spa management Workforce & education - Association québécoise ...

Spa Management Workforce & Education: Addressing Market Gaps
understanding of the complex challenges faced by spas in recruiting spa managers/directors, as
well as the challenges faced by spa managers/directors themselves in pursuing a career in spa
management.
A. What makes a good spa manager/director?
Being a good spa manager or director is an extremely difficult job. It is perhaps even more
difficult than working in management positions in other industries because of the complex
combination of hard and soft skills that are required to competently manage a spa – and few
persons innately possess the necessary acumen for both the hard and soft skills without
significant education, training, and mentoring. Based on the extensive interviews, surveys, and
other research conducted for this study, a number of key attributes stand out as being unique
factors that are required to succeed in a spa management position.
1. A good spa manager must have both a “head” and a “heart” for the spa business
Effective spa managers need to have a foot in the door of the spa world and a foot in the door of
the business world:
On the one hand, most people enter the spa industry as a career not simply because they
are looking for a job, but because they have a “passion” for spa and feel a “calling” for the
values that spas represent: the power and benefit of human touch, the connection of mindbody-spirit,
the importance of wellness, and so on. The best spa managers do not simply
approach their jobs as a “profession,” but rather as a “lifestyle” – they fully embrace the
values of spa and are an authentic reflection of these ideals. These traits are critical because
they not only set the tone for the spa’s environment and services, but also allow the spa
manager to effectively communicate both with the therapists he/she is managing as well
the customers of the spa.
On the other hand, “passion” alone is not enough to make a good spa manager. At the end
of the day, a spa is a business that must cover its costs and make a profit to survive. A
successful spa requires a strong manager who has the business and financial acumen to
manage the staff, facilities, operations, and other aspects of the business. These kinds of
business management skills are not innate – they require technical knowledge that typically
must be gained through some kind of education or training program (or through on-the-job
learning at a minimum).
2. A good spa manager must have exceptional people skills
Because of the nature of the business and the services provided in a spa, people skills tend to be
much more critical in spas than in many other industries. The best spa managers have superb
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