would look like , asking questions like , “ How do we approach physical touch in a touch-free world ?” While many of us were still in denial that the pandemic would have any significant long-term impact , I saw a video where a therapist massaged a guest with a glove on the end of a broom handle ; the visual provided a nice laugh , but the implications of the joke were legitimately heavy , at least for us spa professionals . In other sectors within the hospitality space , the guest experience is primarily centered on emotional connection . But , regardless of what type of spa or fitness environment you own , oversee or work within , wellness professionals pursue service to and connectivity with guests through emotional engagement and through the power of touch . We ’ re unique in that way .
So , naturally , when the pandemic dictated that spa-goers could no longer connect physically with therapists and fitness athletes were displaced from their gyms , the future of the physical component of our work began to feel incompatible with the world around us . But our industry — one made up of healers and artists and individuals fueled by passion — remained hopeful , and creativity set in . Even as difficult questions lingered , our passion bred adaptability , and the industry changed with the rest of the world .
Ultimately , spas and salons , fitness facilities and other wellness spaces reopened . Technologies and processes were developed and implemented to support changes that proved vital to the framework our businesses . In many cases , services and amenities were limited , occupancies were restricted , and the spa parking lot became the new retrieval lounge . But underlying these adaptations was a distressing realization — the limitations we put in place to minimize human contact and keep guests safe quickly became the very same reasons they needed contact and connectivity most .
Our collective well-being was tested , and it became apparent to many that the global wellness industry was equipped to provide resources that may have been undervalued or even unknown prior to the pandemic . We saw evidence of this in the growth of home care through rising retail sales , an increase in at-home fitness and skin care solutions and the availability of virtual mindfulness and meditation practices .
Now , the same causes that drove people to approximate spa and fitness experiences in their homes seem to have driven them back through our doors at an astounding rate . With many pandemic-related restrictions removed , we ’ re inching closer to normalcy , and many businesses have seen an immediate increase in spa volumes and revenues . What was initially thought of as ‘ pent-up demand ’ seems to be more than that , with evidence suggesting that many people have developed a greater awareness of the world of wellness , leading to these rising figures .
It ’ s hard not to appreciate the growth our industry is seeing , and after everything we ’ ve been through , we should appreciate it . But it ’ s also critical that we don ’ t lose sight of what got us through our darkest days . We must stay engaged and focus on what the industry needs most to support the change we ’ ve seen . The present and future of our industry rests , in my view , on three pillars : leadership , service and education . Below are a few examples of ways we can leverage each of those to help us reach our full potential :
1 . To lead in wellness , we must live in wellness . We first must accept the responsibility that leadership requires . Regardless of your role , understand that you and those around you play a critical position in what defines this industry . As service professionals , support staff , business owners or leadership , we must be committed to the ongoing evolution of our business . Now , more than ever , our communities need alignment in mind and body , and we are the gatekeepers of what the future holds . That is a tremendous opportunity ! At the same time , we must acknowledge that we can ’ t take care of others unless we can first take care of ourselves . Practice mindfulness , and be aware of how you can be better today than you were yesterday . This will serve to propel our industry as a whole .
“ Business practices such as reduced scheduling or sacrificing product quality to lessen cost per treatment might be healthy for the margins , but they could also be detrimental to the guest experience .”
APRIL 2022 • PULSE 53