Author and workplace belonging expert Adam “ Smiley ” Poswolsky will lead the Pre-Conference Talent Talk next month when members meet in Las Vegas for the 2023 ISPA Conference .

PULSE : How does human connection play a role in attracting and retaining the industry ’ s best talent ? SMILEY POSWOLSKY : In the wake of the pandemic and the shift to hybrid work , the vast majority of employees — 70 percent — feel disconnected from their coworkers . That has led to the highest levels of employee disengagement ever recorded . In such a competitive labor market , companies have an incredible opportunity to make human connection a core part of how they attract and retain the spa industry ’ s top talent . Eighty-five percent of employees would be motivated to come into the office if they could socialize with co-workers or rebuild team bonds . Not to mention , 80 percent of Gen-Z and Millennial employees are looking to connect in-person with sen-

24 PULSE ⁿ APRIL 2023