Not to panic if this sounds new but I’m guessing from the title you probably have a clue of what it is all about. Unlike going to a yoga studio to learn yoga, corporate yoga involves teaching yoga t the workplace.
This has been proven to be quite a healthy way to keep people at the office refreshed at all times. This, not only offers a team-building opportunity to the employees but, because of the fun aspect of it also ensures that there is continuous productivity.
But, …
If you haven’t been a yoga teacher for too long, it can be quite difficult to get into corporate yoga. Not only is it a whole different setting than what you are used to but there are also a couple of different things you should observe.
Now that you have an idea of what we’ll be talking about today, here is all you need to know about how to teach corporate yoga.
The Best Way To Find Your Clients And Organize Classes
First things first, as far as growing in your career as a corporate yoga teacher is concerned, knowing where to find your clients should be a priority.
The easiest and fastest way to get started would be from your contact list first. This could even be more in your favor if you have had experience working as a corporate employee or business owner. From your list of previous colleagues, it would be easier to get a client base since you already have a previous work relationship with them.
Besides your previous colleagues, go ahead and reach out to your friends. They could have companies that would benefit from your classes. Even small companies are a viable option.
The other way to go would be directly contacting potential businesses. In this case, since you have no familiarity with either the business owners or employees, first impressions do matter.
As such, it’s recommended that you be as professional as you can. You can do this by first explaining what you intend to offer them and then going a step further to explain the benefits of corporate yoga to the employees and the business in general.
Another tip that will give you better chances of landing the deal would be to call them to confirm whether you can send them the email. The odds are that if they accept this, they are more likely to be expecting not to mention to read your email.
What happens after you land your first client?
Hoping everything played out right and you end up landing your first client, you’ll want to keep things working in your favor as far as the rates are concerned. Here are a couple of things you should consider:
The pricing
Pricing mostly depends on where you are and how much experience you are. For example, how much you’d charge in a large city wouldn’t be the same for a town. As such, ensure the rates you charge are at par with what other teachers in the area charge.
Where will you get the equipment?
Yet another aspect to account for is whether you’ll be providing the props and mats or whether the company will cater for this. If the case is the former, you’d have to factor in the transportation cost, cleaning cost, storage, etc.
What if the client cancels a class?
In some cases, the client may end up canceling the session for one reason or the other. This could leave you at a huge disadvantage. To avoid this, it would be wise for you to agree such as tracking your hours for every session and settling on an hourly rate.
The rate should also account for the number of employees who participate in the sessions.
Organizing your bookings and payments
The best way to go regarding this would be to ask the companies to make bookings in 6–10-week packages. Additionally, you can also suggest an advance for a whole package in advance. This would eliminate the odds of having a hard time clearing the payments.
To be able to keep the records effectively, I’d recommend going with a reliable online booking system. Bookeo would be a reliable option to schedule your classes.
Tips On Teaching In A Yoga Class
The only difference between giving corporate classes and a yoga studio is that you are in a professional setting but the good thing is, that the lessons are similar to teaching in any other class.
Here are some things you should pay attention to.
Intention matters
Truth be told, it would be a bad experience doing what you don’t like, right? Asa such, you have to ensure your heart is really into it. Ensure you have reasons that give you the drive of leading a corporate yoga session. This, however, does not mean you should, in any way compromise your charges.
Try to be as gentle as possible
Something else that will highly influence how efficient your yoga sessions are is how you interact with the employees.
Considering they’ll have to take some time off work to attend the yoga sessions, the last thing you’d want is to have them get back to work with their spirits dampened.
As you get to know them, you can familiarize them with different yoga poses and postures. This way, you’ll keep them interested and looking forward to the next session.
At the same time, you should be persistent, respectful, brief, and to the point.
Let your students know the benefits of yoga
At the end of the day, since your students will be taking time off their day job, it’s good that they know what they’ll be getting from the yoga sessions.
In addition to this, you should also understand that this is corporate yoga where they could be called to a last-minute meeting, go on vacation or have a little mix-up in their schedules. As such, it’s important to find a way for the students to RSVP which will allow you to know whether there will be enough students to schedule a class.
Always remember to give props
As I’ve already mentioned, it’s important to always consider you’re working in a professional setting. It’s important to make them feel relaxed and think of the sessions as a rejuvenation point in between their work day.
As such, always encourage and show appreciation. This simply shows that you care about them. You could also offer to bring your equipment.
Do You Need Any Training For Corporate Yoga?
There’s nothing special about corporate yoga training; all you need is the standard 200-hour yoga teacher training limit and you’re good to go.
Nonetheless, there are some slight differences between the corporate classes and teaching yoga in a studio. The people here most likely will have different levels of experience with yoga. some may need a little more guidance than others. Either way, don’t leave out anyone; ensure everyone gets the most out of every yoga session.
Is Any Paperwork Needed Before You Start Corporate Yoga?
Yes, there are a couple of things you’ll need to have before you venture into corporate yoga. these include:
The 1099 tax form
This will only apply to residents living in the USA. What a tax form does is to report various types of income such as freelance occupations inclusive of which is corporate yoga. the last thing you’d want is to be on the wrong side of the law.
Statement of work
A statement of work is a document that outlines the timeline, deliverables, and activities that you will be provided in the corporate workspace. One critical thing to include in the contract is the mode and means of payment. Just to be safe, ensure that the terms of the document state that you get paid by the company directly.
A resume
Just like any other job position, having a resume when searching for clients sets you apart from the other teachers. Resumes make you appear more professional which in turn makes you fit in a professional setting and stand out from the competition.
Liability insurance
Anything could happen with corporate yoga and as such, you must cover yourself in case there is a lawsuit.
How Should You Set Up Your Corporate Yoga Space?
Last but not least, you must be creative enough to be able to work with what you have. Depending on the estimated average number of employees per session, you should know what furniture to move around in the office and be able to ensure there is enough lighting.
Additionally, whether or not you can be able to play music during your sessions should be accounted for in which case you might need a Bluetooth speaker. The same goes for the other accessories that could make your sessions engaging and helpful to your students.
Final Verdict
Undoubtedly, teaching yoga in a corporate setting can be rewarding, you just have to know the right thing to do. Thankfully, from the much we have looked at, this shouldn’t be a problem.
At the end of the day, it’s important to realize the difference between corporate yoga and giving lessons in a studio. In addition to this, you should engage every student and adapt accordingly depending on the different professional settings and audiences.
All in all, how to teach corporate yoga should be quite clear now. All the best!!