Industry leaders share strategies for how to hire, develop and lead Gen Z in the fitness industry.
Gen Z is quickly becoming a dominant force in the fitness industry. With a strong focus on purpose, flexibility and personal well-being, they’re entering clubs with different expectations around work culture and career growth.
The latest Thought Leaders panel, sponsored by CoverMe, brought together industry leaders to tackle a question that many operators are still trying to figure out: how do you effectively lead Gen Z with these new expectations?
The fitness industry has always relied on energy, community and purpose as selling points, making it easy to attract younger talent. But what the panel made clear is that attracting Gen Z is the easy part. Keeping and developing them requires a different kind of leadership than most operators are used to.
That difference starts with understanding what’s actually drawing them in. According to Amber Martinez, the COO of JEM Wellness Brands, the motivation for this generation goes beyond just compensation.
“They want more than just a paycheck,” said Martinez. “They want connection and to feel like they’re part of something meaningful.” She pointed out clubs have a real advantage when they can promise that and deliver on it.
But the same factors that attract Gen Z can quickly become the reasons they leave. “They leave when they’re not seen, heard or being developed,” said Martinez. It’s a reminder that, for this generation, culture needs to be an everyday experience. When that experience breaks down, they don’t hesitate to move on.
What complicates matters is that many of the leadership habits that worked for previous years don’t translate as well with Gen Z. Things like annual reviews and top-down feedback don’t work with a team that expects immediacy and involvement.
Mark Miller, the COO of Merritt Clubs, shared how his approach evolved in response, shifting from directive feedback to more reflective, two-way conversations, emphasizing a more collaborative style of leadership which this generation expects.
Nikki Wille, the director of fitness at the Wisconsin Athletic Club, noted that Gen Z employees don’t want occasional guidance. “It’s not just that formal review but that ongoing frequent touchpoints they want and they like,” said Wille, highlighting how this generation requires leaders to be more present and intentional with their interactions.
That expectation runs headfirst into the operational reality of running a club. Time is limited, and managers are already balancing staffing, member experience and business performance. CoverMe CEO Rosanna Tucker acknowledged that tension, explaining that the challenge really comes from the need to deliver what the team needs at scale.
Gen Z is also forcing operators to rethink what growth looks like within the industry. Before, career growth meant becoming a manager, but that no longer holds. Many young professionals are less interested in climbing a traditional ladder and more focused on building a career that fits their lifestyle, interests and financial goals.
Wille sees this play out daily. Some trainers want to deepen their expertise; others want to increase their income without taking on leadership roles and many want flexibility above all else.
Tucker echoed this by pointing out a growing “gig” mindset within the industry. Today’s professionals want variety — teaching, coaching, creating content, even traveling for opportunities. “They want to work when they want to work, and they want to do the things that they love to do,” said Tucker.
For some operators, adapting to that reality has meant rethinking organizational structure altogether. Martinez shared an example of creating a role around a candidate’s strengths rather than forcing them into an existing job description, and that move ultimately drove new business. Miller said he had just done the same thing, highlighting a shift in designing roles around people instead of the other way around.
That flexibility still has its limits. Clubs don’t just run on ideas. They run on schedules and standards. All the panelists agreed that meeting operational demands doesn’t have to come at the expense of employee experience, but it does require clarity. Expectations around hours, responsibilities and performance must be communicated early and reinforced often.
“You need to be really transparent about what you’re looking for and what you need from the beginning,” said Martinez. “Make sure that everyone that you are bringing onto your team or that is on your team knows what they are signing up for.” When that is set early on, employees are more likely to meet expectations, no matter the role.
The influence of Gen Z is also changing leaders and their approach to leadership. Wille pointed out a new level of accountability as younger employees are quick to call out inconsistencies between stated values and actual behavior. “Their boldness is beautiful,” she said. “It holds everyone accountable to high standards.”
Miller agreed, admitting the experience has pushed him to become more curious, to listen more deeply and to lead with greater vulnerability to build trust with his team.
For Martinez, the biggest takeaway has been renewed emphasis on culture as a competitive advantage. In her view, focusing on individual strengths and creating a true sense of belonging is key to good business.
Gen Z isn’t asking the industry to change for the sake of change. They’re asking it to be more intentional about how it communicates, how it develops people and how it defines success. By building teams that are more engaged, more aligned and more passionate about delivering the kind of member experience the industry strives for, the payoff for operators will be significant.
Watch the full conversation here.
