Sarah Klebo of Fitness Formula Clubs: Fostering Meaningful Connection in the Workplace
- Origami Works Foundation
- 1 minute ago
- 8 min read
Sarah Klebo
Director of Human Resources
Fitness Formula Clubs
As Director of Human Resources at Chicago-based Fitness Formula Clubs (FFC), Sarah Klebo's dedication to both fitness and the success of others is evident. FFC distinguishes itself as a luxury gym, offering members the latest fitness innovations, valuable career pathways for staff, and a welcoming community. Continue reading to learn about how a recent initiative, powered by FFC's 12+ year partnership with their workforce development partner, Cara Collective, has significantly boosted retention among frontline team members.
What is your role at Fitness Formula Clubs (FFC)? What brought you to this position?
I am the Director of Human Resources. As a lifelong athlete, I’ve always pursued fitness in my personal life and even professionally as a personal trainer. This role continues to excite me as it represents a marriage made in heaven between Human Resources and fitness.
What was your educational path like? Did it mirror that of your family?
I went to a traditional four-year college to earn my bachelor's degree, and three years later, I returned to school to complete a master’s program. I became the first person in my family to obtain a Master’s degree.
Who have been your primary mentors while progressing in your career?
My mom was my first and most influential mentor. As a single mother, she steadily grew her career, continuously advancing until she retired. While times have changed, her guidance remains invaluable.
Over the years, I haven't had just one consistent mentor. As I’ve moved through different jobs, I’ve naturally latched onto different people whose experience I saw that I could learn from. That approach has been incredibly helpful along the way.
What have been the keys to your success?
Keep learning. I approach each new situation with the mindset that I know nothing and use that as a launchpad to learn more. Staying fluid and continuously learning allows me to be nimble, especially now when technology is changing rapidly and frequently.
What is FFC hoping to achieve in the next few years?
Our goal in the next few years is to ensure that our staff are better utilizing our internal FFC University, where employees can gain a nationally accredited certification in one of three programs: yoga, Pilates, or personal training. This plan allows team members (including our frontline) to pursue careers in fitness at a significantly lower rate than attaining these certifications independently.
Ultimately, our goal is to encourage employee development. We want to help more employees get certified so that they can grow their careers within the fitness industry, whether they stay with FFC or not.
What are examples of entry level jobs at FFC?
We are proud to share that our frontline team is the largest, youngest, and most racially diverse group at FFC. These essential roles include Front Desk Attendants, who welcome and assist members at our clubs and spas; Housekeepers, who ensure a clean and well-maintained environment; Cafe Attendants, who prepare nutritious food; and Child Care Attendants, who provide dedicated care for members' children.
Tell me about your partnership with Cara Collective.
We work with Cara to source talent for our entry level roles. Their office is conveniently located across from our headquarters. Between their proximity and the tremendous support that they provide, Cara is truly an exceptional partner. While challenges occasionally arise, we work through them with the team at Cara, frequently sharing feedback and working collaboratively to support team members. Our relationship, which has been in place for over 12 years, continues to flourish and extends beyond recruiting.
How long does it take between contacting Cara and having someone employed?
Due to our longstanding partnership with Cara, it’s pretty quick. If the available shifts line up with an applicant’s availability, we can get a candidate interviewed and hired in a week, but two weeks is more typical.
Can you give me an example of an employee you hired from Cara who really worked out well?
Just last year, we saw the retirement of a former Cara participant and our dear friend, Mike Gorrell. Mike started with FFC in 2013 as a housekeeper. After 11 successful years, he retired as the Membership Director. Mike’s story shows how it is possible to progress from an entry level position to a managerial role, earning a salary, commission, and benefits.
Do you have an example of an employee you hired from Cara who did not work out? What was the issue?
There are times when the cultural norms of some of our employees do not align with the professional expectations of our team members. To address this, we regularly reinforce communication standards. Recently, we encountered a situation where a Cara participant was interacting in a way that felt natural to them but was incongruent with FFC's standards. Our partnership with Cara was invaluable while navigating this situation and others like it. Their support allows us to involve coaches when employees face difficulties, ensuring that participants receive the guidance they need.
We discovered that compensation is not the only factor employees value. Workplace connection plays a significant role in retention. This realization made it clear that we needed to engage with our frontline team more.
On the other hand, there are occasions when employees face enduring personal challenges that remain unresolved despite coaching and support from our team and Cara’s. In a handful of cases, we have let employees go because even with support, we are not able to reach a successful outcome
What are the biggest challenges you face in retaining employees?
Naturally, FFC’s frontline roles tend to be transitional or entry level, and staff retention for these positions tends to be about 18 months before advancing to other opportunities. Additionally, frontline team members earn entry level wages, so we are working hard to stay competitive in more than just monetary ways.
How did you get involved in Generation Work?
In 2023, we identified significant retention challenges among our frontline staff. This impacted our ability to meet our members' needs. Team members were frequently calling out unexpectedly, and like many organizations following the pandemic, our staffing levels were low. Managers often had to step in to cover frontline responsibilities, which
limited their ability to perform their duties.
During a discussion with one of our partners at Cara, they recommended that we participate in an upcoming Generation Work Cohort.
Generation Work was launched by the Annie E. Casey Foundation and National Fund as an initiative dedicated to positioning young people, particularly employees of color, for success in the workplace. Business leaders participating in the Chicago program take part in a cohort of experts and other companies to launch a pilot centered around inclusive hiring and building a more resilient workplace. Chicago’s Generation Work Cohort is a collaborative effort between the Corporate Coalition of Chicago, Chicagoland Workforce Funder Alliance, and Cara Plus.
This experience was game-changing, providing valuable insights and strategies that significantly improved our retention efforts. We discovered that compensation is not the only factor employees value. Workplace connection plays a significant role in retention. This realization made it clear that we needed to engage with our frontline team more. And if they only stay for 18 months, we’re okay with that, as long as they feel engaged and supported during that time.
What advice do you have for employers that want to participate in a Peer Network experience like the Generation Work Cohort?
I suggest a few key considerations when setting out on a project like this. Get clear about how much time is expected of your team. We didn't initially realize how much time we would need to invest, but the results proved to be incredibly worthwhile.
Our experience with Generation Work was truly transformational. By comparing retention rates for the targeted population before and after training, we found a remarkable 20% increase.
Additionally, it’s essential to ensure that whatever initiative you pursue aligns with the company’s strategic objectives. For us, we were able to find alignment with a hospitality initiative introduced by our CEO. We realized that we couldn't expect our frontline team to provide five-star service if they were not being engaged themselves. By addressing both topics simultaneously, we were able to demonstrate the value of the project and justify the need for its implementation.
Were there specific policies or practices that you employed to increase retention following your participation in the Generation Work Cohort?
We provided training to all 60 department heads and general managers in the company. The training entailed a six-hour course followed by three follow-up sessions over three months. The entire experience challenged our team to be vulnerable as they learned new information about themselves, and how to create psychological safety and emotional connection in the workplace. The entire training experience changed our team in a good way. The increased engagement with staff naturally resulted in team members having more connections at all levels of the organization.
As a company, we want to attract the best employees; the people who show up to work on time, and who give it their all regardless of what position they're in. We want the best, and the best come from everywhere and anywhere.
After the training, leaders adopted a simple yet highly effective practice from Generation Work called 3x3s. With this approach, leaders select three team members each day and engage in three brief but intentional conversations. Throughout the day, they find moments to ask meaningful questions such as, 'How is your day going?', 'Is there anything I can do to support you?', or 'How was your weekend?'. This practice fosters connection, encouraging natural conversation and helping both parties discover shared experiences and common ground.
Our experience with Generation Work was truly transformational. By comparing retention rates for the targeted population before and after training, we found a remarkable 20% increase.
Is there any advice that you would share with other employers who are looking to engage with the workforce development system?
It is important for employers to treat talent that is hired from a workforce development or community partner the same as talent that is hired from another source. While we recognize that some people will need support to reach their goals, we don’t differentiate them in our systems or treat them in a way that could show bias. On the contrary, hiring from community partners often allows us to make more objective hiring decisions.
I encourage all companies, especially those with frontline positions, like restaurants or other fitness clubs, to partner with workforce development and community partners whenever they have the opportunity to do so. The connection results in a win for all involved. Partnering with these organizations allows our company to create an inclusive work environment and provide development opportunities for our team members.
Participating in the Generation Work Cohort has significantly expanded our network, allowing us to build strong, meaningful relationships. Now, whenever we encounter a challenge or need guidance, we have access to multiple resources for support, which has been incredible. Even after two years, we continue to experience the benefits of this engagement.
Why is working with entry level talent from Cara important to you personally?
I love to see our employees succeed. It is incredibly satisfying to see people believe in themselves enough to overcome massive life challenges. Once that happens, the sky's the limit. As a company, we want to attract the best employees; the people who show up to work on time, and who give it their all regardless of what position they're in. We want the best, and the best come from everywhere and anywhere.
Interviewed by Austin Morales-Sanchez on April 22, 2025 | Written by Misha Williams