“ Whereas a performance review may implicitly put employees in a position to consider only what they might do to improve their work performance , a stay interview attempts to determine what you , as a leader in your business , can do to make it a great place for the employee to work .”
only what they might do to improve their work performance , a stay interview attempts to determine what you , as a leader in your business , can do to make it a great place for the employee to work . Stay interviews should also occur more frequently ( three to four times per year ) and be far less formal than performance reviews . Think of them as ongoing conversations where the goal is to be as good a listener as it ’ s possible to be .
Consider SHRM ’ s suggested statements for opening a stay interview :
“ I would like to talk with you about the reasons you stay with [ Company Name ] so I understand what I might be able to do to make this a great place to work for you .”
“ I ’ d like to have an informal talk with you to find out how the job is going so I can do my best to support you as your manager , particularly with issues within my control .”
In both examples , the emphasis is entirely on communicating a desire to create a work environment that not only helps the employee produce great work but also offers them opportunities for growth and gives them a chance to utilize skills that may otherwise go to waste under existing circumstances . The language reflects the supportiveness of the manager and asks for honest feedback , which reflects the psychologically safe context in which these conversations should be conducted .
What comes after the stay interview is just as important . End on a positive note by summarizing the conversation and taking time to create a “ stay plan ” that lays out how both manager and employee will work to address any concerns and create a more supportive , engaging work environment .
NO TIME TO WASTE We ’ ve established the “ who ,”“ why ,” “ what ” and “ how ” of stay interviews , but it ’ s important to also understand when these interviews should be conducted . My advice : don ’ t wait around for potential issues to crop up to begin the stay interview routine . Once you have taken steps to determine the psychological safety levels of your team and established a plan for conducting the interviews themselves , go ahead and begin the process with existing employees . Be open about your plan and why you think it ’ s important . Solicit feedback from your team and hit the ground running . There ’ s no time like the present to improve the atmosphere at your spa or in your company .
Don ’ t wait around with new hires either . I recommend conducting stay interviews 30 , 60 and 90 days into a new employee ’ s tenure . We know that attrition rates are highest in the first three to six months of employment , but by conducting stay interviews during those early days , you can establish a commitment to the success of your new hire and significantly reduce the likelihood that you ’ ll need to go through the hiring process all over again a few months down the road .
There is no magic wand that spa industry leaders can wave to make every employee love their jobs , but stay interviews can be a powerful tool for creating the kinds of workplaces that everyone from a locker room attendant to a lead massage therapist is eager to be — and remain — a part of . Think about what it would mean for your business if every employee felt that way . The most effective employee retention strategy has two parts- recruitment and retention . It ’ s about filling the bucket with the best talent and plugging the bucket to make there aren ’ t any leaks .
Think about what it would mean for our industry . Quite a vision , huh ? Let ’ s do everything we can to turn it into a reality . Because we never want to hear an echo of the Clash ’ s battle cry off in the distance . Let ’ s keep that on the dancefloor where it belongs . n
ERIC STEPHENSON is co-founder of imassage , Inc . where he creates customized spa practitioner continuing education focused on career longevity and injury prevention . He specializes in teaching Deep Tissue Massage that does not harm the therapist or the guest . Eric also serves as Chief Wellness Officer for Elements Massage , one of the largest massage providers of massage therapy in the country . He is a past member of the ISPA Board of Directors . Contact Eric at eric @ imassageinc . com .
EDITOR ’ S NOTE : to learn more about the concepts discussed in this article , visit SHRM . org or rework . withgoogle . com .
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