Investing in your therapists’ wellness: where to start
Preventative health for my team is a core part of my salon’s values. My staff are the face and personality of the business, and they need to deliver the best service to our growing client base, whatever the demands.
Who am I as leader and owner if I don’t think about the best interests of my most valuable assets – my team? These were my thoughts in 2014, which is my I invested in the health and wellbeing of my therapists.
This year news headlines revealed the launch of Amazon Health, an employee benefit programme that provides amazon employees with access to products and services focused on physical and mental health.
As one of the most dominant companies in the world Amazon are leading the way for companies, big or small, to recognise their responsibility to care for their teams. Well done Amazon, but you’re late to the party – I was there first!
Of course, I’m not a company the size of Amazon. I don’t have the budgets of a global company but I do share the same values and passion.
What should an employee wellness programme include?
To set up these health programmes, I took a holistic view at what I needed to do while staying pragmatic about what the business could afford, but at the same time, calculating what it would cost you if my key players were sick, or even worse, left the business.
Employee engagement and retention is a challenge and I rise to it every day by demonstrating to my therapists that I care about them and their health. I do this by contributing to their preventative health so that they can be in the best shape possible for the role I need them to do.
Wellness and recovery – the difference
So, how do I do that? I follow a very simple algorithm – a wellness or recovery programme – with three benefits for each.
Wellness
- Dietary programme: where we encourage each other to eat more healthily, bringing in our own food. It’s a fun daily talking point among the team about what each person has made
- Access for all to oral supplements and B12 Injections
- Access and discounts on active programmes, gym memberships, yoga sessions and more
Recovery
- Private GP services
- Intravenous recovery therapies with Reviv
- Pamper sessions.
It doesn’t take a huge investment to make preventative health a benefit. I started with advice that didn’t cost money and have slowly developed and invested in this area as I saw the significant difference in my team.
Health for wealth is for the people and the business. It’s a movement that’s happening and will continue to grow. My advice for any business owner is to make small steps now because you can be sure your competition will be a step ahead.
Michelle Quimby is owner of Body Contour Beauty Salon in Cheshire and a Professional Beauty Influencer, providing feedback via focus groups.
Read our articles from fellow PB Influencers Samantha Humberstone on streamlining your treatment menu and Emma Ginever on what to do when another salon opens around the corner.
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