Happy therapists are one of the keys to success in any spa, according to Beata Aleksandrowicz, founder of Pure Massage, but some see training as a one-off. In an exclusive Thought Leader column for Spa Opportunities, Aleksandrowicz talks about the importance of keeping your therapists well-trained and nurtured, and giving them a new passion for the industry.

As both a therapist and trainer, I’m often asked what key things any spa manager needs to prioritise. The goal of any spa is to have regular bookings from happy clients, and the key to success lies in two main areas: consistent delivery and fit, happy therapists.

A staggering 82 per cent of all treatments delivered in spas today are body massages – detox, pregnancy, bamboo, hot stones, etc. A really effective body massage can be the most uplifting experience for both therapist and client. However, the body massage brings risk with reward, as poor and inconsistent technique can result in an injured therapist and ‘downtime’ for the spa.

Good massage is demanding both physically and emotionally for therapists. All too often they suffer injuries including RSI, bad back or worse – burnout. Therapists need to maintain consistent skill-levels and should also be taught how to take care of themselves – how to grow and how to develop and stretch their personal learning. This will equip them with the emotional and physical capacity to remain at the top of their game.

Having cherished and developed staff is good for retention and will ultimately have a positive effect on your spa reputation. With a satisfied client and injury-free therapist, repeat business is more likely.

So be consistent with your massage delivery, and keep your therapists well trained and nurtured with top-up training of the right calibre. Some see training as a one-off, but they’re wrong; you need to continually refresh the approach. We’re all human, and even the best therapist becomes forgetful or can get into bad habits.

I teach breathing techniques, positivity and precision, and also reinforce knowledge on anatomy and physiology, with an emphasis on health problems and injury.

But it’s not just about avoiding injuries; refresh training can inspire your therapists, engaging them in a way that makes a qualitative difference to their performance. I’ve had therapists tell me training has changed them spiritually and emotionally, giving them a new passion for an industry they already loved.