MEMbEr PErsPEctivEs

afterglow spa has found many creative ways to work around a highly seasonal environment .

Afterglow Spa at Roche Harbor Resort is located on San Juan Island in Northwestern Washington . The remote island location can only be accessed by ferry , boat or small plane . Despite these challenges , San Juan Island has a bustling tourist economy , the only downside is that bustle is extremely seasonal .

Marketing afterglow spa to Potential Employees “ Our seasonal workers require employee housing , which is very limited ,” explains Troy Casey , Spa Director at Afterglow Spa .

“ Many of the short-term housing options that were available on our island only 10 years ago have turned into lucrative VRBO or Airbnb rentals .”

Working to overcome this , Roche Harbor Resort is accommodating employees by investing in adding 16 additional rooms for employee housing instead of additional hotel rooms .

Also , Casey has implemented a referral bonus system that incentivizes employees to bring on additional workers who are there to stay .

“ We pay a $ 250 referral bonus for every hired employee who stays through the end of the season ,” Casey says . “ This amount is increased to $ 500 if the seasonal employee finds housing outside of our employee village . We also offer lodging and spa treatments for referrals from non-employees .”

To create additional buzz about working at Afterglow Spa , Casey partners with other resorts that have opposite busy seasons . Since Afterglow ’ s busy season is summer , Casey looks to partner with spas at ski resorts in places like Utah to share employees . This idea is a win-win for both resorts , who have access to additional help when needed , and employees , who are able to travel and keep working yearround .

Casey also makes sure that Afterglow Spa is very active in Roche Harbor ’ s onsite job fairs . This year , Casey and her team will also be visiting colleges in Washington and Oregon to expand their potential employee market .

“ The Spa Manager and I regularly visit massage schools , cosmetology schools and job fairs in Seattle and surrounding communities ,” Casey notes . “ We keep in

26 PULSE ■ March / April 2018