Introduction to Spa Manager Course

At this stage in your career you should have experienced your role as a head therapist/trainer, spa supervisor and reception leader. 

Taking the role of assistant spa manager is the next exciting part of your career journey. 

Being an assistant manager you will learn the fine details of what your spa manager does on a daily basis. Not only completing their own work, but overseeing their middle managers including the supervisor and head therapist as well as the rest of the spa team, spa attendants and fitness team. And let’s not forget the hotel or resort……. meetings with VIP’s, HOD’s, GM, other work outside of the spa is also expected and will vary from place to place. 

It is a lot to take on and that is why becoming an assistant manager will give you the tools to understand how to manage so many people and so many different areas of your business. 

Core Competencies of an Assistant Spa Manager

• P&L Analysis
• Expenses and cost control
• Maximising daily revenue
• Internal Marketing strategies
• Recruitment and retention
• Staff incentives
• Guest journey and wellness client
• Acting spa manager (when applicable)

As you learn the different duties of a spa manager, you should be able to take some pressure off them and take over some jobs to lighten their load and allow them to work more ON the business and not just IN the business. Once you become a spa manager/director you need to work further ahead of the business and team requirements (business acceleration course will teach you this). Because as a manager if you are only working on the daily grind you will only be able to maintain your business. But if you are able to work ON future opportunities, the bigger picture is that you not only gain opportunities for your business but also the entire team.

So if you are a shining assistant manager, you should be able to give this additional time to your spa manager.

Remember, to work at this high level you need to be a solid management team. You don’t have to agree with your spa manager all the time but you do need to be on the same page. If there is a disagreement it should never be in front of the spa team. Go somewhere privately and discuss your concerns or reservations. Be a united front or your team will easily play one against the other and manipulate situations. 

Now that you are growing up in your team you need to take a small step back from them on a personal front. I remember being a colleague one day and the next I was the acting spa manager. It was overwhelming at first to consider the fact I had to lead the team, be their role model and keep a professional front when literally the day before I was in the staff bar, enjoying social time with them, being a regular member of the team. But the reason why my transition was fairly easy was because even though I was a colleague I had gained their respect by being a team support, monitor, smashing my targets and learning additional duties purely out of interest rather than for career advancement. Being a leader was naturally in me I realised years later but at the tender age of 23 I didn’t quite realise that at the time. 

I remember years ago a very successful business woman said it gets lonelier the higher you get.  Don’t get me wrong, you don’t have to separate yourself completely from your team, but they need to see you at a higher level and boundaries need to be set. 

Don't employ all team members who you have worked with in the past. I know it is tempting, it makes life easier but team members see the preferences and it can divide a team. 

The best advice I can give to you as an assistant manager and acting spa manager is, take one task at a time, think slow and steady wins the race, make your team a priority and the rest will fall into place. 

Enjoy!

Your course will be graded at the end with a quiz and once you have passed 75% or more you will be sent your CPD certificate.

There are practical exercises in each module. You are invited to submit the exercises for review or discussion. However it will not reflect your final course grade but it is highly recommended to ensure you fully understand each section. Please email them to [email protected]