The second annual Working in Fitness survey, carried out by SkillsActive and Leisure-net Solutions for the Register of Exercise Professionals (REPs), has revealed that nearly two thirds of respondents fear that poor pay will force them to leave the health and fitness industry.

Despite eight out of 10 respondents hoping to stay in the sector, 34 per cent were concerned about their hours of working; 15 per cent thought their working conditions were below standard and nearly one in five felt that substandard training and development made their situation unsustainable.

When asked what factors were important for employees, the majority answered a good working environment and 75 per cent cited good basic pay.

Speaking at the inaugural REPs convention, held at the TUC building in London on 8 December, REPs registrar Cliff Collins said he was disappointed but not surprised by the results.

“The fitness industry has relied for too long on the kind nature of its workers and the belief that enthusiasm for the job outweighs the need for good working conditions.

“While this may still be the case it won’t stay that way forever and if we are to rise to the increasing challenges from the medical profession and government, we have to start investing for the future now.”

The average salary for participants was £15,700, £3,600 less than the 2004 Working in Fitness survey revealed. However, this can partly be explained by the fact that fewer director- and management-level employees took part this year.

The answers of those general mangers that did take part reveal that women in this role earn on average 20 per cent more than their male counterparts, though this is partly due to the average longer length of service of female employees.

Studio and fitness managers, club and duty managers and advanced instructors reported very similar levels of pay across the sexes, while across the other eight occupational levels, including personal trainer and gym instructor roles, men reported higher earnings than women.

In total, just under half of the respondents had received a pay rise in the last year. However, only 37 per cent of employees in the private sector received a rise, compared to 77 per cent of those employed in the public-trust sector and 57 per cent in the public sector.

In 2005, 1,370 took part in the survey, compared to 1,100 in 2004.

Following the announcement of these results at the REPs convention, delegates took part in a live interactive survey.

The live poll showed that 96 per cent of delegates felt that industry salaries were too low and 53 per cent felt wages were below the national average because their work isn’t valued highly enough.

With regard to training, 94 per cent felt that employers should invest more in staff training and development.

Also at the conference, John Greenway, chair of REPs, announced the Register’s plans to elect members to sit alongside industry employers on its board of governors, representing the interests of its 32,000 exercise professional members.

The move was backed by 91 per cent of delegates in the interactive survey. Details: www.exercisereigter.org