THE HUMAN TOUCH
BY ABBE M. GONCHARSKY
Keeping it clean in the Spa:
Preventing and Addressing Claims
of Harassment and Retaliation
PEacE. TraNqUILITy. hEaLING.
Guests and therapists come to the spa for many reasons, but almost
never with the idea that they may encounter harassment. yet spa
experiences are often one-on-one, behind closed doors, and guests are
not fully dressed during all treatments. This allows for a relaxing,
restorative experience—or allows an individual (guest or employee) an
opportunity to behave in a manner outside the expectations of the spa
ownership and leadership.
as a further complication, many spas do not have a designated
human resource professional on staff. The business instead relies on
the owner and/or office manager to oversee complaints of harassment
and other employee relations issues, along with other day-to-day tasks.
This has the potential to overwhelm the responsible party and lead to
mistakes and omissions that could have been prevented or minimized if
identified earlier.
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PULSE
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march 2019