staffers walk together in a yearly charity walk to raise
money for travelers in distress. “There’s a lot of
camaraderie,” according to ah Sam, which improves
retention. Staff who stay for years and years develop
strong bonds with recurring customers, which then leads
to exceptional service: “we have therapists who will come
in on a day off to provide a service for a guest that they
know from prior visits,” ah Sam says. in that way,
Kahala’s strong company culture is directly linked to a
world-class guest experience.
The Kahala also offers a number of benefits and perks
to employees, including complimentary meals for staff—
a benefit that the vast majority of employees take
advantage of, according to ah Sam. The company also
pays for its employees’ health insurance premiums.
although perks like these may not be feasible for every
spa, the core idea is widely applicable: thinking outside
the box to reward your employees creates a happier,
more positive culture in the spa.
Lastly, ah Sam notes that “good communication is
absolutely key to a good culture,” especially when it
reinforces other unique aspects of the spa’s culture. for
example, ah Sam strives for the spa to have a “local
hawaiian” culture and attitude; appropriately, each
weekly employee newsletter features a cultural hawaiian
phrase, picked out by the resort’s cultural advisor, that
employees are encourage to learn, understand and use to
guide their workplace attitude.
Prioritizing Culture from the Start
of course, there’s only so much that one can do to build a
culture on their own. To create a strong spa culture that
drives bottom-line success, you have to find people who
fit the right mold and will contribute positively to the
culture from day one, rather than being a drain on a
workplace’s energy.