TALENT TOPICS
BY RYAN O ’ GARA
Finding and Retaining Talent During COVID-19 and Beyond
PULSE RECENTLY SPOKE WITH ANGELA BIEHL , who is the national recruiting director for WTS International , about talent management during the pandemic , creating a spa pipeline and more .
Pulse : How should spas be reviewing their talent management strategy and talent acquisition strategy during these times ?
BIEHL : Building an engaged talent pipeline has never been more
important than right now , and proactive sourcing and networking is absolutely required for success in spa recruitment . Consistent communication is the key to building a successful talent pipeline , in terms of making sure that you are connecting with those people on a regular basis once they are in your pool . Internal talent resources and referral programs should be reassessed , especially now . No one understands your team , your culture and your brand the way that your employees do , and they are your best resource for finding talent that is the right fit . Succession plans can help to identify internal talent that can grow within the company and referral programs are a huge resource for teams .
P : How would they go about setting up a pipeline ?
B : As you are hiring for positions , make sure every qualified
applicant received is saved for the next opening . Utilize a simple candidate assessment form for every interview to assess the fit for your spa . These assessments help to validate hiring decisions and the notes are a great tool for your pipeline . I have a sheet that I share with my spa directors that rates candidates and asks things like , ‘ Are they a fit for our culture , are they a fit for our team , do they have the requirements ?’ And if they ’ re not a fit for this , are they a fit for something else in the future ? Just because they didn ’ t get the job doesn ’ t mean we wouldn ’ t want to hire them . A lot of times , there are several great candidates and only one job . Start to build your pipeline through employee referrals , school recruitment efforts , and social media networking and sourcing . Right now , LinkedIn has a ready to work banner for candidates actively seeking employment due to the pandemic . Simply connect with ready to work therapists in your region on LinkedIn to build a spa pipeline and stay in contact .
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“ No one understands your team , your culture and your brand the way that your employees do , and they are your best resource for finding talent that is the right fit .”
40 PULSE ■ JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2021