With global staff shortages threatening to stall economic recovery, it’s time to reboot our commitment to driving improvements in pay and working conditions across the spa and wellness industry
Attracting and retaining talented people must be an industry priority / Photo: shutterstock/BGStock72
As we surge out of lockdowns around the world, extreme staff shortages are being experienced across a large number of industry sectors, including spa and wellness.
The US Chamber of Commerce is reporting around 11m open vacancies, for example, while the UK government says job vacancies have broken the 1m mark for the first time since records began.
During lockdowns, many staff who were let go took work in other sectors, found the grass greener and are not returning. This is increasing the competition for talent and seeing the spa and wellness sector at a disadvantage due to low pay.
The ‘quit rate’ is also soaring in some areas of industry, as people realise jobs are plentiful and move on if they’re not happy, giving good employers a clear advantage.
The spa and wellness industry has had a chronic challenge with recruitment for the past decade, with staff shortages commonplace even before the pandemic. This layering on of post-lockdown staffing pressures is simply exacerbating a fundamental weakness in the sector and bringing things to crisis point for some operators.
Lack of staff means turnaways and empty treatment rooms, reducing margins, dissuading investors and disappointing customers who are unable to get treatments.
This systemic problem has been undermining profitability for years. PricewaterhouseCoopers – in its profitability research studies for ISPA – has regularly flagged up the fact that the industry has not been optimising its capacity, due to operators’ failure to hire enough staff, with this putting the brakes on growth.
In 2017, I wrote an editorial for this page highlighting the existence of a range of poor employment practices in parts of the sector – from modern slavery to bad pay – and calling on industry leaders to make a commitment to building the sector’s reputation as an excellent employer.
Unfortunately, little progress has been made and this situation has now escalated to the point where we must recognise this isn’t only a recruitment challenge, it’s an existential and reputational crisis.
Until we can establish the industry as a great place to work – across the board – with fair pay and good working conditions, the behaviour of unethical operators will continue to harm the prospects of the entire sector
Liz Terry, Spa Business editorial director [email protected]
@elizterry
Read more from this issue of Attractions Management magazine
View contents of Attractions Management 2021 issue 3
Editor's letter: All about the people
With global staff shortages threatening to stall economic recovery, it’s time to reboot our commitment to driving improvements in pay and working conditions across the spa and wellness industry
Spa people: Dr Mark Hyman
Dr Mark Hyman MD believes functional medicine has the power to be life-changing in the health and wellbeing of patients.
New opening: Six Senses Shaharut
Six Senses has opened the doors to its new 60-key retreat in Israel’s southern Negev Desert, complete with a 1,900sq m, two-level spa and wellness sanctuary
New opening: QC NY
A 74,000sq ft Italian day spa has opened on New York’s Governors Island after a US$50m investment and seven years of planning, building and restoration.
Interview: Kenneth Ryan
We talk to the global head of spa at Marriott International about navigating the global lockdown, re-imagining the company's brand portfolio and what it will take to succeed post-COVID-19
Sponsored: Time out
Answering a growing demand
for non-invasive, anti-ageing skin
care, Comfort Zone is relaunching
its Sublime Skin line with a new
filler-like natural formula that
reverses cellular degeneration
Research: Total impact
Latest ISPA report considers the economic fallout of the pandemic and the spa industry's road to recovery
Sponsored: Gharieni Group
CEO Sammy Gharieni talks about his relentless drive
to deliver innovative products to underpin operators’ success
Analysis: Role model
What business models are showing the most potential in the wellness industry? Lyndsay Madden Nadeau shares her insights
Interview: Lorenzo Giannuzzi
The hospitality veteran dreamed of reinventing an historic Italian palazzo as a world-class medical spa. Lisa Starr went to find out more
Sponsored: TechnoAlpin
Snow rooms are creating a ‘wow’ factor for customers,
while reducing operating costs in the delivery of hot and cold
experiences
Interview: Gloria Caulfield
The executive director of Lake Nona wellness community talks about tapping into the latest tech to create healthy living environments
Software: Revenue management
How software suppliers have been supporting spas to get savvy with yield management since the pandemic began
Promotion: Iyashi Dôme
Iyashi Dôme’s touchless infrared tech is the perfect investment for the post-lockdown world, says Florent Cornelis
With global staff shortages threatening to stall economic recovery, it’s time to reboot our commitment to driving improvements in pay and working conditions across the spa and wellness industry
Attracting and retaining talented people must be an industry priority / Photo: shutterstock/BGStock72
As we surge out of lockdowns around the world, extreme staff shortages are being experienced across a large number of industry sectors, including spa and wellness.
The US Chamber of Commerce is reporting around 11m open vacancies, for example, while the UK government says job vacancies have broken the 1m mark for the first time since records began.
During lockdowns, many staff who were let go took work in other sectors, found the grass greener and are not returning. This is increasing the competition for talent and seeing the spa and wellness sector at a disadvantage due to low pay.
The ‘quit rate’ is also soaring in some areas of industry, as people realise jobs are plentiful and move on if they’re not happy, giving good employers a clear advantage.
The spa and wellness industry has had a chronic challenge with recruitment for the past decade, with staff shortages commonplace even before the pandemic. This layering on of post-lockdown staffing pressures is simply exacerbating a fundamental weakness in the sector and bringing things to crisis point for some operators.
Lack of staff means turnaways and empty treatment rooms, reducing margins, dissuading investors and disappointing customers who are unable to get treatments.
This systemic problem has been undermining profitability for years. PricewaterhouseCoopers – in its profitability research studies for ISPA – has regularly flagged up the fact that the industry has not been optimising its capacity, due to operators’ failure to hire enough staff, with this putting the brakes on growth.
In 2017, I wrote an editorial for this page highlighting the existence of a range of poor employment practices in parts of the sector – from modern slavery to bad pay – and calling on industry leaders to make a commitment to building the sector’s reputation as an excellent employer.
Unfortunately, little progress has been made and this situation has now escalated to the point where we must recognise this isn’t only a recruitment challenge, it’s an existential and reputational crisis.
Until we can establish the industry as a great place to work – across the board – with fair pay and good working conditions, the behaviour of unethical operators will continue to harm the prospects of the entire sector
Liz Terry, Spa Business editorial director [email protected]
@elizterry
Read more from this issue of Attractions Management magazine
View contents of Attractions Management 2021 issue 3
Editor's letter: All about the people
With global staff shortages threatening to stall economic recovery, it’s time to reboot our commitment to driving improvements in pay and working conditions across the spa and wellness industry
Spa people: Dr Mark Hyman
Dr Mark Hyman MD believes functional medicine has the power to be life-changing in the health and wellbeing of patients.
New opening: Six Senses Shaharut
Six Senses has opened the doors to its new 60-key retreat in Israel’s southern Negev Desert, complete with a 1,900sq m, two-level spa and wellness sanctuary
New opening: QC NY
A 74,000sq ft Italian day spa has opened on New York’s Governors Island after a US$50m investment and seven years of planning, building and restoration.
Interview: Kenneth Ryan
We talk to the global head of spa at Marriott International about navigating the global lockdown, re-imagining the company's brand portfolio and what it will take to succeed post-COVID-19
Sponsored: Time out
Answering a growing demand
for non-invasive, anti-ageing skin
care, Comfort Zone is relaunching
its Sublime Skin line with a new
filler-like natural formula that
reverses cellular degeneration
Research: Total impact
Latest ISPA report considers the economic fallout of the pandemic and the spa industry's road to recovery
Sponsored: Gharieni Group
CEO Sammy Gharieni talks about his relentless drive
to deliver innovative products to underpin operators’ success
Analysis: Role model
What business models are showing the most potential in the wellness industry? Lyndsay Madden Nadeau shares her insights
Interview: Lorenzo Giannuzzi
The hospitality veteran dreamed of reinventing an historic Italian palazzo as a world-class medical spa. Lisa Starr went to find out more
Sponsored: TechnoAlpin
Snow rooms are creating a ‘wow’ factor for customers,
while reducing operating costs in the delivery of hot and cold
experiences
Interview: Gloria Caulfield
The executive director of Lake Nona wellness community talks about tapping into the latest tech to create healthy living environments
Software: Revenue management
How software suppliers have been supporting spas to get savvy with yield management since the pandemic began
Promotion: Iyashi Dôme
Iyashi Dôme’s touchless infrared tech is the perfect investment for the post-lockdown world, says Florent Cornelis
London Museum will open four new food and drink destinations when it launches its new home
at Smithfield on 28 November, making hospitality a central part of the visitor experience at one
of the capital's biggest cultural openings of the year.
OMA has completed a major transformation of New York's New Museum, creating a larger
cultural campus that combines expanded exhibition spaces with learning, performance,
hospitality and public programming.
A US$50 million (£44.2 million, €51.2 million) transformation of Chicago's historic McCormick
Mansion has created a new destination that combines live magic, immersive theatre, dining and
private membership under one roof.
The Montana Historical Society has officially celebrated the opening of its new Montana
Heritage
Center, a US$107 million (£79 million, €92 million) destination that combines immersive
storytelling with cutting-edge audiovisual technology to bring the sta
San Antonio Zoo has reported a US$283 million economic impact for 2025, following a decade-
long transformation programme that has seen almost US$200 million invested into the Texas
attraction.
Plans for the AU$180 million redevelopment of Reef HQ Aquarium in Townsville, Australia, are
progressing, with the project set to transform the attraction into a global centre for reef
education and conservation.
Abu Dhabi-based investment firm Mubadala Capital has made a binding, fully financed
€1 billion
offer to acquire Pierre and Vacances SA, the European holiday resort operator behind the
continental European Center Parcs business.
Disney has reaffirmed its commitment to investing US$30 billion in its US parks and cruise
business by 2033, using new America250 celebrations to underline the role its attractions play
in supporting jobs, tourism and economic growth.
Expo 2030 Riyadh is being planned as a permanent visitor destination, with organisers
confirming the six-million-square-metre site will become a Global Village after the event closes.
The owner of one of Australia's best-known waterparks has acquired a major competitor,
creating a new attractions business spanning two of the country's largest visitor destinations.
