Pulse July 2021 | Page 49

“… despite the stresses and strain of the pandemic , the Society for Human Resource Management ( SHRM ) reports that 41 percent of employees said they took less time off in 2020 compared to previous years . SHRM also reports that 46 percent of surveyed employees say they haven ’ t been taking time off at all , saving it instead for later in 2021 after the pandemic has subsided further .”
Without the opportunity for service providers to replace much — or any — of the money they would have earned through commission on a treatment or retail sales when they take time off , those employees may feel a strong financial disincentive to do so . Over time , this can lead to burnout and the employee turnover that can send spa leaders scrambling to replace therapists and service providers on a regular basis .
As spas consider potential changes to their paid time off policies , it can be helpful to understand how those policies are handled in other industries . According to XpertHR ’ s Paid Leave Survey 2021 , tradition still reigns when it comes to paid time off : 51 percent of employers offer traditional leave plans , in which vacation days , sick days and other forms of leave are separately accrued , while 41 percent offer PTO bank plans , in which all or most leave is combined together . Only four percent of employers offered unlimited paid leave plans , in which leave typically has no predetermined limits .
Of course , the wide variation in compensation structures across the spa industry means that spa leaders may have to get creative if they seek to develop more competitive paid time off policies while also balancing the staffing and financial needs of the spa .
A PTO Boom 2020 was , to put it mildly , a year unlike any other . But despite the stresses and strain of the pandemic , the Society for Human Resource Management ( SHRM ) reports that 41 percent of employees said they took less time off in 2020 compared to previous years . SHRM also reports that 46 percent of surveyed employees say they haven ’ t been taking time off at all , saving it instead for later in 2021 after the pandemic has subsided further . All of this adds up to a potential spike in time off taken by employees , 37 percent of whom plan to take more time off this year than in 2020 and 46 percent of whom plan to take more “ mental health ” days off this year to manage physical and emotional stress .
Given the potential for a large degree of pent-up demand that PwC Leader of Global Research Colin McIlheney predicted during the 2021 ISPA Stronger Together Summit , it ’ s possible that spas will be increasingly busy as 2021 goes along . But industry talent shortages and potential lags in hiring as spas resume full-scale operations may

“… despite the stresses and strain of the pandemic , the Society for Human Resource Management ( SHRM ) reports that 41 percent of employees said they took less time off in 2020 compared to previous years . SHRM also reports that 46 percent of surveyed employees say they haven ’ t been taking time off at all , saving it instead for later in 2021 after the pandemic has subsided further .”

mean that fewer therapists and service providers will be expected to cover a high volume of appointments during that time , which can lead to higher rates of burnout and turnover if not monitored and addressed . Spa directors and other supervisors are likely to experience a similar conundrum .
Encouraging employees to use time off to combat burnout and stay energized can be key to avoiding those pitfalls . As Forbes notes in a recent article on encouraging the use of time off , “ It is up to leaders to intervene and help employees realize that their peace and mental health are just as important as the valuable work they do . Employees that relax and take things in stride are less likely to experience burnout or have emotional breakdowns .” So , how can leaders encourage employees to make use of their time off to keep themselves refreshed ? It starts with setting the example . If staff members see a spa director working long hours and refusing to take time
JULY 2021 PULSE 47