Create the Right Environment
Your employees dedicate several hours a
day to you and your business. It is
important to return the favor by making
the place they work an enjoyable one.
This isn’t to say it must be all fun and
games all day, but an enjoyable work
environment will do wonders for your
employees, and in turn, your customers.
“Guests can choose to go to any spa
they want, but it is the people in your
spa that make the experience special,
unique, and keeps guests coming back,”
notes Henry Gudelsky, director of
training and development at WTS
International.
How do you keep your people happy?
Keep the line of communication
between management and staff open.
Your staff should feel comfortable talking
to their direct managers and even upper-
management about anything that may
be troubling them at work. “Take time to
build relationships with your team
members,” suggest Kendra Rice, spa and
health club director at Trump
International Hotel & Tower in Chicago.
“It is important for colleagues to know
you have an open-door policy and that
you care about what they are thinking
and feeling. Unfortunately, many times,
great team members leave over things
we could have worked through if only
they had felt comfortable to come and
talk to management and address
concerns.”
Provide Regular Feedback
Along with constant communication
comes regular constructive feedback. “By
welcoming feedback, solving problems
with the mindset of opportunity and
deploying a plan to ensure that history
does not repeat itself, you’ve established
the culture of your spa,” explains Niki
Katsadas, owner and founder of Luxe Spa
Certified, LLC., a company that specializes
in spa certification and training. “You’ve
sent the message that problems not only
have solutions, but [that there is] profes-
sional growth for everyone and, as a
result, the business grows.”
You’d be surprised at how well
scheduled reviews to provide feedback
for and from both the employee and the
manager work to make everyone happier
on the job. Monthly, six-month, or
yearly reviews help keep management
aware of any issues an employee might
have and allow you to work through it
together before they decide to leave the
company. These reviews can also be an
opportunity to formally thank your
employees for their hard work.
It’s also important to recognize
employees for a job well done on a
regular basis. A simple “thank you” for
stepping in for someone at the last-
minute, recognizing a staff member for
“In a culture where individuals are valued,
heard, and cared for, turnover will
naturally be lower.”
— ANGELA CORTRIGHT
Angela Cortright prioritizes employee
bonding and togetherness to keep a
positive culture at Spa Gregorie's.
May 2017
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