Educational training and the time invested in this crucial part of your business can be erroneously viewed by some in spa ownership and leadership roles as “uncompensated or unproductive time.” More often than not, it is also seen as time invested in staff development that is not easily measured or tracked for palpable benefits. With over three decades of experience in our beloved industry, I can assure you that this perception or mindset can quickly turn into a costly mistake, if left unchecked. The lesson learned can come quickly as leaders often discover that untrained or poorly trained staff members can do irreparable damage to the business. Unfortunately, the damage can also impact the overarching property brand in the case of spas located within hospitality properties like chain resorts, resorts, country clubs, and hotels, even if the spa happens to be operating independently in some cases.
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Educational training and the time invested in this crucial part of your business can be erroneously viewed by some in spa ownership and leadership roles as “uncompensated or unproductive time.” More often than not, it is also seen as time invested in staff development that is not easily measured or tracked for palpable benefits. With over three decades of experience in our beloved industry, I can assure you that this perception or mindset can quickly turn into a costly mistake, if left unchecked. The lesson learned can come quickly as leaders often discover that untrained or poorly trained staff members can do irreparable damage to the business. Unfortunately, the damage can also impact the overarching property brand in the case of spas located within hospitality properties like chain resorts, resorts, country clubs, and hotels, even if the spa happens to be operating independently in some cases.
When education is not factored in as an important part of your annual business plan or its importance is diminished, the negative impact can be seen in as little as several months, as it quickly spreads across departments. Without a mindful and intentional commitment to educational empowerment, staff often reverts to negative or comfortable patterns of behavior or to the dreaded “winging it” approach. The lack of commitment to educational empowerment replaces the expectation and obligation of properly preparing to greet and service guests at the highest level of professionalism and standards. Staff should be fully informed, well versed in proper protocols, ready and confident to apply the correct level of expertise, and master the communication needed to deliver an exceptional service and overall visit experience that should be measurable by repeat visits and retail purchases. Unfortunately, this does not happen without proper planning, commitment, execution, and follow through…in other words, an educational roadmap.
An Educational Roadmap
Let’s face it (pun intended), even at a time when we are seeing interest in low-touch technology grow due to the pandemic, at the end of day, we are still in the business of in-person interactions and building the trust that leads to loyalty. Our guests/clients come to the spa seeking experts in the field of relaxation, skin care, massage, wellness, fitness, nutrition and many of the other core services offered depending on the spa’s business model. These interactions are the pulse of our business and without them, inevitably spa traffic, revenue, and even our reputation as industry experts is affected.
Establishing an educational roadmap requires a quick leadership assessment and replying frankly to some of these leading questions that will get you moving in the right direction.
1. Am I expressing the importance of education and how important it is to our business?
2. Am I positioning the educational opportunities our spa offers as a valuable part of staff member compensation?
3. Do selected vendor partners contribute sufficiently to our educational needs? If not, what can I do to make this happen?
4. Am I capitalizing on the educational and training opportunities offered by vendor partners?
5. Am I attending some of the key vendor trainings to ensure I’m staying current and can also circle back on some of the learnings with my team?
6. Do I have a strong onboarding as well as ongoing/refresher training process set up? If so, is it clear to my staff? If not, what steps do I need to take to establish a great and sustainable process?
7. Do I invest in leadership level training to keep myself strongly positioned and knowledgeable?
8. Do I offer training incentives and perks for those committed to educational growth and performance excellence? If not, what can I do to incentivize the team?
9. Do I recognize and reward team members for performance excellence? If not, what can I do to improve on this?
10. Do I have an educational calendar that I share with the team to best prepare them for ongoing professional growth and development? If not, what steps do I need to take to make this happen?
If you are like most spas and salons, staffing is already a huge challenge, which means staff retention is more critical than ever. Empowering your staff with educational growth and opportunities is a win-win, and the benefits will far outweigh the time, energy and resources you need to invest. Here are some proven recommendations to help you establish an educational roadmap that can make a measurable difference for your business, leadership and revenue.
Onboarding for Success
You have taken the time to take applicants through a rigorous interviewing process and chosen your next superstar team member—now what? Believe it or not, this is where many spas and salons drop the ball. This can result in a decrease in employee attrition and an increase in turnover, becoming a costly mistake. Avoid this mistake by implementing onboarding processes that will strongly set your business apart.
According to Loophr, an online HR Service, 69% of employees are more likely to stay with a company for at least three years if they went through a positive onboarding experience. Ironically, 88% of employees feel that their employer did a poor job with their onboarding and felt there was much room for improvement.1
With technology at our fingertips, a spa/salon’s housekeeping can be completed before the new team member’s first day. A formal introduction to the business and its culture, standard operating procedures, employee handbook, HR forms to review and sign, and a detailed job description will allow your team member to arrive informed and prepared for their new position. Having all the necessary “housekeeping” completed prior to their arrival will allow management to spend more quality time with them, positively impacting your “newbie,” immediately beginning the professional relationship.
Streamline your onboarding process by creating a checklist (see Onboarding Checklist) for consistency for every new hire, adding confidence to their commitment to the business.
Hands-on training is an integral part of the onboarding process. Allowing service providers to practice their first week of employment will give them the confidence to pass their treatment test outs. When it is time to work on their guests, the treatments will be executed to the level of expertise you are expecting. If you want a faster learning experience for your newbies, allow them to receive the treatments they are expected to perform. This method combines multiple learning styles, expediting the training process.
A well-organized onboarding process with human interaction (not just online questions) will impact employee engagement, improve performance and lead to higher retention.
Ongoing Education/Refresher Training
Since refresher trainings are highlighted in your onboarding process, make sure to plan your educational calendar with your vendors at the end of each calendar year. Respect the time of your vendor representatives and employees by having all your continuing education pre-planned. Scheduling continuing education at the last minute causes unnecessary stress and breaks down the professional relationship. Remember, your employees are human after all, so they require respect, structure and professional growth. They are not commodities, so invest in your team, and they will invest in you, resulting in a cohesive team responsible for the success and growth of your business. Since the self-care industry is constantly evolving, continuing education will help your team stay current with the latest trends, reduce mistakes, and allow them to build on the foundational information that is important, but seldom used. Regular refresher trainings also identify gaps of knowledge that need to be addressed. Having a team that continues to expand their skillset also prepares them to elevate to higher positions like in-house lead trainers, or management, thus, adding to the overall proficiency of the business. Providing additional education shows your team you care about their future, even if that means they leave for higher positions elsewhere. Remember, the human mindset is always “What will this do for me?”
When guests visit the spa, especially in this unsettled economic climate, therapists must always keep in mind “What is this going to do for me?” We want to make sure we are educating our guests, not only on the products we are recommending, but the entire guest experience. Providing your guests clear-cut directives on how to book their services, check in, navigate through the salon/spa, and how and where to check-out will keep their experience stress-free, creating excitement to return.
Value Education
Let’s continue to value educational empowerment for the incredible resource it is and for the tremendous impact it can have on your business, your leadership, and your team’s growth and development.
Maritza Rodriguez is the global vice president of marketing and communications for Pevonia International and its related brands. She has worked with some of the most renowned professional skin care brands on image and marketing.
