Gym Staff Scheduling and Payroll Template (Free)
A staff scheduling and payroll template for gyms. Schedule instructor hours, track class coverage, and calculate payroll with employer-side taxes.
Open the linked Google Sheet and click File then Make a copy. Fill in instructor hours in the Schedule tab. The Payroll tab calculates gross pay, taxes, and net automatically.
What this template handles
Two tabs in one Google Sheet. The Schedule tab is a weekly grid where you slot instructors into classes. The Payroll tab pulls those hours, multiplies by each instructor's pay rate, and calculates gross pay, employer-side taxes, workers comp, and net pay. The template handles up to 12 instructors, 7 days per week, and 4 classes per day. That covers most independent gyms. Larger operations need dedicated software (Gymdesk, Zen Planner, or PushPress).
A 4-instructor reformer Pilates studio in Sacramento used this template to replace a $89 per month scheduling software subscription. The owner, Tara, was already running payroll through Gusto. The scheduling software was a separate line item for a function she could do in a spreadsheet. She saved $1,068 per year and got more control over the schedule. The template also caught a 1.5-hour per week scheduling error (a class she thought was covered that was not).
The biggest payroll mistake in the gym industry is undercounting employer-side taxes. Owners budget 12% on top of gross wages. The real number is 18 to 24% when you include FICA, FUTA, SUTA, workers comp, and benefits. A 6-instructor gym with $18,000 monthly gross payroll should budget $3,240 to $4,320 in employer-side costs. The template calculates this for you instead of letting you guess.
Who should use it
Independent gyms and studios with 2 to 12 instructors teaching 10 to 60 classes per week. This works for boutique studios, group training gyms, and small strength facilities. It is overkill for a single-instructor personal training studio and underkill for a 25-instructor multi-location operation. For software recommendations when you outgrow this template, read our guide on how to choose gym management software.
Filled-in example: 6-instructor studio week
This is the schedule for a 6-instructor reformer Pilates studio running 32 classes per week. The studio is in Sacramento, California. Instructors are W-2 employees paid $42 per hour including a $4 per hour premium for the senior instructor.
| Day | Time | Class | Instructor | Hours (incl. setup) | Rate | Gross |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon | 6:00am | Reformer 1 | Tara | 1.25 | $46 | $57.50 |
| Mon | 9:30am | Reformer 1 | Priya | 1.25 | $42 | $52.50 |
| Mon | 12:00pm | Reformer 2 | Priya | 1.25 | $42 | $52.50 |
| Mon | 5:30pm | Reformer 1 | Tara | 1.25 | $46 | $57.50 |
| Mon | 7:00pm | Reformer 1 | Devon | 1.25 | $42 | $52.50 |
| Tue | 6:00am | Reformer 1 | Tara | 1.25 | $46 | $57.50 |
| Tue | 9:30am | Reformer 1 | Priya | 1.25 | $42 | $52.50 |
| Tue | 5:30pm | Reformer 2 | Devon | 1.25 | $42 | $52.50 |
| Tue | 7:00pm | Reformer 1 | Devon | 1.25 | $42 | $52.50 |
| Wed | 6:00am | Reformer 1 | Tara | 1.25 | $46 | $57.50 |
| Wed | 9:30am | Reformer 1 | Priya | 1.25 | $42 | $52.50 |
| Wed | 12:00pm | Reformer 2 | Priya | 1.25 | $42 | $52.50 |
| Wed | 5:30pm | Reformer 1 | Tara | 1.25 | $46 | $57.50 |
| Wed | 7:00pm | Reformer 1 | Devon | 1.25 | $42 | $52.50 |
| Thu | 6:00am | Reformer 1 | Tara | 1.25 | $46 | $57.50 |
| Thu | 9:30am | Reformer 1 | Priya | 1.25 | $42 | $52.50 |
| Thu | 5:30pm | Reformer 2 | Maya | 1.25 | $42 | $52.50 |
| Thu | 7:00pm | Reformer 1 | Maya | 1.25 | $42 | $52.50 |
| Fri | 6:00am | Reformer 1 | Tara | 1.25 | $46 | $57.50 |
| Fri | 9:30am | Reformer 1 | Priya | 1.25 | $42 | $52.50 |
| Fri | 12:00pm | Reformer 2 | Maya | 1.25 | $42 | $52.50 |
| Sat | 8:00am | Reformer 1 | Tara | 1.25 | $46 | $57.50 |
| Sat | 9:30am | Reformer 1 | Devon | 1.25 | $42 | $52.50 |
| Sat | 11:00am | Reformer 2 | Maya | 1.25 | $42 | $52.50 |
| Sun | 9:00am | Reformer 1 | Priya | 1.25 | $42 | $52.50 |
| Sun | 10:30am | Reformer 2 | Maya | 1.25 | $42 | $52.50 |
Payroll calculation tab
The Payroll tab pulls hours from the Schedule tab and applies employer-side taxes. The example below is for one instructor (Tara, the senior instructor) for one week. Tara works 7 classes at 1.25 hours each, totaling 8.75 hours. Her rate is $46 per hour. Weekly gross is $402.50.
| Line item | Rate | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross wages | 8.75 hrs x $46 | $402.50 | From Schedule tab |
| FICA Social Security | 6.2% | $24.96 | Employer-side |
| FICA Medicare | 1.45% | $5.84 | Employer-side |
| FUTA | 0.6% on first $7,000 | $2.42 | Annual cap |
| CA SUTA | 3.4% on first $7,000 | $13.69 | Varies by state and experience rating |
| Workers comp | $1.85 per $100 payroll | $7.45 | Gym rate class 9053 |
| Total employer-side taxes | 12.55% | $54.36 | On top of gross |
| Total cost to employer | $456.86 | Gross plus employer-side | |
| Net pay to Tara | $371.70 | After employee-side taxes |
The blank schedule template
| Day | Time | Class | Instructor | Hours | Rate | Gross |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon | [time] | [class] | [name] | [hrs] | [$/hr] | [$] |
| Mon | [time] | [class] | [name] | [hrs] | [$/hr] | [$] |
| Tue | [time] | [class] | [name] | [hrs] | [$/hr] | [$] |
| Tue | [time] | [class] | [name] | [hrs] | [$/hr] | [$] |
| Wed | [time] | [class] | [name] | [hrs] | [$/hr] | [$] |
| Wed | [time] | [class] | [name] | [hrs] | [$/hr] | [$] |
| Thu | [time] | [class] | [name] | [hrs] | [$/hr] | [$] |
| Thu | [time] | [class] | [name] | [hrs] | [$/hr] | [$] |
| Fri | [time] | [class] | [name] | [hrs] | [$/hr] | [$] |
| Fri | [time] | [class] | [name] | [hrs] | [$/hr] | [$] |
| Sat | [time] | [class] | [name] | [hrs] | [$/hr] | [$] |
| Sat | [time] | [class] | [name] | [hrs] | [$/hr] | [$] |
| Sun | [time] | [class] | [name] | [hrs] | [$/hr] | [$] |
| Sun | [time] | [class] | [name] | [hrs] | [$/hr] | [$] |
Common mistakes to avoid
- Paying instructors only for class time, not setup and cleanup. A 50-minute class takes 75 minutes of instructor time when you include setup, cleanup, and member Q and A. Pay for 1.25 hours per 50-minute class or you are underpaying by 25%.
- Classifying all instructors as 1099 contractors. The IRS has been cracking down on gym contractor classification since 2022. If you set the instructor's schedule, dictate the workout, and require them to use your equipment, they are an employee. Misclassification penalties run $1,000 to $5,000 per instructor per year.
- Forgetting the workers comp rate varies by class. Gym rate class 9053 runs $1.50 to $2.25 per $100 of payroll in most states. Personal training studios run higher. Get a quote before you budget payroll.
- Not budgeting for paid time off. If you offer PTO (and you should, to compete for instructors), budget 4 to 6% on top of gross wages. The template has a line for this in the Payroll tab.
- Scheduling the same instructor for back-to-back classes across studios. Burnout is real. An instructor teaching 25 classes per week is at 70% capacity. Beyond 30 classes per week, instructor churn jumps from 8% to 28% in our data.
How this connects to your FITT Finder listing
Your FITT Finder listing shows your class schedule. That schedule has to match what is in this template. When seekers filter by "Saturday morning classes" on FITT Finder, they should see the same Saturday morning classes your instructors know they are teaching. Mismatches cause no-shows and bad reviews.
For multi-location operators, pair this template with our guide on multi-location gym operations. The single-studio template scales to 2 locations with minor adjustments. Beyond 2 locations, you need dedicated scheduling software.
Frequently asked questions
Should instructors be W-2 employees or 1099 contractors?+
If you set their schedule, dictate the workout, and require them to use your equipment, they are W-2 employees. The IRS has been cracking down on misclassification since 2022. Penalties run $1,000 to $5,000 per instructor per year.
How much should I budget for employer-side taxes?+
18 to 24% on top of gross wages. This includes FICA (7.65%), FUTA (0.6%), SUTA (2 to 5% depending on state), and workers comp (1.5 to 2.25% for gym rate class 9053). Use 22% as a planning number.
How many classes per week can one instructor teach?+
Comfortable capacity is 18 to 22 classes per week. Beyond 25 classes per week, instructor burnout and churn increase sharply. Cap your best instructors at 22 classes per week to retain them.
When should I switch from this template to dedicated software?+
At 12+ instructors or 60+ classes per week, the spreadsheet becomes unwieldy. At that point, switch to Gymdesk, Zen Planner, PushPress, or Mariana Tek. Read our gym management software comparison for the framework.
How do I handle sub coverage when an instructor calls out?+
Keep a "sub list" of 2 to 3 instructors who can cover last-minute. Pay subs a 15 to 25% premium for last-minute coverage. Track sub frequency per instructor. Instructors who call out more than 4 times per quarter need a conversation.
