Should You Pay Trainers on a By Session Basis or Salary?
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By Sal | January 13, 2010
When I started out on my own the formula was a simple, the more clients I had, the more sessions I conducted and the more money I made. If I was good, I made money. But, my first personal training job was a salaried position where I saw first-hand that being paid a salary was a negative.
It was a “no-brainer” for me to set up my business on a pay-per-session basis. I saw how paying personal trainers removed the incentive to earn, actually rewarded the weaker staff members and penalized the best personal trainers. When I opened the doors to the Millburn-Short Hills Athletic Club I wanted a staff of personal trainers who weren’t afraid to earn money based on their merits as a trainer. Make no mistake about it, even if the salary of a trainer is based on performance over a period of time, over time this regular paycheck serves to develop complacency, dampens the urge to earn and prevents the personal and professional evolution of staff members.
As a business owner I want staff members who are hungry for more clients, more work, more money. If they hustle, train clients and make money this means the business makes money. I don’t want personal trainers who are afraid to be responsible for earning their own keep. I provide the place, the clients and the necessary equipment and give staff the chance to make as much money as they are capable of making.
Over the years I have paid employees on a salary basis and I’ve always lived to regret it, and have had to change the employee back to per session. In the long run the employee is happier and so am I.
Paying a personal training staff by the session requires more work, but it’s provides benefits to both staff and ownership.
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