While coffee bars, electric-vehicle charging stations and dry cleaning services make great perks in a workplace, few building amenities pack as much of a punch as the on-site fitness center. Offering numerous and tangible benefits to a building’s occupants and landlords alike, an on-site gym is a worthy investment for both commercial property owners and employers to consider bringing into the fold. 

Let’s look at the impacts of this amenity and reasons to add a workout facility within your own walls or real estate development.

Why Employees Need a Gym

The benefits of exercise cannot be understated. Walking, dancing, swimming, jogging, biking and other activities that get the heart pumping faster and lungs working harder lead to better sleep; lower risk of heart disease, stroke, some cancers, and type 2 diabetes; reduced stress; and improved weight management. Exercise also benefits the brain by boosting cognitive function. 

But far too often, employees struggle to fit physical activity into the workday due to long commute times, heavy workloads and the demands of home that leave little time and/or energy for personal pursuits like a trip to the gym. But when a fitness center is conveniently located within or adjacent to the office, employees find it easier to get themselves there. It’s more convenient and less time-consuming, obviously, than driving to a different location, but it’s also great motivation for many to have that visual reminder in the form of passing by a gym daily or seeing colleagues engaged in a workout.

Additionally, at a time when the cost of living continues to rise, gym memberships tend to be too much of an expense for many. One study out this year found that 41% of U.S. consumers who discontinued their gym memberships did so due to it being “too expensive.” When a workplace offers its employees access to the company gym or building tenants get a discount on the cost of joining an on-site fitness facility, a major deterrent is removed, and chances are higher that folks will take advantage of the amenity.

How Employers Benefit From Gyms

So what’s in it for employers who offer on-site fitness centers to their workforces? Lower employees burnout levels, for one. How, you ask? Because moderate exercises correlates directly with happier and healthier workers, according to recent research out of the University of Michigan. Additionally, study after study has shown that employers who encourage physical activity in the workplace see positive results in the form of lower employee turnover due to higher satisfaction rates among workers; higher productivity at the office; and cost reductions thanks to fewer worker absences and lower spending on health care. All of these outcomes are good for business and bottom lines.

Reasons Property Owners Should Consider Gyms

An on-site fitness center also yields dividends for commercial property managers and landlords. They’re a boon to property values, for one, and allow landlords to command higher leases compared to properties that lack such amenities. Additionally, the presence of an on-site gym renders a property more competitive when it comes to winning tenants. And lastly, a fitness has the potential to serve as the social hub of a property, which creates community and culture – invaluable and attractive characteristics of a property development that can be hard to replicate otherwise. 

Explore How an On-Site Gym Can Work(out) for You

At Aquila, we know from decades of experience that incorporating a fitness center in a business’ footprint or as part of a commercial property’s offerings is a strategic decision with wide-ranging benefits for all parties involved. Whether you’re looking to design and develop an on-site facility from scratch, manage a new or existing fitness center effectively, or increase engagement at your gym, we offer wellness solutions suited to companies of all sizes and the commercial real estate industry. Contact us now to learn more about our services.