“ We acknowledge each of them . I know it ’ s part of the longevity of staff — they feel appreciated and loved , and they continue to stay .”
– TAMMY SCHNEIDER , owner of Zi Spa & Salon
is critical ,” so feedback begins immediately when new team members are onboarded .“ With our team members , we do a 30-day daily touch-base , and also have 30- , 60- and 90-day evaluations .” After the initial three months , employees are scheduled for quarterly touch-bases .“ Every manager is available every day to every team member ,” Ginger says ,“ but these meetings look at career goals and aspirations , as well as individual performance .
“ It sets team members up for success to know they ’ re going to do a quarterly touch-base so they don ’ t have to wait for the end of the year . For specialists , that quarterly touch-base includes feedback about their statistics , their flexibility based on business needs , goals and coaching .”
Jaleesa Honrade agrees that “ check-ins keep new employees on track .” The director of spa and recreation at Vinoy Renaissance Resort and Golf Club in St . Petersburg , Florida , says regular meetings with new staff members “ give them ideas of what they ’ re doing well and what I want them to be working on .” Jaleesa uses ongoing checkins “ to make sure they feel valued and that their future is important to me — that ’ s why I stay in an operational management role , because I like to develop my employees , see them expand their careers . I like to give them feedback and see them grow .”
For Tammy Schneider , owner of Zi Spa & Salon in Coeur d ’ Alene , Idaho , comment cards submitted by clients are an important trigger to communicate feedback to staff members .“ Whether negative or positive — it ’ s typically positive !— whenever I get these feedback cards on my desk , I call the employee in and chat about it .”
Feedback meetings with staff members can provide an opportunity for ongoing training about spa vision and values . Nancy King , director of spa and retail for San Diego ’ s Spa Ritual at Sycuan , says “ Sycuan knows customers won ’ t come if employees don ’ t make them feel welcome . We do a lot of vetting and reinforcement to make sure employees know and understand the big picture .”
RECOGNITION Everyone wants their efforts to be noticed and appreciated . Sincere recognition from a manager — shared both publicly and privately — is the second rule to foster employee engagement .
Tammy Schneider doesn ’ t immediately archive Zi Spa guests ’ notes of appreciation after her feedback meetings with individual team members . Instead , she celebrates employees in front of their colleagues during team meetings .“ I typically address at least three of the feedback cards at each meeting and give Starbucks gift cards or a goody bag with fun products to show how proud I am of the specific employee or service addressed .”
Tammy also applauds employees at a year-end party . “ We award prizes to the team members who have had the
JANUARY 2023 n PULSE 31