P: And how can a small business
without a traditional career ladder,
like a spa, use this to appeal to their
advantage?
S: Spas can be an incredible opportunity
for young workers to experience
first-hand the power of making an impact
on someone’s life through
human connection and the magic
created when a team works together.
Spas are like start-ups; the perfect
growth opportunity to learn new
skills, go outside your comfort zone,
try new things and gain experience
managing and working with people;
crucial human capital tools that
young workers will need to succeed in
the future of work.
P: Many spa workers enter the spa industry
as a second career later in life.
What advice do you have to make
spa appealing to those seeking a career
change?
S: The employer is the new educator.
Workplaces that focus on training and
development see high increases in
performance and retention. The spa
industry is the perfect environment
for those seeking a career change
later in life because it’s often an opportunity
to learn a hands-on, practical
skill, such as massage therapy or
yoga teacher training. Moreover, it’s
an environment where you’re working
with people every single day. Human
connection is ever more important in
a world that’s becoming more dominated
by technology and our devices
every single day. People are starving
for that human connection and interpersonal
interactions that you can get
from working in the spa industry.
P: How can spa professionals maintain
meaning in their work as they
transition from hands-on skilled labor
positions to managerial positions?
S: One of the main things young talent
are lacking in their toolkit is interpersonal
skills. This is usually because
many young adults spend 10 hours a
day looking at their phone and don’t
know how to have a face-to-face conversation
anymore. Spa professionals
have the unique ability to become experts
at working with people every
single day. I like to say that “HR is the
new life coach.” Professionals in managerial
positions get to set the tone
and culture of their spa and their
team, and create an environment
where everyone can show up and do
their best work. They get to be stewards
of culture, and make sure everyone
on their team feels safe to be
vulnerable and take risks, which has
been shown to be the main indicator
of high-performing teams.
“In other words, we need to think of our
careers like a pond of lily pads, spread out in
all directions, and each lily pad is an opportunity
to live your purpose and gain experience…”
22 PULSE ■ SEPTEMBER 2020