Stop Losing Good Employees: How Clear Values Keep Your Team Engaged

One of the biggest challenges for studio owners isn’t just hiring great staff—it’s keeping them. If your team lacks motivation, alignment, or engagement, it may not be a pay issue. It may not even be a workload issue. The real problem? They don’t feel connected to your mission.

In a past session, Hye-Jin Kalgaonkar, CEO of The Hot Room & BFS Member, shared how she built a loyal, mission-driven team by making core values a central part of daily operations. Her approach proves that when your team believes in what you stand for, they don’t just work for your studio—they commit to it.

Why Employees Need More Than a Paycheck

Most studio owners think pay and perks are the biggest factors in employee retention. But the real driver of long-term engagement is a sense of purpose.

Employees—especially instructors—need to know:

• Why does this work matter?
• What is the bigger mission behind what we do?
• How do my daily tasks contribute to that mission?

If these questions aren’t answered from day one, you risk losing good people to burnout, frustration, or another studio that offers clearer direction.

Make Your Mission Part of Everyday Operations

Communicating your mission, vision, and core values isn’t something you do once during onboarding and forget. It has to be woven into daily conversations, coaching, and feedback loops.

At The Hot Room, every employee:

• Learns the mission and core values before being hired (starting in teacher training).
• Hears about it again during onboarding—with a personal conversation about the studio’s purpose.
• Is reminded of it weekly through updates, coaching sessions, and team meetings.
• Sees it physically posted in the studio and on work materials as a daily reminder.

This isn’t just about culture-building—it’s about clarity. When employees understand why they’re being asked to do something, their motivation shifts from compliance to commitment.

Tie Every Task Back to the Bigger Picture

Ever had a front desk employee or instructor ask, “Why do I need to do this?” Whether it’s making follow-up calls, selling memberships, or taking on extra responsibilities, tasks without purpose feel like busy work.

Instead of just telling your team what to do, show them why it matters:

• “You need to call 20 people today.”
• “When we follow up with clients, it improves retention—helping them stay committed to their fitness goals and ensuring our studio thrives.”

When people see how their actions support the studio’s mission, they’re far more likely to take ownership and do their best work.

The #1 Thing Studio Owners Need to Keep Learning

Great leadership isn’t just about running a business—it’s about constantly growing yourself. If you’re not setting aside time to learn, connect, and develop, it’s easy to lose sight of what really makes your studio thrive.

Whether it’s through:

• Reading industry insights
• Listening to business and leadership podcasts
• Joining a peer network of other studio owners

…prioritizing your own learning will directly impact how you lead your team. Because when you show up more engaged, more inspired, and more focused, so does everyone around you.

We're discussing topics like this in the Studio Operations Optimization Program led by Physique 57's Co-Founder & CEO, Jennifer Maanavi. If you want to dive deeper into actionable strategies that help you lead, not just manage, your business, join us for the full program.

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