How to recruit and retain good therapists

Are you struggling to recruit at the moment? Are you feeling the effects of the shortage of high-quality therapists?

In our exclusive video, Stefania Rossi, owner of Utopia Beauty & Advanced Skincare and recruitment agency Hidden Talent, believes that the right screening process, trial period and well thought-out career paths can help you find those stand-out therapists and keep them in your business.

Rossi’s 6 top tips for recruiting and retaining good therapists: 

1. Have a good screening process
   “It’s a two-way conversation between us as salon owners and the potential candidate,” says Rossi. “So, are they right for us, and are we right for them?”
   
   
2. Test them with a trial period
   “It’s more of a practical approach where they come in and spend a couple of hours getting to know the team, giving them the opportunity to see how they feel about the company, a true feel of what the team is about and if they actually fit in from the start,” explains Rossi.
   
   
3. Create aspiring career paths
   “I’m very passionate about continuous professional development (CPD) because it gives therapists an opportunity to develop their skills within our salon, but ultimately we are building confidence, and really we are building the knowledge. With CPD you’re also providing natural career paths and progression, which leads to great staff morale,” adds Rossi.  
   
   
4. Understand what makes them tick “it’s hugely important to understand what makes your individual team members tick – what are the main drivers to get the best out of them and really use their natural talents and skills to progress with their career,” says Rossi.
   
   “Giving them the time of the day, communicating, listening to their feedback and ideas, and then giving them the authority to drive some of those ideas is key.”
   
   

5. Share your vision
   “Giving them the opportunity to be a part of putting into the business plan also gives them the confidence to develop and input into the business…they are then 100% into what you are trying to do. It becomes a team effort,” explains Rossi. 
   
   

6. Recognise hard work
   “It’s also critical to understand that individuals want to be recognised and need to be rewarded. Everyone has got different needs and may want to be rewarded in different ways… not everyone is attracted by financial rewards. It could just be a gesture of kindness – a little card, flowers, a thank you.”
   
   

For more helpful advice and tips, visit Professional Beauty’s YouTube page. 

Read our report on the beauty industry’s current recruitment crisis and what you can do to find quality therapists, as well as one spa owner’s view on the situation titled, “Where have all the good therapists gone?

Watch more PBTV videos:

• Boosting your therapists’ wellbeing through nutrition
• How to create a successful business plan
• How to master your finances