What SoulCycle Can Teach You About Employee Engagement
SoulCycle Employee Engagement

What SoulCycle Can Teach You About Employee Engagement

Consider this post permission to make your next SoulCycle class a working session….

The instructors at SoulCycle rock the engagement game daily. They deliver commands, direction and feedback the way the best leaders at your company might – and, amazingly, they get everyone to follow through (not that it’s really possible to leave a rider behind).

Here’s how motivation is coaxed out of every rider at SoulCycle and how you can do the same for your employees:

SoulCycle’s Warm Welcome

It’s a warm welcome, alright. Some would say hot and sticky, but at least your muscles loosen up quickly. Right from the start, you hear the ground rules from the instructor – “stay with the beat of the music, we’re in this together, keep some resistance on your pedals at all times, we cross the finish line at the same time, relax your shoulders, and it’s up to you to dial up your resistance.” And while the atmosphere at the start of class is congenial, there’s no mistaking: everyone is there to get sh*t done. It’s daunting, but you’re given generous encouragement to be boldly in the moment. You’ll spend the next 45 minutes completely giving yourself over to your breath and the challenge in front of you. After all, it was damn hard to secure the exact bike in the exact class you wanted – better make it worth it.

Apply it to your Onboarding

Give your new employees a warm welcome. Set the ground rules and provide clarity into all of your expectations up front. Give them a sense of being part of the pack, while also empowering them to challenge themselves, try new things, fail and learn. Make sure they feel motivated by your company’s mission and are feeling pumped up to bring their A game!

SoulCycle’s Cult Factor

When you walk into the studio, the mission is printed right there on the walls. The look and feel of the space is clean and bold, perhaps a nod to clear intentions and powerful promises. And you’re surrounded by branding – with employees and riders alike decked out in their Soul gear. It’s simple: they’re proud – and they should be! They’ve worked hard, and it’s fun to be a part of a group with similar goals. Then there’s the coaching. Say what you will about the pseudo-yogi-eastern-religion-y affirmations – the right platitudes at the right time mean a lot. You ARE the only one who can turn that resistance dial to the right – and you ARE unstoppable! The grandiose claims of SoulCycle have drawn criticism over the years – but one thing is for sure: they are unapologetically true to their brand – and people grok with that.   

Apply it to your Mission

“Mission-driven” companies have 30% higher levels of innovation, 40% higher levels of retention, and they tend to be first or second in their market segment. Make sure your company mission is printed right there on the walls – and that the look and feel of the space embodies your company values. You may also want to give out some company gear – because your people are proud and they should be! They’ve worked hard, and it’s fun to be a part of a group with similar goals. But make sure that your people are engaged because your leadership is strong, your benefits are great, the work is interesting – and they believe in your company’s mission and values.

SoulCycle’s Heart & Soul

The culture is strong, the motivation is contagious, and the people obviously respond to ultra-engaged instructors who sometimes share very raw and personal stories to spark connection. That confessional aspect feels a little like transparency, and it’s clear that the bonds formed between riders and instructors is real. Whether you’ve been coming for years or you’re brand new, everyone in the room feeds off of the palpable energy of riders next to them – while also contributing to that electricity. And we’re not talking about a sweet and steady whirring, here. This is heart-pounding, close-your-eyes-and-hold-on, when-will-it-end type training. But the people who are there have self-selected to be there. They know it’s hard. They want it to be hard. And they’ll ride for nothing less.

Apply it to your Culture

It’s key to ensure that motivation is contagious within your organization. You can coach your leaders to sometimes deliver very raw and personal stories to spark connection. When the openness with which people communicate feels like transparency, it’s clear that the bonds between team members are strong. And whether you’ve worked there for years or you’re brand new, everyone in the room feeds off of the palpable energy of people next to them – while also contributing to that electricity. And we’re not talking about small, steady projects here. This is heart-pounding, close-your-eyes-and-hold-on, when-will-it-end type work. But the people who are here have self-selected to be here. They know it’s hard. They want it to be hard. And they’ll work for nothing less.

Namaste Engaged

SoulCycle’s instructors are a little like employee brand ambassadors and a little like the very best manager you’ve ever had. That’s because instead of hiring expert athletes, SoulCycle hires performers, dancers and enthusiasts who are hyper-engaged and have the magnetic, gregarious and energetic presence to amp up a room full of people.

Engaged employees contribute to your company culture by creating a positive work environment, leading innovation, and driving profitability. Implementing employee engagement campaigns can help you gather the information you need to make your workplace the best it can be, while also improving employee satisfaction.

Crossing the Finish Line

As business leaders and stakeholders invested in the success of our companies (which means everyone, really), we can sometimes get so focused on checking off items that lead to the elusive and much sought-after state of widespread employee engagement, that we can forget how it’s critical to get the choreography right. All the right things spinning right along – working hard, having fun, sweating it out, bonding a little, exhilaration, some drudgery at times, the feeling you’re all in it together – and you’ll cross the line together come hell or high water. That’s employee engagement. And – a little like riding a bike – once it clicks, you’ll always know how to make it happen.