How to Set Up a Corporate Gym: the Complete Step-by-Step Guide
Une salle de sport en entreprise réduit l'absentéisme de 6 à 12 % et relève d'une démarche de qualité de vie et des conditions de travail, pas d'un avantage de siège. Les équipements mis à disposition bénéficient d'exonérations de cotisations sociales. Le projet se dimensionne sur l'effectif, la surface disponible et les créneaux d'usage réels.
Setting up a corporate gym takes 10 to 12 weeks from needs survey to opening, and a realistic all-in budget runs from around 14,000 EUR excluding VAT for a 30 m2 room to 150,000 EUR excluding VAT for a full 150 m2 facility with changing rooms. Done properly, an on-site gym measurably cuts absenteeism, strengthens employer brand and — in several European countries, including France — benefits from favourable tax and social-contribution treatment. This guide walks through the whole project step by step: compliance, budgets, equipment plans by floor size, timeline and the mistakes that sink utilisation.
Why companies build on-site gyms
- Lower absenteeism: companies with an internal fitness space typically report a 6–12% reduction in absenteeism in the first year. In one of our projects for a 200-employee technology company, absenteeism fell 9% in year one, with 68% of staff using the room at least weekly.
- Employer attractiveness: in a tight labour market, an on-site gym consistently ranks among the top three most valued workplace benefits in internal surveys.
- Productivity: 20–30 minutes of lunchtime activity improves afternoon concentration; studies indicate a 6–9% productivity gain among physically active employees.
- Team cohesion: the gym becomes a cross-departmental social space — something annual team-building days cannot replicate.
- Tax treatment: in France, since the law of 1 March 2021 the provision of sports equipment by an employer is exempt from social contributions and employee income tax, and works-council-organised classes qualify as social and cultural activities. Comparable incentives exist in other European countries — check the rules in your jurisdiction.
The regulatory framework
An employer providing a gym becomes the operator of that facility, with specific duties. The list below reflects French law; the principles — duty of care, conforming equipment, accessibility, insurance — apply in similar form across Europe:
- General safety: hygiene, safety and applicable technical standards, plus alarm provisions, emergency exits and a posted emergency-response plan.
- Conforming equipment: all machines should comply with EN ISO 20957-1:2024 — class S (commercial) for shared use — and be inspected to the manufacturer’s schedule.
- Accessibility: the space must be accessible to users with reduced mobility.
- First aid: a first-aid kit, a means of communication and posted emergency numbers.
- Registration and insurance: declare the sports facility where national law requires it, and carry liability insurance explicitly covering on-site sporting activity.
Employee representation: in companies above the national threshold (50 employees in France), the works council must be formally involved in — and in France, delegated — the provision of sport at work. Below the threshold, consult representatives early anyway: adoption depends on it. Even in a free-access room with no coach, the employer remains responsible for equipment safety — certified class S commercial equipment is legal protection, not a luxury.
Budget by room size
| Line item | Small (30 m2) 20–50 employees |
Medium (60–80 m2) 50–150 employees |
Large (100–150 m2) 150–500 employees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fitness equipment | 8,000–15,000 EUR | 20,000–40,000 EUR | 40,000–80,000 EUR |
| Impact flooring (rubber tiles) | 510–1,050 EUR | 1,020–2,800 EUR | 1,700–5,250 EUR |
| Fit-out (paint, mirrors, lighting, ventilation) | 2,000–5,000 EUR | 5,000–12,000 EUR | 10,000–25,000 EUR |
| Changing rooms / showers (if not existing) | 3,000–8,000 EUR | 8,000–20,000 EUR | 15,000–35,000 EUR |
| Sound system + signage | 500–1,500 EUR | 1,500–3,000 EUR | 2,000–5,000 EUR |
| TOTAL (excl. VAT) | 14,000–30,500 EUR | 35,500–77,800 EUR | 68,700–150,250 EUR |
All figures are project estimates excluding VAT. Changing rooms are the most variable item: if the building already has them, the total drops 20–40%. Leasing over 36–60 months spreads the equipment investment with no cash-flow shock, and lease payments are generally deductible as an operating expense.
Typical equipment plans by size
30 m2 room (start-up or SME, 20–50 employees)
Goal: maximum versatility in a small footprint — cardio, functional strength and stretching. A representative package: one AC-motor professional treadmill (2,800 EUR), one Bodytone MT6 indoor cycling bike (1,425.40 EUR), one professional cross trainer (1,800 EUR), one 3-station multi-gym (2,500 EUR), a 2–20 kg rubber dumbbell set with rack (1,200 EUR), one adjustable bench (450 EUR), a functional accessories kit (600 EUR) and 30 m2 of 20 mm rubber tiles (870 EUR) — around 11,650 EUR excluding VAT in equipment.
60–80 m2 room (mid-size company, 50–150 employees)
Goal: differentiated cardio, guided-strength and functional zones with clear circulation. Two treadmills, two MT6 bikes, two cross trainers, one rower, five selectorised machines, one half rack with Olympic bar and 150 kg of bumpers, a 2–30 kg dumbbell set, two benches, a functional kit and 70 m2 of rubber tiles — around 36,200 EUR excluding VAT in equipment.
120–150 m2 facility (large company, 150–500 employees)
Goal: a complete fitness experience — cardio, guided strength, free weights, group/stretching space and a functional zone. Three treadmills, four MT6 bikes, three cross trainers, two rowers, eight selectorised machines, a Smith machine plus power rack with two Olympic bars, a 2–40 kg dumbbell set, three benches, a 3 m wall rig with functional kit, a stretching corner and 130 m2 of rubber tiles — around 63,300 EUR excluding VAT in equipment.
The project timeline, step by step
- Needs survey (weeks 1–2): a five-question internal poll — desired frequency, activity type, time slots, fitness level, expectations. Expect 60–80% response and identify the three priority uses.
- Site audit (weeks 2–3): floor load capacity (minimum 500 kg/m2 for heavy machines), ceiling height (2.50 m minimum, 2.80 m recommended), ventilation, accessibility, proximity of changing rooms. We carry out this audit remotely from plans and photos.
- Layout design (weeks 3–4): zoning (cardio / strength / functional / stretching), circulation of at least 90 cm between machines, mirror and lighting positions. Allow 6–8 m2 per cardio station, 8–10 m2 per selectorised machine, 4–5 m2 per free-weights station.
- Sign-off by works council, HR and management (weeks 4–6): present project, budget and schedule; above the representation threshold, obtain formal works-council validation.
- Order and delivery (weeks 6–10): 2–4 weeks for in-stock equipment, 6–8 weeks for custom configurations such as company colours.
- Installation and commissioning (1–2 days): assembly, adjustment, safety checks and training of one or two internal referents in level-1 maintenance (cleaning, lubrication, re-tightening).
- Internal launch (weeks 10–12): announcement, signage and an opening event with taster sessions. Facilities that launch loudly reach around 70% staff utilisation in month one; those that open quietly languish near 30%.
The mistakes that kill corporate gyms
- Buying light-duty (“semi-pro”) equipment to save money. With 20–50 users a day, class H home equipment will not survive three years — EN ISO 20957-1:2024 class S is the correct specification for shared use.
- Forgetting ventilation. Six to eight simultaneous users in 60 m2 generate real heat and humidity; without dedicated extraction (1,500–4,000 EUR), summer utilisation collapses.
- Undersizing the stretching zone. Around 40% of employees who will never touch a dumbbell will come for 15 minutes of stretching — reserve at least 10–15 m2 with mats and a mirror.
- Sizing for average rather than peak use. Usage peaks at 12:00–14:00 and 17:00–19:00; count machines for the peak.
- No named referent. Without an identified gym champion — HR, an internal ambassador or a visiting coach — utilisation drops by 30% within a year.
- Skipping impact flooring. Rubber tiles from 17 EUR/m2 excluding VAT protect the existing floor, cut noise to the offices below and secure the space — the highest-return line in the whole project.
Does it pay back?
For a 100-employee company investing 35,000 EUR excluding VAT in equipment, depreciation of 5,000–7,000 EUR per year reduces taxable profit — and if absenteeism falls by the 9% observed in our case study, the saving on direct and indirect absence costs (commonly estimated at 3,500 EUR per employee per year) reaches roughly 31,500 EUR annually, for payback in 12–18 months. The full financial model, with sensitivity analysis, is in our corporate gym ROI business case.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum viable size for a corporate gym?
Around 30 m2 for up to 50 employees — enough for three cardio stations, one multi-gym, dumbbells and a stretching corner. Below that, consider a wellness room focused on stretching and mobility instead.
Do we need a coach on site?
Not permanently. Free access with clear pictogram-led machines works, provided the equipment suits unsupervised mixed levels — lean towards guided machines, as explained in our guide to the machines-to-free-weights ratio by audience. A visiting coach one or two sessions a week measurably lifts adoption.
Who is liable if an employee is injured?
The employer, as facility operator — in some jurisdictions an incident may qualify as a workplace accident. Certified class S equipment, documented maintenance and posted usage rules are the core of the defence file.
Purchase or lease?
Leasing over 36–60 months suits most companies: no capital outlay, deductible payments and an equipment refresh at term. Outright purchase with 5–7 year depreciation wins if cash is not a constraint.
Get a corporate gym plan in 48 hours
Send us your floor plan and headcount: within two working days we return a layout plan and a detailed quote — equipment list, budget by zone and leasing options, with company-colour customisation included. Browse the corporate gym equipment range or request a free corporate quote.
