What does your company do?

It runs leisure clubs and gyms. I’m one of the two duty managers at one of the branches.

How many people do you employ?

We employ 30 people at this branch.

Where are you based?

We have 14 clubs. The gym I manage is in Manchester.

What types of roles do you offer?

Our business is sport and leisure, so we employ fitness instructors, cleaners, swimming instructors and reception/café staff. There are also sales staff who sign up new members. They earn more than our fitness staff because their pay includes commission and bonuses.

Some of the staff are freelance. They are personal trainers and class instructors.

The gym also has two tenants: a hair and beauty salon and a childcare facility.

Do you have to be qualified in a specific area or subject to work for the company?

The basic qualification for a fitness instructor is a level 2 qualification in sport and fitness. When I’m taking on instructors I look for as many fitness-related qualifications as possible. People with qualifications to teach different types of classes are much more likely to get the job. We have a big range of classes on offer here, so that’s a real selling point for the club. Level 3 qualifications in personal training are good too.

It’s not just about qualifications. Attitude is important, too. We’re looking for people who are friendly and outgoing, who can approach people and who have a positive can-do attitude.

Our sales staff have to have some previous experience in sales.

We like to offer staff the chance to progress within the company. We have developed a duty manager support role to help staff move into management. During quieter periods in the club, they take on tasks to help their development.

What’s next for your business?

We've seen a growth in the number of people visiting the gym and in the frequency of their visits in the last year. Our sales and marketing team want to build on this success.