“ I think that people who are in the spa space as a career have a passion for helping people , making their days brighter . This has been brought home more during this year — I think the pandemic has focused attention on helping people .”
— FREDERICK DE MICCO , Professor , Northern Arizona University derive great meaning from a profession that enriches its clients ’ physical employer is an environment of caring
one value she ’ ll look for in a future
and mental health .“ There is so much for one ’ s staff and colleagues .“ My value in helping people relax and ideal workplace is one where all the manage their stress in healthy ways ,” employees work together and help Vargas says , adding that she hopes “ to each other ,” Liu comments .“ They find an employer that truly cares have great empathy . Salary is not my about others .” first concern . I really don ’ t care too
Caring about others goes both much about the salary or the hours . ways , too : Liu says that the number What I care about is whether I am
Regional Differences
THE PANDEMIC HAS CREATED WILDLY DIFFERENT labor market dynamics across the United States , largely due to differences in local business restrictions . In California — where spas were still largely shut down at the time of the interview — Bellus Academy has a shortage of spas looking to hire recent graduates . This job shortage is further exacerbated by backups in state licensing due to the shutdown of non-essential government services throughout 2020 , according to Joanne Berry : “ The number one setback we have right now is state boards . With everything being closed down [ last year ], there ’ s a huge backlog with anything government based . California is at least six months backed up right now .” In California , then , expect difficulties hiring recent graduates for much of 2021 . Instead , consider offering internships to recent graduates while they wait for their exam date .
In contrast , Bill Booker notes that Lexington Healing Arts Academy has employers practically knocking down its doors in Kentucky , where spas have been open since June of 2020 : “ We ’ ve seen more employers scrambling for therapists and graduates . It had been that way already , but it seems even more so as the year played out .” In areas where spas have long been reopened , it seems that the industry ’ s existing labor shortages have been exacerbated by COVID-19 . This is perhaps due to spa workers who were laid off in early 2020 being unable to reenter the workforce — with many schools closed and children stuck at home , a large number of laid-off spa workers are forced to stay home , too . happy working here . I think that is a really important thing .”
While De Micco , Liu and Vargas speak for ( or as ) graduates of collegiate hospitality programs — and therefore for those seeking managerial positions — the sentiments are the same among the earliest crops of Gen Z service providers . Joanne Berry , director of wellness education at Bellus Academy , noted that the same values are important to her current students : “ The values that really stand out to our students are feeling like you ’ re part of a family , having open communication lines and having consistency .” Consistency and stability are growing points of emphasis for those entering the industry , especially in the wake of a pandemic that demonstrated the necessity of traditional full-time benefits like health insurance . Bill Booker , executive director of Lexington Healing Arts Academy in Lexington , Kentucky , has observed that his most recent graduates are seeking more full-time work than previous graduates , likely as a result of the pandemic .“ What I ’ m seeing more of a shift towards is people looking for more hours . It used to be more part time . I see more and more students looking for full-time hours .” As a spa , being able to offer full-time hours to prospective service providers may be a boon to one ’ s ability to successfully hire Generation Z massage therapists and estheti-
16 PULSE ■ MARCH 2021