A survey of 3,505 UK gym goers has revealed the best and worst regions in the UK for discounted gym access as a corporate benefit, plus the type of fitness benefits employees really want.
How many UK employers offer discounted gym access as a benefit?
A 2023 study of 3,505 gym goers by Hussle uncovered some revealing data about the current state of fitness as an employee benefit in different regions of the UK. 63.1% of those surveyed said that discounted gym access is their number one choice of corporate benefit.
Despite this demand, only 22.4% said their employer currently offers discounted gym access as a benefit.
48.3% of gym goers said that their employer does not offer it, and the remaining 29.4% weren’t sure.
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Where are the best places to work for discounted gym access?
With geographical location having a significant impact on employees’ ability to access fitness as a corporate benefit, it’s time for employers across the UK to explore flexible, cost-effective ways to offer discounted gym access to staff.
The Hussle survey revealed that Scotland was the region with the fewest employers offering discounted gym access as a corporate benefit, with 55.8% of gym goers saying it was not provided where they work. East of England (54.0%) and North West England (52.7%) ranked 2nd and 3rd worst.
The region with the most employers offering discount gym access as a benefit was South West England (24.9%) followed by London (23.6%) and Yorkshire & Humberside (23.3%).
Employers in London and the South East have the most to gain from making changes in this area, as they have the highest demand from staff wanting multi-venue gym access.
How popular is discounted gym access as an employee benefit?
Discounted fitness provision is cited as the number one employee benefit request from UK gym goers, but hybrid and flexible working have contributed to a demand for multi-venue gym access. This is increasingly true the older the workforce gets.
Of the survey respondents who cited discounted gym membership as their number one corporate benefit, 72.0% said they wanted access to multiple venues, allowing them to exercise near the office, home, or wherever they might travel.
This compares to just 28.0% of this group that want discounted gym membership at a single club or brand.
Multi-venue gym access as corporate benefit for different age groups
It seems the older the employee, the more likely it is that they want the flexibility to access fitness venues near home and work.
This was demanded by 57.1% of the 51-60 age group surveyed, followed by 50.0% of the 41-50 age group and 46.6% of the 31-40 age group.
Discounted membership at a single club was most popular with the 16-20 age group (22.0%). However, this age group still prefers multi-venue access with 39.8% saying that would be their preference.
Discounted access to a single gym location was most popular – relatively speaking – in North East England with 25.0% of gym goers saying as much (although it is worth noting that 40.6% of gym goers in the North East still said they wanted multi-venue access)
Employers in London should note that the region had the highest expectation of a fitness benefit provision that catered for multiple locations (44.8%), followed by South East England (44.5%) and North West England (44.3%)
Best practice for employers offering gym access as a corporate benefit
A growing body of evidence shows that fitness is a corporate benefit that can impact productivity, morale, and retention. Hussle’s 2023 survey suggests that a lot of UK employers still don’t provide discounted gym access in a way that meets the needs of a modern, flexible workforce.
Employees want flexible access to multiple venues, with a variety of facilities, and this is true across all regions and all ages of the workforce.
Hussle is a great solution, offering access to around 2,000 UK-wide gyms, pools and other fitness facility venues available as a corporate benefit for UK employees or visiting staff members.
