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How to Discuss Compensation with Your Yoga Staff

By 
Corey Loehr
 / 
August 27, 2018
 / 
iStock 863583200 2

After hiring the stellar candidates, you’ll want to work through any yoga compensation questions they may have. Determining payroll for your yoga staff can be intimidating but needs to be honest and spoken about early. There are several different options you can take when it comes to paying your yoga staff – but make sure it’s a conversation held between you and the team. If you’ve already established how you wish to pay your yoga staff, mention it upfront in the case that they’re not interested in the role any further. State it on the job posting, or mention it in preliminary interviews.Even though discussing compensation for your yoga staff might be uncomfortable, it’ll certainly feel much better than questions hanging over the air. Here are some of the best and easiest ways to have that initial conversation.

Skill level variations

As a to-be yoga studio owner, you’ll want to decide what type of skill level you wish to hire. It goes without saying that highly experienced yoga teachers, assistants, or general managers will require a higher pay. This isn’t an issue as long as that’s your priority. With new-to-the-scene yoga lovers, you’ll have the opportunity to train them while building up their resume. These yoga staff members will not require as high of pay but will require more training and intensive guidance.Make a list of what you see fit for your studio, and be upfront in the meetings and interviews about your initiatives and why you think the person you’re interviewing would be a good fit. We recommend a healthy blend and balance of skill level at your studio so you can grow as a team together while keeping everyone happy and well cared for!

By-the-hour vs. per-class wages

Remember: not all yoga instructors are equal. Not everyone will expect to be paid the same. Hourly wages are by far the most common for fitness boutique staffs, as they allow for everyone to stay organized and create a flat-rate amongst staff. This is also easily managed through yoga management software so you can see when your staff arrives and leaves. Hourly wages, however, really only work for management staff that doesn’t teach classes.Yoga instructors will likely anticipate their hourly wage combined with a per-class wage. The average pay per class for yoga instructors is around $45-$75 from lesser-experienced instructors to established yogis. Negotiating pay per class is simple when both people are on the same page, and since your instructors are providing a specialized service, it’s necessary to compensate where due.

Come prepared to discuss

When running through salary expectations for your candidates, first get an idea of where they stand. If the person says an hourly figure out of your range, don’t write them off just yet. It’s good to get an idea of a person’s expectations, but you’ll need to treat the conversation as such. It's an important conversation between two people that is meant to meet an ultimate goal. Finding the right candidate is going to be worth the awkwardness of the initial conversation. Come prepared with the right research of given salaries in your area in the case your interviewee is a perfect match, but has higher expectations than what you can provide. Gathering statistics for what is standard pay keeps both of you in check and comfortable.

Negotiating with ease

If you’re in the negotiating phase, try to find a healthy balance between the two anticipated pay ranges and work through ways to make both parties happy. Not all of this needs to happen in the interview, as well. Take time away and carefully evaluate where you may be able to save to pay your yoga staff more. Additionally, if you can’t afford a teacher you really like, be patient. If the bond is right, they may understand working for you means more. Always encourage monthly or bi-monthly reviews of your staff to provide positive and negative feedback. This, after the hiring stage, will keep everyone on the same page and working towards an end goal. As long as you hire the right staff that’s going to support your business while you support them, you’ll run a highly successful yoga studio.If you’re a Yoga Studio owner tired of old studio management software that’s constantly raising prices without increasing value, then talk to OneFitStop, where our modern yoga studio software platform is constantly evolving to meet the needs of growing studio businesses.