Pulse Points
In the 2018 Industry Study, participants were asked
what they believed was the main issue facing the
workforce. A lack of qualified and experienced talent was
easily the main challenge and was highlighted by
40 percent of respondents. They say the
number of qualified people doesn’t match
the growth in the industry, a finding
which backs up the large number of
service provider vacancies. This in
turn can mean difficulties meeting
demand. Many of the remaining
issues mentioned are linked to
recruitment difficulties including
training, turnover and staff retention,
pay and compensation structures, and
regulations. The growth in the number of spas
and the ensuing competition for staff was also
highlighted by respondents.
Clues as to why people want to work in spas—which
may be useful starting points for recruiters—can be found
in ISPA’s recent Workforce Study. In that study, service
providers overwhelmingly said that their main attraction to
the industry was the nature of the work itself and 80
percent said they wanted a long-term career in spa.
If they had left a previous role in the industry,
a poor work environment was the top
reason.
Using the people who are great
advocates for working in the industry
could go some way to attracting talent
to the spa workforce and fill some of
the vacancies that currently exist. It
also goes without saying that those
recruiting within spas or training the next
generation of service providers have a role to
play in highlighting why people want to join the
industry. The hope is that this will draw more people to
work in an industry that provides fulfilment to so many,
allowing the workforce to grow and the industry to reach its
full potential. n
“Using the
people who are
great advocates for
working in the industry
could go some way
to attracting talent
to the spa
workforce.”