Working with massage therapists: a manager’s guide

If you are a salon or spa owner, the manager of a doctor or chiropractor's office, or the director of a destination spa, you may receive the singular opportunity of working with one of the most truly unique groups of people to be found anywhere on the planet. Unique, and, at times, difficult.

Massage therapists taken as a group have a tendency to be a little on the demanding side, viewing themselves not so much as technicians as performers. They are artists, magicians, and channels of healing energy that really cannot be disturbed by the mundane realities that you, unfortunate one, have to deal with on a daily basis. And yet even though they may seem "airy" or "on another plane," you'll find that when it comes to receiving their paycheck or getting the schedule they want, somehow they manage to come back to this plane very rapidly, and they will let you know in no uncertain terms how displeased they are with you if you haven't made them utterly happy.

In addition, some therapists are under the illusion that, somehow, they are members of the one group that does not have to pay their collective dues and climb the ladder of success. They expect to be earning top dollar immediately out of school. Exactly why this sentiment has been promulgated is not entirely clear, but rest assured that if you find yourself managing a group of seven or twelve or forty-five therapists, you will run head on into this mindset.

So what can you do if you find yourself in charge of other therapists? I'll offer some advice from my own experience and that of others I've known who faced similar challenges. At one point for over a year I was the manager of approximately forty massage therapists at a large spa in Miami. During my term as a manager, I learned a few secrets that will help you deal with your own staff. These ideas have been echoed by fellow managers and owners I've known over the years.

1. be distant but kind. Be kind but distant. Therapists are often party animals, especially the younger ones, and it's a good idea to be on friendly terms with your staff socially. But there is a line that should be drawn. Your authority should be soft, compassionate, yet undisputed. Show the staff that you are totally committed to them by winning concessions from the owners, investors, doctors, or whoever it is who holds the purse strings (even if that someone is yourself), and you'll have a group of people staunchly on your side. Then when you have to do something that's unpopular, they'll respect you for it and know it's a necessary responsibility.

2. Try to be one of them, even if you're not. At the very least, take a one- or two-day course in the basics of massage therapy and show your employees that you have an interest in their work—in its sublime aspects as well as its mundane realities. They'll appreciate it if you have at least heard the terms "energy work," or "deep muscle therapy." And they'll feel that you care if you demonstrate an understanding nature about choices in oils, creams, sheets, and tables. Therapists take their lingo and the tools of their trade very seriously; and you should, too.

3. Be fair. Most facilities with several therapists on staff have instituted a "seniority" system that rewards employees who have worked there the longest by giving them first choice in hours, rooms, clients, and the like. Although this may be the easiest way to offer an incentive to stay longer with the company, it's often not the most effective way to keep the best therapists. What if, for example, you hire someone who turns out to be absolutely topnotch, and guests clamor for her services, but you can't give her the hours she deserves because several other therapists have been working there longer?

Eric Chesky, spa director at a first-class resort in Napa Valley, California, has one possible solution. Instead of working with a strict seniority system, Eric factors in the variables of guest feedback and employee attitude. Every time a guest receives a massage, they fill out a quick form, and employees are reviewed by management on a bimonthly basis. Their ranking then changes periodically, and the most popular, hardworking therapists with the best attitudes are rewarded.

4. Consider encouraging friendly competition. Offering a prize or monetary reward to the therapist who garners the most guest compliments works well at times. Therapists soon learn that soliciting positive feedback forms usually backfires. The ones who do the best job inspire guests to write without being asked to. If product sales are involved in your facility, offering rewards above and beyond whatever commissions are earned is good way to keep employees motivated.

5. Encourage continuing education. One of the best things you can do for your massage staff, and something that's sure to be greatly appreciated, is to provide some type of advanced education for them on premises. Most therapists have to take continuing education to renew their license, and they enjoy this aspect of their careers. If you can sponsor a popular trainer to come give a workshop after hours, you'll be helping your staff fulfill a professional requirement, upgrading the skills offered to your clients, and building good will among everyone involved. It's certainly worth the investment.