or risking injury – those dumbbells probably weigh more than the bag of sugar you’ve been lifting for the past 18 months.

 

A healthier workforce

 

A word to employers – it’s no secret that workforces are more sedentary than ever before, with work-related ill health estimated to cost UK business up to £32 billion a year. Cheaper facilities are cited by almost half of people as something that would encourage them to be more active. Getting healthier means becoming more productive, with fewer absences, so helping get your employees and colleagues up and running (or rowing) via a gym membership benefit is a definite win-win.

 

The social side

 

Despite the heroic efforts of Mr Wicks, one thing that was much missed in lockdown was the social interaction that being part of a gym can offer. There’s a real community feel which is often overlooked, and it’s a hobby that can go way beyond just working out. You might also be surprised at how much more effectively you exercise with people around you – there’s only so much motivation our living rooms can offer.

 

Better hours

 

Concerned about getting stuck in a 6pm queue for the rowing machine? Rest easy – it seems rush hour might be a thing of the past in gym world. Perhaps fuelled by new working patterns, industry figures suggest people are finding it easier to fit their workouts in throughout the day – meaning the traditional 5pm-8pm peak is noticeably quieter. They’re also managing to fit in longer visits than pre pandemic. So there’s no excuse, whether you want to lift weights on the way home from work or hit the cross trainer on your lunch break.

 

It’s cheaper than you might think

 

With the Enjoy Benefits salary sacrifice scheme, there’s a 12% National Insurance saving on the benefit value for basic rate taxpayers and a 2% saving for higher rate taxpayers. As well as that, staff will benefit from reduced membership costs negotiated with many leisure and gym groups. There’s no cost to the business to implement the scheme, and Enjoy Benefits takes care of all the admin. 

 

About Us

At Enjoy Benefits, we have great experience in helping companies of all sizes introduce benefits that are suitable for their workplace.

 

Benefits are easy to set up and ongoing administration is then run through a hub, allowing employees to manage their own benefits while the employer can see which benefits are proving popular and what level of take-up each has had.

 

If you would like an obligation free chat to discuss which benefits might work for your business and your employees, please contact us by calling 0800 088 7315 or using our Contact Form.