Pulse June 2019 | Page 30

memBer PersPectives (COnTInUED FROM PAGE 26) that has too many treatments, it can be a bit overwhelming and intimidating to our guests.” Today’s spa- goers also expect a rotation of limited-time seasonal treatments, Korpi says, so she added a seasonal menu four years ago in response to customer demand. Speaking of seasonal: while Korpi has always had to hire part-time staff for the high summer season, recent developments in the spa industry have made it easier to manage the volume of guests. “Zeel, certainly, has created opportunities for us to fill-in during group buy-outs or holiday weekends when our staff is already completely booked,” says Korpi. With the talent shortage in the industry making it tough to find full-time employees— much less seasonal ones for just a few months—Stillwater Spa has had to adapt in other ways too, by increasing employee benefits and focusing on fostering a strong work environment. Stirewalt, who is now general manager of the property, has been overseeing the spa since early 2006, just after it opened. mohonk, which is located on a mountaintop surrounded by an 8,000-acre environmental preserve, has been well-positioned for the long-term trend towards a green, nature-centric spa experience. “When i arrived, ‘indigenous’ was the buzzword. ‘indigenous treatments.’ ‘natural’ was also a hit in 2006, and we had to go deep on that to avoid any green- washing,” says Stirewalt. Stirewalt also noted that spa treatments emphasizing mindfulness and digital detox were “tougher sells in over a decade of evolution a spa director who’s been with the same spa for 13 years? it seems uncommon, but mohonk mountain house’s Barbara Stirewalt insists it’s nothing out of the ordinary: “our lead massage therapist has been here for almost twenty years. our hr director has been with the company almost fifty years. i’m a new employee here!” mohonk mountain house's remote location and emphasis on nature positioned it well for the recent trends of mindfulness and digital detox. 28 PULSE ■ jUnE 2019