Staff To Scale: Build resilient teams and grow with confidence

Growing a franchise can be tricky. As a franchise owner, the goal is to add locations, which helps attract new customers while driving growth. However, that requires a strong team. If you’re not paying attention to your team, things can spiral fast, stunting growth. 

I began my journey as a franchisee more than a decade ago. Today, in my role as vice president of people development and a multi-unit owner across a growing franchise system, I’ve learned that how you hire, train, and support your staff can make all the difference when it comes to scaling a business and ensuring long-term success. 

Your employees aren’t just completing tasks. They set the tone for the culture, driving results while shaping the customer experience. Holding regular one-on-one meetings and listening to staff ideas build trust and develop a sense of ownership and responsibility. When workers feel supported, they stay. And they do it for the right reasons, not just a paycheck. 

Warning signs 

If stress becomes a common takeaway from those one-on-one sessions, it could be an important warning sign. When team members feel overwhelmed, it can signal that it is time to add staff or delegate responsibilities. That is why it is crucial to keep an active recruiting pipeline. In many franchise businesses, some of the strongest candidates already have a relationship with the brand, whether as customers, members, or referrals. 

I am always interviewing because even when the team feels strong, the right person can come along at any time with the potential to grow within the system or become a franchise owner. Showing candidates a clear path to advancement (and, in some cases, ownership) helps attract and retain motivated team members. 

Ownership and results 

It’s imperative to track performance metrics. Technology has made it easier than ever to gather and assess data. I like to assign each team member ownership over a specific element of the franchised business, from new memberships and retention to daily operations. Empowering workers with clear roles and a sense of responsibility enhances accountability and strengthens the team while improving morale. It helps to have a stake in the game. When the staff knows it plays a measurable role in results, the workplace takes on a more collaborative spirit. 

Strategic hiring 

Finding great workers who stay can be a challenge. It helps to know where to look. Sometimes, the best fit is already in-house and familiar with the brand. Sharing a clear vision for growth that includes the potential for advancement can provide inspiration and hope that trickles down to the daily member experience. While platforms like Indeed or Facebook can help fill job openings quickly, recruiting from within can deliver qualified employees who stick around and grow. 

Training and development 

Regular coaching and professional growth opportunities help foster a collaborative spirit while ensuring workers are personally invested. Consistency is a franchising hallmark. Ongoing training helps ensure that standards don’t slip as the business grows and that customers continue to receive the experience they expect. It’s not easy to build a culture where a feeling of engagement thrives. Instilling a sense of ownership in each employee will go a long way toward establishing culture while retaining qualified workers. 

Reevaluate benefits 

The Great Resignation hit franchises hard in terms of staff retention, which is why it’s important to make sure workers feel invested. Benefits are part of that equation, but there’s more. While providing adequate healthcare is important, educating workers on the importance and long-term benefits of savings options like 401(k) plans or Roth IRAs will have a tangible impact on retention. Beyond the financial considerations, investing in personal growth builds better, happier workers. People stay when they feel valued and supported, which can pay dividends when scaling a business for long-term success. 

Growth mistakes 

The road to franchise growth isn’t without the occasional pothole. One mistake I see owners make is trying to do too much all at once. Focus on a few important initiatives, whether it’s improving equipment, updating training protocols, or delivering efficient daily operations. Losing staff? That could indicate a leadership gap as much as a budgeting issue. Taking the time to properly develop, train, and support a team will prevent turnover while delivering sustainable growth. 

Shared stories  

Employees who feel engaged stay, so it’s important to share your team’s stories and celebrate their achievements. Real experiences resonate more than any memo or email ever could. And active listening, coupled with the ability to adapt, is an invaluable way to invest in people, ultimately building a workplace where loyal, engaged employees consistently deliver a high-quality guest experience while enabling scaling of the business. 

Growing a franchise is about a lot more than just hitting the numbers. At the end of the day, it’s about people, whether they work for you or frequent your business. Placing a focus on putting a properly trained team in place will take franchise owners far, and delivering benefits that matter will help you hold on to that team. Once that’s in place, growth, retention, and long-term success will follow.

Mike Orwig is a multi-unit franchise owner with more than a decade of experience in franchise growth and operations. He serves as vice president of people development at Fitness Premier, where he focuses on hiring, training, and leadership development to support scalable, sustainable growth across the system.