Human Resources
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Managing Difficult Conversations: Follow the S.A.F.E.S. approach to communicate better with your team
Of all the tasks a leader faces, managing difficult conversations is one of the most demanding. Hard conversations often complicate accountability and performance because they require complex or uncomfortable communication aimed at correction or change. Not many people like these kinds of conversations.
Difficult conversations involve emotionally charged topics and dynamics—such as giving negative feedback, communicating undesirable changes or discussing something that upsets or “triggers” an employee who needs that feedback to do their job well.
Member Perspectives: Reset Your Retention
As the world returns to normal after the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the spa industry will rebound. Pent-up demand for travel and soothing human touch will bring business back to spas and resource partners, even if consumers are demanding different treatments, clearer hygiene standards and greater transparency than before.
Mind and Body: How to Promote Mental Well-Being in Your Spa
Many people who enter the spa industry see themselves as healers by nature, whether they are working as a practitioner or creating products that are sold in a spa. That strong desire to help and take care of people is often the common thread between spa managers and vendors. When it comes to employees’ mental well-being, however, spa leaders must balance that impulse with a clear understanding of the limits of their role and the ability to recognize when employees may be best served by outside resources.
Onboarding New Team Members: 5 Essential Actions to Introduce New Hires to Your Organization
Effective onboarding is arguably the most important step in hiring a new team member—sometimes even more than the interview. A thorough onboarding process can identify potential challenges and opportunities early, before damage is done. After filling a position, many leaders take a step back, relieved to have the vacancy resolved. Often, they or their team members have been covering the role’s responsibilities, or the unfilled position has created stress. Bringing on a new team member can feel like a reprieve. But remember: The hiring process is not over until onboarding is complete.
Recruitment Trends, Career Growth and Professional Development
Earlier this spring, internationally renowned workplace belonging expert and bestselling author Smiley Poswolsky joined the ISPA community in an online town hall event where he touched on the rapid changes to the work environment since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. In the SpaSoft-sponsored event moderated by ISPA Chair Patrick Huey, Smiley shared his insights and expertise on workplace disruptions and how to engage employees, reduce burnout and encourage team interactions.
Revamped Talent Toolkit Arriving This Summer
The new ISPA talent toolkit will arm professionals with the key tools they need for success in a spa industry where talent recruitment and engagement are at the forefront of focus. Developed by ISPA and member volunteers, the Talent Toolkit will equip spas with the guidance and resources to create effective communication, recruit and interview employees, create in-depth job descriptions and much more.
The toolkit will go live on the ISPA website for members this summer. ISPA members should log in at experienceispa.com, then find the Talent Toolkit under the “Resources” tab. Sections of the ISPA Talent Toolkit.
Rise Above the Circumstances When Re-Hiring
Getting back in the saddle is not easy. The thought of it might inspire movies and songs, but the actual engagement can be tough. Think about what it’s like to exercise after months of not doing so; it’s challenging, to say the least! Not much may differ in sentiment for people returning to the workforce after the forced hiatus of COVID-19. Sentiment will carry over into the hiring flow, particularly as it relates to the manner in which layoffs/furloughs were handled. Spas and resource partners who communicated well, handled people as kindly as possible and were transparent about organizational stability will likely do better with re-hiring. Trust is a commodity that will still be a valuable currency. Those former employees who return or who have returned will be a mouthpiece for positivity to others who are added. They will be passionate about what kind of team is in place.
Snapshot Survey: Employee Incentives and Recognition
The first ISPA Snapshot Survey this summer asked respondents to share details about their employee incentives and recognition programs. Survey responses highlighted efforts to keep employees energized, minimize burnout, incentivize and celebrate employee success and encourage a healthy work-life balance.
Taking Care of the Team
Perhaps the most glaring contradiction in the modern spa is the dichotomy between the thoughtful, holistic well-care we advise for our guests… and the chaotic, stressful lifestyles many spa team members lead in private. The novel research introduced in “Walking the Talk” (page 20) identifies a separation in the well-being of top spa leadership and their clientele. Several other recent reports focus on the third group in most business-customer relationships, exploring the larger picture of employee wellness.
Spa management must recognize indicators of team members’ welfare—whether good or bad—and should be proactive in policies and programs to improve their wellness.
Talent Topics: Supporting Your Transgender and Nonbinary Staff
According to a 2016 study conducted by the Williams Institute, approximately 1.4 million transgender adults are living in the United States. Since this study was done several years ago, by phone, and only includes people over 18 years old, we know that the true number of individuals is higher.