“ We do have some big [ companies ] in the area that are offering stuff that small businesses can ’ t necessarily compete with , so what we ’ re trying to offer more of is the family atmosphere … [ to draw in applicants ].”
— CLAUDIA WYATT
SURVEYING THE LANDSCAPE Panelists were quick to describe the challenges that make finding and keeping top talent so difficult at the moment . Though their vantage points within the industry are different , there was considerable agreement among the assembled experts about the need to adapt in order to improve the situation .
For Claudia Wyatt , spa director at the William Wesley Grand Salon & Spa , difficulty finding qualified massage therapists stems in part from the spa ’ s location in Davenport , Iowa , away from the kind of population center that might naturally provide a deeper talent pool from which to draw .“ We do have some big [ companies ] in the area that are offering stuff that small businesses can ’ t necessarily compete with , so what we ’ re trying to offer more of is the family atmosphere , and the fact that we actually spend time coaching you one on one [ to draw in applicants ],”
Wyatt said . Wyatt added that she ’ s spent considerable time working to transform the culture of her spa into something that appeals to workers looking for a more supportive work environment .
Shane Bird believed that the large numbers of people moving into the area surrounding Turning Stone Resort & Casino , where he serves as director of spa operations at Skana Spa , would lead to an influx of candidates .“ We ’ ve been open a little over a year now , and we figured , as more [ pandemic-related ] restrictions came away and changes happened with unemployment that we would start seeing applicants ,” he said .“ Really , we haven ’ t — the market is incredibly competitive .” Bird also referenced the big businesses Claudia Wyatt alluding to , noting that many of them are paying higher-than-typical wages for entry level positions and offering sign-on bonuses that could pull established spa professionals into new roles or suppress the market for front desk and spa attendant positions as well — tactics that some spas are embracing .
Though many spa leaders are seeking creative ways to appeal to job seekers , Brenda Helps , an executive recruiter with Hutchinson Consulting , explained that , from her perspective , the appetite for alternative solutions within the spa industry needs to increase . That is due , in large part , to the sheer scale of the talent shortage facing the hospitality industry at large . “ There are about 4.6 million vacant jobs in the service industry , and the greatest portion of those are in hotels or resorts ,” explained Helps .“ And half of all former hospitality workers who were the victims of massive layoffs are saying that they ’ re just not coming back . I ’ m not convinced this problem is going to be resolved this year or even the year after that . Given the conditions we ’ re experiencing , I think that we ’ re going to have to look at
“… if your culture isn ’ t clearly defined and clearly expressed in a consistent manner at every single touch point , then you ’ re missing a huge opportunity .”
— BRENDA HELPS
SEPTEMBER 2021 ■ PULSE 49