Diversity, Accessibility, and Inclusion in Yoga
Situation:
In light of recent events regarding issues of social justice in the United States, our client was motivated to make a concerted effort to recruit a more diverse workforce in their yoga studio. The yoga industry struggles with this diversity problem as a whole, as it is largely dominated by white females, and industry leaders are working to make the necessary changes along with our client.
Challenge:
Given the economic climate created by COVID-19, our client is not yet in the financial position to hire new and diverse instructors, but they wanted to waste no time in enacting change within the company to support all members of their community and workforce. They already had several initiatives in action, but they lacked the appropriate marketing strategy to share their progress with current and future students.
Approach:
Our team put together a three-point action plan for Yoga Heights to target inclusivity, accessibility, and diversity in its studios.
Phase 1: Inclusivity is composed of action items the client can begin tackling immediately and implementing consistently over time. This includes recommendations for sharing their D&I initiatives via online, ways to incentivize students to try diverse class offerings, and strategy for strengthening company culture.
Phase 2: Accessibility consists of secondary action items that can be rolled out starting in September-October 2020. These changes will require more planning and include a restructuring of class schedules as well as Pay-it-forward pricing.
Phase 3: Diversity is a series of suggestions for how to recruit diverse yoga instructors, including outreach outlets, internal candidate referral, and interview questions. These resources are meant to be utilized once the client has the means to support further recruitment, as their new hires’ work satisfaction and overall financial standing must be prioritized.
Using our expertise in D&I, we also provided socially conscious messaging for the client to include in their social media posts, website, and communications with both employees and customers.
Impact:
With the help of Rem and Company, our client is now equipped with a detailed plan for developing a more diverse, inclusive, equitable, accessible, and socially just organization. Beyond this, they are prepared to market their new and exciting initiatives accordingly. We look forward to seeing these results develop in the coming weeks, months, and years.
Team Breakdown:
Team Lead: Malorie Lipstein
Strategist: Alyssa Fletcher
Strategist: Dana Lustig
Strategist: Sydney Watson
Relevant Background Information
Cohort: Summer 2020
Business Type: Yoga Studio
Industry: Fitness
Location: Washington, D.C.
At Rem and Company, we're on a mission to keep doors open and dreams alive. Rem and Company started as a social impact initiative offering free consulting services to small businesses impacted by COVID-19. Rem and Company has become an information hub and digital community platform for small businesses in need. At Rem and Company, small businesses stay up to date on trends in their industries, learn new approaches from peers, build a network, and develop the capacity to adapt as the world around them changes. Our consulting teams provide small businesses with the opportunity to identify and prioritize issues facing their business, propose innovative strategies and facilitate execution. If you are a small business owner and want to learn more about how we can help, request a free consultation.