P : Speaking of recruiting , there seems to be an increased focus on bringing more people into the spa industry ’ s talent pipeline . In your view , what will it take to accomplish that goal ? K : I really think it needs to be a grassroots effort . I think you need to get into the high schools so that they can understand what the wellness industry is about . I think you have to then go into the colleges , inviting [ those students ] into your establishment so they can smell and feel and experience what a spa is like . More than ever , the younger generation knows that wellness is going to have to be a very proactive part of their life , and if they understand that , they can have a career in it .
I had a 16 year-old that just reached out to me this week , and she said ,‘ Jean , I really like all things wellness — can we go to lunch so I can understand what types of careers I could have within the wellness industry ?’” She has no clue , she just knows that she likes to be active , she ’ s physical , she ’ s competitive , she eats organic — all of that — and she wonders ,‘ Is there a career in there for me somewhere ? We need to start educating and forming those relationships with high schools and with colleges , attending job fairs and all of that . And I know that it takes an awful lot of effort , but you could very well have your next spa director sitting in front of you , asking those types of questions .
P : And once they ’ re onboard , what can leaders do , aside from what you ’ ve already mentioned , to cultivate a work environment that leads to increased retention ? K : As leaders , we need to set the example that there can be a work-life balance . We ’ re preaching that to our guests , that it ’ s not selfish when we take care of ourselves so we can take care of others , and that ’ s incredibly critical . Yet ,
what we see in leaders is that they ’ re working 80 hours a week , they ’ re not eating right , they ’ re highly stressed — and that ’ s what [ employees ] are seeing in us . We need to make sure we are setting that example , that they too can have that balance in the spa industry . You can say ,“ I need you to make sure you ’ re taking time off ,” and “ I need you to recharge ,” but if you ’ re not doing it , they ’ re not going to believe you . They ’ re going to think ,‘ Oh , she ’ s in the office 12 hours a day , so I need to be in the office 12 hours a day .’
Later in my career , I was very good at the whole work-life balance thing , but not early in my career . I wish I would have had a mentor who showed me that I could [ have that balance ] and still be successful . Wanting that balance doesn ’ t mean that Generation Z doesn ’ t have a strong work ethic . They have a strong work ethic , but when they ’ re at work , they ’ re at work , and when they ’ re at play , they ’ re at play . And boy , we could all learn a lot from that .” n
“ As leaders , we need to set the example that there can be a work-life balance . We ’ re preaching that to our guests , that it ’ s not selfish when we take care of ourselves so we can take care of others , and that ’ s incredibly critical . Yet , what we see in leaders is that they ’ re working 80 hours a week , they ’ re not eating right , they ’ re highly stressed — and that ’ s what [ employees ] are seeing in us .”
32 PULSE ■ AUGUST 2021