2019 US Spa Industry Study 2019 Compensation Supplement | Page 4

Key Points Summary
Compensation structures for service provider employees: Paid time off
• When asked to select the compensation structure used for service provider
employees in respect of paid time off, paid education/training or paid sick leave, a
large majority of spas in each service provider category said they use straight hourly
pay. The proportions citing that structure ranged from 83% in respect of massage
therapists to 80% for both estheticians and nail technicians.
Hours necessary to be considered a full-time employee
• Spas were asked to say how many hours their service providers need to work in order
to be considered a full-time employee. On average, respondents said service
providers had to work at least 31 hours to be considered a full-time employee. Almost
nine in 10 day spas (85%) gave a value in the range 28-32 hours. A large majority of
resort/hotel spas (78%) also gave a figure in the range 28-32 hours. The actual
number of hours worked may be greater than the minimum necessary for full-time
status.
Unstaffed positions
• When asked if they have any unstaffed service provider positions, 54% of spas said
they had openings that they are actively trying to fill, ranging from 63% of resort/hotel
spas, 55% of day spas and 41% of other spas.
• The number of unfilled service provider positions is estimated at 28,420 of which
14,110 are full time and 14,310 part-time.
• Massage therapists account for the largest number of unfilled positions that spas are
currently trying to fill, a total of 17,310 representing 61% of unfilled positions.
• Estheticians account for an estimated 6,990 unstaffed positions (25%).
• The remaining 4,120 positions are for nail technicians (13%).
• Spas saying that they have unstaffed positions were asked to also say how many spa
director and spa manager positions they are actively trying to fill. The estimated
number of unstaffed spa director positions is 990 with a further 3,320 spa manager
positions.
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