The Talent Challenge Discussing ISPA ’ s Talent Toolkit Plans with Michelle Adams Somerville BY JOSH CORMAN
FOR YEARS , THE SPA INDUSTRY HAS FACED CHALLENGES related to its workforce . Many spa leaders have long sought effective methods for responding to these challenges , which include everything from talent shortages to recruitment and retention issues . At the spa level , many leaders have effectively addressed those needs , establishing talent strategies that allow them to find and keep strong employees , reducing turnover and contributing to attractive cultures .
Still , these challenges have maintained their place as a thorn in the side of many spa leaders across the industry . In response , ISPA planned its first-ever Talent Symposium , originally scheduled to take place in April of 2020 . Of course , the COVID-19 pandemic had other plans . By the time the Talent Symposium was cancelled , many spas were experiencing temporary closures and working tirelessly to implement reopening protocols in order to simply keep the doors open . It isn ’ t that the pandemic made the talent issues facing the industry disappear ( far from it , in fact ), simply that for much of the last 15 months , other challenges have often needed to be prioritized .
But as pandemic-related restrictions continue to lift , those workforce questions that have been simmering on the backburner are once again a front-and-center concern for spa leaders . To address those issues , the ISPA Board and headquarters team are exploring the creation of a talent toolkit that would provide spa leaders with relevant , practical guidance and time-saving resources that can help strengthen their spas ’ talent strategies .
ISPA Vice Chairman Michelle Adams Somerville — who also serves as vice president at Billings Farm & Museum and advisor to the Spa at the Woodstock Inn & Resort — has been tasked to begin work on preliminary plans for the aforementioned toolkit , and Pulse recently sat down with her to learn more about the workforce issues ISPA hopes to address through these forthcoming resources .
Pulse : Talent and Workforce issues have long been present in the spa industry . Have those issues become even more pressing ? If so , why ? MICHELLE ADAMS SOMERVILLE : Well , we had a challenge prior to the pandemic , and it ’ s still a challenge , but it has a little bit of a different spin to it right now . During the pandemic , people have been changing — or thinking about changing — jobs . We saw that happen after 9 / 11 , quite honestly . People chose to leave jobs that they had as they were reflecting and making changes , and people chose spa jobs . We ’ re seeing a shift , so it ’ s an opportunity for us to look at that and say , if people are making a shift , why not the spa ? Could spa be a choice for people in second careers ? Why aren ’ t spa businesses and positions more of
28 PULSE ■ JUNE 2021