makers of Rejuvenate spa and salon disinfectants . In the early days of the pandemic , the company launched a free online course designed to instruct spa and salon professionals on best sanitation practices .“ To date , there have been over 30,000 people certified ,” Kenny says .“ It was really well received .”
Among those 30,000-plus certificate holders are Mary Winter and the staff of the spa at the Westin Sarasota , each of whom completed the Rejuvenate course during the spa ’ s closure in the first half of 2020 .“ When my guests came back , I wanted them to know that every single one of my people had gone through it . Every one of them . And I wanted to have that certificate to show them that I ’ m taking this seriously .”
It seems likely that many of those who sought additional training and certification in the initial phases of the pandemic shared Winter ’ s motivation . Many spa leaders found their businesses closed and recognized that , upon reopening , illustrating the steps their teams had taken to make spas safe for guests to return would provide peace of mind for spa-goers while elevating employees ’ sense of professional accomplishment .
The team at Universal Companies , which , in addition to selling professional grade spa and wellness products , also provides a Sanitation and Safety Essentials course , among many others , experienced the sudden demand for sanitation training alongside the rest of the industry . They reacted quickly to develop online versions of as many of their courses as possible and worked with clients to help facilitate what was , for many , an entirely new training method .“ If you had told me in the first week of March of 2020 that we would be doing education the way we are right now , I would not believe you ,” says Anna Bralley , Universal Companies ’ director of products and training .
Though many in the spa industry have pined for a return to “ business as usual ” over the past year , Bralley believes that , at least as far as training goes , such a return is unlikely . “ Everything is online . Gone are the days of sitting in an eight-hour class . I think it ’ s going to be all on demand , everything at your own pace . You still may be , cumulatively , in a class for eight hours , but it will be up to you how to divide that time .”
This shift toward online training , then , presents both opportunities and challenges for spa leaders . On one hand , accessing training is now more convenient for their teams , so leaders may find it easier than ever to boost the skillsets of their employees and , potentially , the reputations of their spas . And though many spas ’ training budgets may be strapped in 2021 , there are a number of free trainings available from reputable providers such as Virox and Universal Companies on subjects ranging from sanitation to communications to modifying spa menus during the pandemic .
On the other hand , the flood of newly available online trainings also means assessing their quality and ensuring that the education being provided has real value and that the organization providing it can provide any ongoing support spas may need .“ I think right now , the danger we have
“ Everything is online . Gone are the days of sitting in an eight-hour class . I think it ’ s going to be all on demand , everything at your own pace . You still may be , cumulatively , in a class for eight hours , but it will be up to you how to divide that time .”
— ANNA BRALLEY , Director of Products and Training , Universal Companies
MARCH 2021 ■ PULSE 21