Corporate Yoga Classes: How to Get Started and What to Expect

Corporate classes are nothing new. Big companies have been moving into improving the work-life balance of their employees since the early 2000s. Multinational establishments try to ensure that their employees have appropriate rest and leisure in order to perform at their best and reinforce company loyalty. Clubs are opened for different interests from weekend photography excursions to 5k fun runs and yoga classes for sportier types. This is where we come in. How do we get in on this avenue of teaching? Is it only through personal connections and referrals? It helps but it doesn’t mean that you can’t acquire a corporate yoga posting without having a friend on the inside. 

Corporate yoga classes do not only mean new clients, it’s also exposure for your brand in an out-of-studio setting making this a great opportunity to branch out. In 2019, I started teaching yoga in Banco Santander (a Spanish bank). While it was through a friend that got me in the door, I also asked her what it would take for a yoga teacher without connections to break into this type of clientele. Her answer was simple. Let the company know you exist. Which is what we’ll discuss today. In this article, we will show you how to present yourself as a corporate yoga instructor, and some of the things that you might expect as you start this path in your career. 

How to tap into the corporate yoga sector? 

There are many ways to get into teaching corporate yoga. You can either offer your services yourself by writing cover letters and proposals, look into corporate yoga job listings, expand your network by word-of-mouth referrals, use a platform or agency for corporate yoga to place you in a company, and if you’re a yoga studio, you can integrate with a corporate wellness platform like gym pass to get access to more than 20 large companies–although these platforms may take a cut from your normal rate even in a personal training capacity. In Canada and the United States, you have agencies like Innergy that can give you a job posting in California or Arizona while Canada has more widespread options. In the UK, you have Stretching the City which offers a wide variety of wellness services to large companies. For this article, we will focus on writing out your proposals and cover letters as it is the aspect of this process we have control over. 

Every journey is almost never a straight line. Let it take you where you need to be.

What type of yoga will you bring into the company? 

Clearly define the type of classes you’ll be teaching so the company will know what to expect. Whether you are a yoga studio or an individual teacher, it all starts with a detailed description of your offer. Going through this process also helps you in branding yourself as well as marketing your services whether it’s in the wellness sector in general or corporate yoga. Start with the basics. Introduce yourself–Who are you and what style of yoga do you teach? Define the type or types of yoga you have under your belt. How do your yogis benefit from this style of yoga? When you answer all of these questions, use them to create your proposal for different companies. What will this proposal cover? Including all of the above; The schedule and class duration that is ideal for the company and for you, the type of worker you’d prefer to be hired as (subcontractor, independent contractor or employee). You can present this as your proposal and put it up as a page on your website. Still, feeling a bit overwhelmed? Check out Swiss yoga teacher Karen KurzMeyer. She made an amazing website that shares all the necessary information to go into corporate yoga. 

Know your going rate

According to companies like Yoga Nomads and Yoga Netherlands, the average rates go from at least 50€-200€. You can have different payment plans set up so you know what you want to negotiate for. While this is the going rate, it helps to get to know the average prices in your city for corporate yoga and private clients or personal training. Usually, there will be at least 3-5 upper-level individuals who will ask for private classes because of their busy schedules. Have your prices set up for that too. Prepare for the worst but also for success.

Get ready to write proposals 

As we’ve said above, reaching out to the company of your choice is the aspect of this process that you can control. So take charge by creating your proposal and marketing it. It could be as simple as a flyer (although I wouldn’t recommend this as a first contact option), a small presentation to be emailed with a cover letter, or a featured page on your website for you to advertise on social media as well as your email list. Companies need to know you exist via direct or indirect contact. 

Be flexible, Prepared, and Camera-ready 

Let’s say that after going through the first contact process, you land a couple of offers or interviews with a company. Here are some things you can expect: companies will ask you about your availability and capacity to teach online and live. Most buildings will have their covid protocols set up and operate at half capacity or less. This means that half of the employees work from home while the other half work in the building. You will need to have your equipment ready to go for online classes in case you are called for a virtual posting. Another situation that can arise are hybrid classes wherein your live classes are filmed so that out-of-office clients feel a sense of connection with their colleagues and teacher. A tripod, camera, phone, or tablet with good video capability might be necessary. The point is, be ready for any situation you’ll be called for. 

Be patient and work with what you have

Getting started is never easy. You can feel lost, overwhelmed, it will cross your mind to think of a plan b. More so, as you are writing proposals and your marketing campaign – you will doubt yourself. Just keep at it. Advertise it through social media, LinkedIn, or any platform of your choosing. Connect with other professionals that are already in the corporate wellness world. See how they handle this side of their business. Eventually, people will recognize you and you will eventually connect with the right people. Maybe in ways that you have planned for, or maybe something totally different but equally wonderful. Every journey is almost never a straight line. Let it take you where you need to be. 

Recap time! There are 2 ways to get your foot in the door of corporate yoga: direct or indirect contact. The second one will involve a platform or agency to integrate with. The primary one will include some work on your part but you will have control over the professional relationships you build. Write detailed proposals and market them. Whether on your website, a platform, or sending them out, all methods of putting yourself out there are good. Know the average rates but you also need to know your worth and your price. Factor all your efforts because all of it matters. Be prepared for all possible job postings online, live, or both. Be open to private classes. You’ll never know how success will look for you. Finally, stick to it. Go through your steps, work this part of your career well, let people know you exist. They will call you for the job.