Spa Executive June 2021

Investing in your employees
Investing in your employees means different
things to different people. Some things that it
can mean include:
Offering a competitive wage. It’s important
to remember that you get what you pay for
and if you want top talent you should be
prepared to pay top talent. Investing in your
team members can also mean devoting
time and energy to proper onboarding
and training.
Sharing your mission, values, and business
goals with the team and ensuring that they
feel connected to these elements and know
they are an integral part of your success.
When employees understand why their
contribution matters, they are more invested
in that contribution.
Offering them a career
A common complaint in the spa industry is a lack
of qualified managers. Leaders can create those
managers, if they’re willing to put in the effort.
Being offered a career over just a “job” makes
all the difference to an individual’s sense of self
worth and overall commitment to a role. It’s the
difference between going through the day-to-day
motions with nothing on the horizon and a feeling
of forward momentum with the knowledge that
someone believes in you, the value you bring, and
in your future.
Inspire them
What can leaders do to inspire their teams?
Sharing mission, values, and goals is one thing.
Leading by example is another. Being an inspiring
leader means setting a standard of behavior,
which begins with being kind and treating people
well. When we treat people well, they treat others,
including fellow employees and guests, well.
Other ways to set a standard of behavior include
behaving with honesty and integrity.
And according to this HBR article, there is one trait
that matters more than any other when it comes
to being an inspirational leader: centeredness.
The article states: “This is a state of mindfulness
that enables leaders to remain calm under stress,
empathize, listen deeply, and remain present.”
The more centered we are, the better leaders we
will be.
Taking the time to get to know your
employees and set expectations. When
people know what is expected of them
they’re more likely to achieve it and these
achievements build confidence and make
everyone happy – and when everyone is
happy, people are less likely to quit.
This is just one piece of insight from our indepth
report. To read more from industry leaders,
including Karla Herrasti, Corporate Director of Spa
in Latin America for RCD Hotels, Nigel Franklyn, The
Spa Whisperer, Lynne McNees, President of ISPA
(International SPA Association), and Daisy Tepper,
Spa Director at The Post Oak Hotel at Uptown
Houston, click to download the full report.
June 2021 Issue • p. 8