tHis MoNtH’s QuEstioN:
souNd off
do you EvEr WoNdEr how your peers would handle
a situation? Maybe you’re curious what other leaders in the spa
industry have to say on a certain subject. In sound-Off, we ask ISPA
members from differing backgrounds, countries and companies the
same question and see how their answers compare.
“How do you help your
team members
map their career
trajectory within your
organization?”
bobbiE arsENault daNiEl PouliN aNgEla cortrigHt Paul HEsloP Nol MoNtalbo
spa Director
inn by the sea spa Director, spa & Fitness,
North & Central America
accor Hotels Principal
spa gegorie’s Owner
salt of the earth califorNia Woods cross, utaH Founder & CeO
Montalbo Wellness corp.
Proprietor
Montsapo Enterprise
We like to cross-train
as much as possible.
not only does allow
team members to
gain insight into other
aspects of the
business, but it also
gives us backup talent
when we are short-
handed. often, the
team member will
pursue opportunities
in other departments
when they arise.
Whenever we have an
opening, we post it
in-house first and
whenever possible,
promote from within.
When we on-board a
new hire, we always
ask what their career
goals are and share
the advancement
opportunities that
might interest them. a goal of mine in
helping my team map
out their futures is to
be constantly reverse
engineering what
motivates them. This
doesn’t happen in an
annual review or
quarterly sit-down,
but in the small
moments through
conversations, body
language and day-to-
day interactions that
can make all the
difference. it comes
down to asking them
up front what they
want out of their job,
and what is important
to them when
working for any
employer. people are
motivated in many
different ways, and i
am always trying to
uncover what makes
each individual
employee tick.
caPE ElizabEtH, MaiNE
toroNto, caNada
MaKati city, PHiliPPiNEs
i ask about employee
passions and goals,
then frequently talk
over options to
achieve them. We
have limited
advancement oppor-
tunities within our
organization in the
spa field, so we
manage staff devel-
opment by adjusting
our current offerings
or events, which helps
them achieve a client
base that suites those
passions. for example,
one massage therapist
is a doula whose goal
is to use her license to
offer a start-to-finish
pregnancy and birth
program. We make
sure she is booked to
work with our
pregnant clientele.
paying attention to
individual goals helps
staff feel fulfilled and
supports a healthy
organization.
68
PULSE
■
at accorhotels, our
career development
program for all
employees is very well
structured and done at
a hotel level primarily,
with some additional
programs offered at a
corporate level. in my
regional role looking
after Spa, fitness and
recreation in north
and Central america,
i work with a large
team of wellness
professionals, some
with our company for
many years, each with
various goals and
aspirations. as i am
usually aware ahead
of time when we have
a new position opening
at one of our existing
properties or when
we have new hotels
coming into the
pipeline, i often assist
in presenting those
opportunities to the
members of my team
who are looking for a
career change or a
promotion.
March/April 2018
Creating a career
map for my team is
a challenge especially
now where many
options are available
for everyone. Since
most of them are in
their 20s, they are
looking for adventure
and purpose in what
they are doing.
as their leader, i
always project the
future to them and
emphasize their
significance in
achieving every step
of our goal, that is, to
bring hilot (traditional
filipino massage) to
the world. i also do
my best to be their
inspiration; for them
to see their future
self in me. By having
clear destinations,
their career path
becomes clear too. n
WaNt to souNd off? Keep an eye out for the next
Snapshot Survey for next month’s Sound-off question!