PULSE POINTS

BY JOSH CORMAN

THE FIRST FEW MONTHS OF 2021 have brought a consistent stream of good news regarding the ongoing COVID-19 vaccine rollout . As of this writing , three vaccines have been approved for use in the United States , which has already surpassed its goal of administering at least one vaccine dose to 100 million people in the first 100 days of the new presidential administration . But this good news brings with it a wide range of questions for spa leaders , who have to consider the role vaccination will play in their eventual easing of COVID- 19-related restrictions , as well as what — if any — steps they may take to encourage or incentivize vaccination among their employees .

The Society for Human Resource Management ( SHRM ) recently conducted extensive research on the subject of COVID-19 vaccination and its impact in the workplace , the results of which will leave spa leaders and HR teams throughout the industry with a lot to consider , especially given the notable levels of hesitancy about — and even opposition to — the vaccines . SHRM ’ s research indicates that nearly three in 10 employed Americans ( 28 percent ) said they would not get a COVID-19 vaccine , even if failing to do so cost them their job .

According to Trent Burner , vice president of research at SHRM , figures like that are exactly why the time has arrived for leadership teams to have discussions about important vaccine-related plans and policies in their spas .“ There are organizations and industries that it ’ s going to impact more than others . It ’ s time to have these conversations with your C-suite , or your organization ,” Burner says .“ Let ’ s talk about it — are you going to mandate the vaccine ? Are you not going to mandate the vaccine ?”

Though these conversations , and the preparedness that they lead to , are essential to any spa ’ s vaccine policies , Burner is confident that , as employees learn more about the vaccine and the rollout proceeds , hesitancy will decline .“ It ’ s an ever-changing picture . What we believe is when more Americans see their family members , when they see their organization ’ s leaders , people that they admire in sports or

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“ It ’ s an ever-changing picture . What we believe is when more Americans see their family members , when they see their organization ’ s leaders , people that they admire in sports or industry — whatever it is — publicly announce that that they got the vaccine , that resistance is going to fall .”

38 PULSE ^■ MAY 2021