A job in spa management requires efficient multitasking and meticulous attention to detail. Managers must coordinate employee schedules, manage client requests, and maintain spa cleanliness and sanitation. If one aspect of the organization gets overlooked, the entire business suffers. For bosses in general, responsibility is crucial, and constant skill improvement is essential. Be the best spa manager you can be by following this list of helpful, practical tips.
Pay Attention to Your Employees
Employees are the eyes and ears of any business, so maintaining careful communication with them is critical to success. Try setting aside time daily to converse with your staff. Ask pointed, detailed questions, and listen mindfully to their responses. Consider keeping a running notepad containing their suggestions and complaints, and refer to it when assessing your business plans in the future.
Spa employees have direct contact with your customer base. Therefore, they can recognize what aspects of the resort are functioning well and what facets may need improving. Your customers might be more likely to visit a spa powered by a solar battery. Or perhaps clients would prefer adjusted hours of operation. Either way, listening to your staff is the gateway to a happy, satisfied customer base.
Be a Staff Advocate
Spa staff members continually find themselves in compromising, exposed situations. Often, employees are in direct contact with disrobed customers, creating a vulnerable environment. Further, clients can be rude, shy, loud, or even verbally abusive to staff members. Meanwhile, employees are required to remain professional and compassionate regardless of their treatment.
Due to this tricky work climate, it’s your job as a manager to support your employees as they navigate this taxing job. A supportive manager generates employee satisfaction which makes your spa run smoothly and effortlessly.
Set Goals
Employees appreciate being a part of their spa’s success. Therefore, setting realistic goals and communicating them clearly and concisely to your team will generate staff interaction and active participation.
Maybe you’re trying to boost your customer base. Or perhaps increased retail sales is your main objective. Regardless, outline a plan to achieve your goal, and be sure to include your employees in the process. Bonus, studies show that engaged employees are less likely to initiate a new job search if they’re actively involved in their current position.
Accept Feedback
It is human nature to bristle at criticism, whether constructive or otherwise. However, being open to feedback, positive or negative, is crucial to spa success. Managers make mistakes, as perfection is unrealistic. Therefore, make it a point to accept all types of suggestions relevant to the business and its prosperity. Be open and willing to listen to your staff and customers to make the adjustments necessary to better your organization. After all, isn’t it better to receive upfront criticism rather than catching wind of it through the grapevine?
Embrace Confrontation
It is simple for a spa manager to take on excess work left behind by their employees. However, picking up the slack for your staff members only sets a bad example for sloppy work habits in the future.
Holding your employees accountable for the expectations set for them is vital to the success of your business. Worthwhile employees want reachable goals, and they strive to be held liable for meeting these objectives. Therefore, ensure your staff remains responsible by praising them when goals are met and professionally confronting them when targets consistently are missed.
Give Praise
Many managers find it easy to identify only the negatives of their spa’s inner workings. Conversely, pointing out the positives promotes a healthier, more productive business environment. Therefore, keep your focus geared towards the good rather than the bad. This practice will encourage employee satisfaction, making them more inclined to work happily, effectively, and productively.
