What works
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not just for today, but also for use in their future roles,” Bill Butler said.“ This approach ensures training is developed to meet the needs of the colleague, the guests and the spa.”
TEAM ENGAGEMENT AND FEEDBACK LOOPS: Training as a two-way street Kelleye Martin emphasized the value of employee feedback, especially from front desk staff who regularly interact with guests. She noted that management can use feedback to refine and adjust training programs to better meet the needs of the staff.
At Marriott, employee transparency is built into the system. Alongside bi-monthly webinars, the Spa Advisory Council mentors property leaders through monthly meetings to exchange best practices, discuss new initiatives and embrace a continuous learning process, according to Neumeier.
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ADVICE FOR SPA LEADERS:
What works
l Kelleye Martin:“ Pick one area to focus on and then grow it from there. Don’ t try to do everything at once. We’ re not trying to do 500 things, we’ re trying to center focus on the one and get that down, then it becomes a habit and then go on to the next.”
l Suzanne Holbrook and Patty Neumeier:“ You don’ t have to be the smartest person in the room; you actually want a smarter person in the room. There are such great, smart people around you— and just make sure, if you find someone smarter than you, don’ t be threatened by them.”
l Taylor Fields:“ When we started the spa experience training, we saw an immediate improvement and jump in metrics from when it was not in place at all.”
l Brennan Evans:“ Keep it tight but keep it collaborative— especially when working across multiple sites. And if you’ re just getting started, ISPA’ s Resource Center is an excellent place to begin sourcing relevant training content. You can have the best training materials in the world, but if they aren’ t consistently updated or delivered in an organized way, you risk operational disconnect and inconsistency. Structure matters— but so does delivery. It’ s critical to have the right people presenting the content— those who are genuinely passionate about their work.”
l Deirdre Strunk:“ Record all training and build a library. In-person training seems to yield better results.”
l Bill Butler:“ Engage with your team to identify what they see as their biggest areas of opportunity. By involving them in the process, they will take more ownership to help ensure the best results. Just delivering the training is never enough.”
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