Four fitness club leaders share how intentional hiring, onboarding and leadership development turn staffing into a competitive advantage.
Staffing is one of the biggest challenges in any business and the same can be said for the fitness industry. Finding qualified people is difficult but keeping them engaged, developing them into leaders and building a culture that can scale as clubs grow is even harder.
Operators are navigating labor shortages, evolving employee expectations and increasing competition for talent, making it clear that staffing is a competitive advantage in the industry.
Instead of chasing quick fixes or filling gaps, the clubs building the strongest teams are creating intentional systems for recruiting, onboarding and leadership development that strengthen their culture while supporting long-term growth.
Culture Comes First
One aspect of staffing that operators have found important is how hiring starts long before the interview.
Joe Cirulli, the founder and CEO of Gainesville Health and Fitness, believes the process starts with understanding the organization itself. Before developing a hiring system, his leadership team spent months defining the company’s mission, core values and culture. That work became the blueprint for every hiring decision that followed.
“I can’t teach you core values,” explained Cirulli. “You have to have core values.”
That mindset shapes an extensive interview process designed to evaluate behavior rather than simply reviewing resumes. Applicants participate in multiple interviews, group exercises and even a challenging workout, allowing leaders to observe how candidates communicate, solve problems, respond under pressure and interact with others before an offer is ever extended. Everyone in the hiring process must agree before a candidate is brought on.
Mike Goodsell, the chief strategy and development officer of Fit Fusion Holdings, a Crunch franchisee, takes a similar culture-first approach that begins with hiring members of the club who already embrace the club’s community.
“Their passion is natural,” said Goodsell. “They already come to you with a passion for the brand, a love for the community and an idea of the culture. They are the culture.”
When members become employees, they already have an understanding of the brand promise and member experience, creating a smooth transition into frontline roles.
That understanding of culture is what many clubs look for and is what Shawn Stewart, the CEO of Fuel Fitness clubs, focuses on as well.
“We don’t look to hire the best people, we look to hire the right people,” said Stewart. “The right person is someone who aligns with our culture and is engaged over the long term.”
Laura Clark, the VP of Corporate Health Unlimited, echoed that sentiment, encouraging operators to look beyond certifications.
“Hire for attitude and potential,” advised Clark. “Train leadership and technical skills.”
Building Belonging in Onboarding
Once the right people are hired, the focus shifts from teaching tasks to building connection.
Goodsell believes onboarding should immerse employees in the club’s identity before introducing operational procedures.
“We spend a lot of time talking about the past,” said Goodsell. “How did we become who we are? Why are we who we are? What does it mean to be who we are? It gives them a little bit more insight into why we do what we do, not just, ‘We’d like for you to do this because it’s your job.’”
That cultural immersion extends beyond classroom training. New hires at Fit Fusion clubs participate in personal training sessions, group fitness classes and other club amenities so they can confidently speak from firsthand experience when interacting with members.
At Fuel Fitness, new employees learn the company’s culture and service philosophy, shadow experience staff members, complete department-specific training and receive regular check-ins throughout the first 90 days.
Corporate Health Unlimited has formalized the process through its ‘90 Go!’ onboarding platform, providing new employees with operational resources, emergency procedures, service expectations and scheduled meetings with corporate leadership during their first two months.
Cirulli takes onboarding a step further at Gainesville by exposing every new employee to every department within the club. Rather than limiting someone to housekeeping, sales or the fitness floor, employees rotate throughout the organization to understand how every role contributes to the member experience. Experienced staff members then serve as mentors through a designated shadow team, reinforcing training long after orientation ends.
That helps build appreciation across departments while creating employees who understand the whole business along with their individual responsibilities.
Creating Clear Development Paths
When it comes to retention, leadership development is what makes sure staff want to stay. Across all four organizations, promoting from within isn’t simply preferred, it’s expected.
Cirulli refuses to hire outside managers whenever possible, choosing instead to evaluate employees who have already demonstrated the organization’s values. Every position has clearly defined development requirements, from recommended books and seminars to mentorship opportunities, allowing employees to prepare for future leadership roles before openings even exist.
Stewart sees visible career pathways as one of the strongest retention tools available. “People are much more likely to stay when they can see a future beyond the position they were originally hired for,” he said.
Fuel Fitness supports that vision through continuing education, leadership development and internal promotions whenever possible.
Clark agrees that employee development must be intentional, combining coaching, gradual responsibility, employee development and regular recognition so staff can continue to grow alongside the company.
For Goodsell, leaders should embrace an even broader perspective.
“It’s a No. 1 priority for me that I want an employee to look back and say, ‘Man, I didn’t stay in fitness but thank goodness I took that job at Crunch Fitness because that really helped me mold what I wanted to mold,’” said Goodsell.
That mindset transforms employment from simply filling shifts into investing in people’s futures, whether they spend two years or 20 years with the organization.
Intentionality in Leadership
While compensation and flexibility remain important, culture is the primary driver of employee loyalty.
“Operators have to think about the employee experience just as intentionally as they think about the member experience,” said Stewart.
At Fuel Fitness, that translates into regular communication, recognition, flexibility and systems that encourage employees to provide feedback not just receive it. Those conversations have directly influenced improvements in training, communication and operational expectations.
Clark has found that empathy is equally important. After speaking with leaders who have remained at the fitness center for more than a decade, she found their loyalty stemmed from the company’s compassion and commitment to employee well-being, creating what she describes as a family-oriented culture centered on supporting others.
Goodsell believes culture also requires leaders to take responsibility when employees struggle. “What we forget is that on the other side of all that is a human being,” he said. “Sometimes you’re the reason that flame burns out.” He encourages operators to regularly evaluate whether employees are in the right roles, expectations remain realistic, and leaders are listening when team members express their goals and aspirations.
Cirulli shares that same perspective.
“If somebody’s not doing something right, it’s not their fault, it’s our fault,” said Cirulli, emphasizing that leaders should first examine whether training and expectations have been communicated clearly before placing blame on employees.
Building a Place Where People Want to Work
As clubs continue expanding their offerings and member expectations rise, staffing will continue to be a defining challenge for the industry. But these operators suggest the solution is creating organizations where people genuinely want to build careers.
That begins with hiring individuals who align with the club’s values, immersing them in a meaningful culture, investing in their growth and giving them a clear vision for what’s possible.
When those pieces come together, staffing moves from an HR function to a sustainable growth strategy that strengthens operations, improves member experiences and creates the leadership pipeline clubs will need for years to come.
