Good help is hard to find.

As the last in a long line of business owners and entrepreneurs, I’ve heard this groaning at plenty of Thanksgiving dinners. Perhaps the answer is as close as your nearest CrossFit Affiliate. Here are my top 5 reasons why I’d hire a CrossFit employee any day of the week:

1. CrossFit Employees are coachable.

For coaches, safety and efficiency are valued over everything. In excellent CrossFit affiliates worldwide everyday, you’ll hear coaches telling their athletes “try it this way”, “knock it off”, “step on the gas”, and “here’s a better way to do it”. There is an inherent respect for a worthwhile coach and desire to improve. The CrossFit employee trusts that the coach’s only job is to make them better – safely and efficiently. This routine practice of coaching carries over into the workplace. “You can do it a little better” isn’t an attack – it’s coaching.

2. The hardest part of the day is over.

Every CrossFitter knows that the WOD they either completed before work or will complete after will be a physically and mentally demanding task. There are obvious physiological benefits to regulating stress hormones through appropriately-intense workouts. But, the intangible “I got this” is something routinely practiced inside the CrossFit gym. No task is insurmountable if you begin to chip away.

3. Healthy Employees

This may be the “duh” point, but it’s worth driving home for the thousandth time. Healthcare costs are rising and chronic lifestyle diseases are the clear culprit. Employers have squarely positioned themselves as the primary payers of disease care. This system will break. Not if – but when – it breaks, employers will need to assume the responsibility of prevention. CrossFitters are a community of people all looking toward prevention, optimization, and health.

4. They’re Social

In most every affiliate worldwide, you’ll see regular community activities, charitable events, and support systems. One thing CrossFit has done an exceptional job of is connecting people. Instead of the typical gym experience of earbuds in, ignoring others, and mean-mugging someone using your equipment, CrossFit gyms dish out regular high-fives and good vibes. If you’re looking for a wellness or fitness ambassador to help turn around the culture of your organization – find the CrossFit member.

5. They understand progression

One of the many reasons that people who join an affiliate stick around for so long is progression. Things like Muscle-Ups, Handstand Push Ups, and Ring Dips take a long time to achieve and an even longer time to master. Every good coach will progress athletes through appropriate scaling options with an eye toward sustainable athletic development. Just as no employee is going from intern to C-Suite, no CrossFitter is going from intro to the Games. CrossFitters understand there’s a lifetime of athletic and fitness development ahead of them. They enjoy the journey and work their hardest every day.

I’m not suggesting you go hold a recruiting fair at your nearest affiliate, but it’s certainly worthwhile to begin asking around your local affiliates for interns, corporate wellness programs, and other team-building events that may benefit your organization. The livelihood of a successful affiliate relies on their ability to provide meaningful relationships and promote health – both things from which any organization could benefit.