INVESTING IN EDUCATION CONTINUED FROM PAGE 22
providing financial assistance for those taking classes elsewhere . If the spa is seeking to fill a particular need — say , to train an additional therapist in Thai massage — it will pay 100 % of the cost for a service provider to receive certification . In all other cases , the spa reimburses at least half of the cost of the course . THE BENEFITS : “ A well-educated staff is also a stronger staff ,” McCauley says . “ You ’ re going to have fewer potential issues with clients and issues with injuries . As continuing education shifts towards longevity and body mechanics , you ’ re building a staff that is going to be with you much longer .” Education pays for itself in the longterm not only through increased add-on revenue , but also reduced staff turnover and missed days due to injury . THE TAKEAWAYS : Pay attention to your market . It may seem great to reimburse tuition , but it ’ s important to build a business case for it . If it doesn ’ t solve a problem you ’ re currently facing , it may be best to evaluate other ways to support education .
White Elm Day Spa
Location : College Station , Texas Type : Spa and School
WHAT THEY OFFER : Comprehensive support for careerboosting education . WHAT MAKES IT UNIQUE : White Elm Day Spa also operates its own massage therapy and esthetics training programs at the White Elm Wellness Institute and Training Spa .
Should they sign a contract ?
To protect an investment in an employee ’ s education , many spas require the employee to sign a contract ensuring a certain amount of employment — typically two years , though one year is also common . However , not all the spas featured in this story require this because in some cases they simply have not had an issue with employees leaving early . It makes sense : employees are happier when they ’ re invested in by the spa and therefore less likely to leave . Much like tuition reimbursement in general , it ’ s best to have employees sign a contract only after employees leaving has proven to be an issue .
THE FULL STORY : Educational support has been a part of White Elm Day Spa since Owner Hanna Hart launched the spa in 2017 : when early employees mentioned that they wanted to learn a new technique , Hart reimbursed 100 % of the cost of those certifications . Eventually , Hart noticed that the nearest massage therapy or esthetics school was 80 miles away , requiring a three-hour round trip for any kind of service provider . In response , she decided to launch her own school . The White Elm Wellness Institute and Training Spa opened in 2020 , providing programs in massage therapy and esthetics ; it also hosts ongoing CE classes for the spa ’ s employees . Any spa employee can take any class at the school or pursue certification in massage therapy or esthetics for free after a 90-day probationary period . THE BENEFITS : White Elm ’ s generous educational support has spread like wildfire through the local service
32 PULSE ■ SEPTEMBER 2021