MEMBER PERSPECTIVES
(CONTINUED FROM PAgE 26)
“The people who participate in our
team-building outings are the people
who stay the longest.”
— DENISE HADDAWAY, SPA DIRECTOR, THE SPA OF COLONIAL wILLIAMSBURg
eliminate all turnover. “We’re not exempt,” comments
Haddaway, noting that they’ve “had staff leave because they
just couldn’t get long with another therapist.” The Spa at
Colonial Williamsburg may be big—it employs about 100
people—but these issues arise at any spa.
Still, Haddaway states that they take steps to combat
workplace strife and create a positive environment. Like the
other two spa leaders, Haddaway stressed the importance of
communication. The Spa at Colonial Williamsburg has also
instituted a program of team-building outings, from group
dinners at the property’s restaurant to obstacle courses.
Haddaway finds that “the people who participate in those
gatherings are the people who stay the longest.”
Chuan Spa pays and schedules employees for 30 minutes
before the start of each day just to have a team meeting;
Myers stresses that this is especially important when one
considers that massage therapists spend their entire day
isolated. “It’s hard to feel a connection to your company,
colleagues, manager or department when your workspace is a
no-communication zone,” he says. “That facetime is really
important to keeping a positive work environment.”
Another key way to retain staff is maintaining a good
work-life balance. Spa of the Rockies has made this approach
a cornerstone of their workplace culture. “Managers can
modify their schedules to fit their personal lives,” says
Alexander-Ramsey; they’re not expected to check their phones
outside of work, and they rarely work more than 45 hours a
week. Massage therapists work no more than 35 hours a
week, out of respect for the physical demands of the job.
While this can mean leaving money on the table by not
overutilizing therapists, it pays itself back by decreasing
turnover. “It’s critical to our success,” Alexander-Ramsey
notes. “We also have fewer people call in sick, and we don’t
have to deal with worker’s comp injuries.”
28
PULSE
■
November 2018
TOP TAKEAWAYS
THINK BEYOND the big job sites to fill positions. Use
LinkedIn, word-of-mouth or the ISPA Job Bank to find the
most qualified candidates.
TAKE AN INTEREST in your employees' lives. Check in with
them, ask questions, and follow up with them as time goes
by.
IF A TEAM MEMBER suggests a change, make them feel
valued by putting them in charge of making it happen.
Do the Little Things
The last secret to workforce success? Ask the simple
questions and get to know your employees. “This is an
emotional industry, with emotion-driven professionals,” Myers
states. “It’s not always the big picture things that stick with
them. It’s asking them about how their daughter’s first day of
kindergarten went. It’s those little things that show that we
care, that I care, and that they matter.”
For these three spas, doing those “little things” has kept their
teams well-staffed, even in a high-stakes spa labor market. n
F E AT U R E D S O U R C E S
WILLIAM MYERS
HOLLEIGH
ALEXANDER-RAMSEY DENISE HADDAWAY
Regional Director of Spa CHUAN SPA AT THE Spa Director THE SPA OF COLONIAL
SPA OF THE ROCKIES AT WILLIAMSBURG
LANGHAM, CHICAGO
GLENWOOD HOT SPRINGS
Spa Director