Finding World-Class Team Members to Work at Your Wellness Studio

Today’s post is all about how to find team members that actually stick around. After all it takes a lot of time and energy to bring new team members on and it can have a negative impact on your business if you have constant turnover.

In our fitness business Empower Personalized Fitness we use a 4-step process to that has allowed us to retain top talent for 7-10 years on average.

The steps are:

• Job Description
• Interview
• Onboard
• Mentor and support

Job Posting

Finding the right employee begins with YOU and how “sell” the position and your company in the job description. Use your posting to convey important information about the position, the expectations required and a sneak-peek into your company culture. Just like you are looking for the right fit for your company prospective employees are looking for a company that aligns with their values and provides them with an opportunity. Go ahead and set the expectation of excellence so potential prospects are on the same page.

Here’s a quick checklist for your job posting:

• Attractive job title - ex) Passionate Fitness Professional vs. Personal Trainer
• Emotive introduction – ex) If you have a vision for excellence and you are ready for a new opportunity read on…
• Company story – ex) ‘Company name’ is a rapidly expanding business with a proven track record of success…
• Sell the position – ex) You will be fully trained, and we will teach you how to maximize your earning potential…
• Expectations – ex) To begin the application process, please submit your resume, tell us a little more about yourself and why we must have you on our TEAM.

Interview Process

Your interview process should be thorough and comprehensive and should not be rushed. Oftentimes we get stuck in a bind and need to hire a new employee right away, but try to focus on the big picture and understand that it’s worth the inconvenience of being short a team member now so you can find the right employee.

Your interview process should build in enough touches so you can really get to know the person. After all we are in service-based businesses and your potential new hire must fit in with the team and your community.  

Here’s a sample interview schedule that allows you and your team to get to know the prospect a bit better:

• Phone screening – preliminary conversation to see if the candidate meets the basic qualifications.
• In- person interview – traditional interview where you learn more about their experience, goals, skills and knowledge.
• Practical interview – hands on interview to see how they interact in a simulated work environment.
• Vision & Culture Interview – opportunity to explain company culture, expectations, vision and how they can contribute

While the process may seem long and arduous it is worth it find the right team member… especially since the process itself tends to weed out those prospects who are just “kicking the tires” and aren’t that serious. And if you are trying to free up your time as the owner many of these interviews can be conducted by other members of your team (especially steps 1-3).

Onboarding


Once you've hired a fantastic person, you have to make sure that they fully understand all parts of your business and that they feel completely competent in carrying your message forward and participating fully in the team environment Just like with the interview process you must be patient as your new hire learns the inner workings of your business.

Many aspects of the onboarding process can be systemized and therefore conducted by another member of your team. 

Here’s a quick checklist to help when you bring on a new team member:

• Employee handbook -   written/electronic handbook that provides an overview of your organization; “A how we do it here” manual
• Set attainable 90-day goals – show your new hire a clear path to success
• Train to your systems – teach the inner workings of your business and how you put your culture and value into practice
• Embed in your culture – introduce to other clients; make them feel part of the community right away
• Be approachable – encourage risk taking and asking questions

Ongoing Mentoring


Once your new hire is working and they're settled in you must shift your focus to ongoing leadership and mentorship of that person.

Very few people just want to get in a job and set it and forget it. In fact, great hires want ongoing professional growth, and personal growth. As the leader you must convey your vision, offer interesting work and regularly appreciate your employees in order to retain them for the long term.

Here’s a quick checklist to consider for your ongoing mentoring:

• Meet regularly with your entire team (1x/week is ideal 1x/month is mandatory)
• Appreciate often
• Offer constructive feedback
• Evolve over time
• Find new opportunities for growth

So there you have it… a 4-step process to find and retain top talent. How do you ensure that you find great team members? We’d love to hear about your hiring and leadership practices.

Be Bold, Be Free, Live Empowered,