How to Create a Stellar Spa Team Handbook

In my last blog, “How to Start (Or Regroup!) Team Growth”, I detailed the importance of spa handbooks as a way to thoroughly and consistently document your spa systems.

Today, I wanted to delve even deeper into why spa team handbooks are your spa’s (likely untapped!) secret ingredient… and why you need to be jumping on the bandwagon ASAP for both smoother processes and expedited business growth!

First Things First: What is a Spa Team Handbook? What Does it Do?

A common concern I see amid both my coaching clients and my spa industry peers in groups like Spa Business Mastery? A lack of firm leadership. This, in turn, can lead to poor staff retention, fluctuations in sales, a muddied team culture, and much more.

While leadership hiccups can stem from numerous places, one of the most common is not having your basic spa guidelines, policies, and protocols in place. That not only places more undue pressure on your shoulders as a leader but also forces those key systems to be entirely verbal. The result? Misunderstandings, forgetting to convey key points, and different interpretations of the systems that make up the bedrock of your spa biz!

That’s why having a spa team handbook is the Superman that swoops in to save your spa business and your leadership. After all, the phrase “What got you here won’t get you there” is especially true when you’re looking to bolster your leadership or scale your business.

Defined as a document that states the expectations (or policies) of behaviour between team members and the spa’s leader, a spa team handbook is not a protocol document: instead, it outlines team behaviour in various scenarios vs. outlining specific protocols.

What is In a Spa Team Handbook?

A basic spa team handbook encompasses the following:

• A basic overview of policies (specifics should be saved for your dedicated protocol document)

• Guidelines (based on your values!) on how you want your spa run and be represented

• How staff should behave and communicate

• Protocols regarding hiring and firing

• Expected business outcomes

A spa team handbook should be signed by each team member after reading to ensure accountability and provide the opportunity for your staff to clarify certain points with you.

A pro tip that many spa owners overlook is that there are exceptions to who can sign a spa team handbook. Before giving a spa team handbook to a team member, ensure that their type of employment aligns with your region’s labour laws. (For example, independent contractors cannot be made to follow spa team handbooks but employees can!)

Now, Onto the Main Event: How to Create a Stellar Spa Team Handbook for your Business

Let’s break down the ingredients of how to cook up a stellar spa team handbook for your spa biz:

Don’t Be Afraid to Take the Easy Way Out With an Outline!

Spa team handbooks are all about working smarter, not harder, which is why I have created a free spa team handbook outline that is available for download. 

An outline is particularly helpful if you’re writing your spa team handbook from scratch: rather than guessing which sections you need to include, this outline covers every topic that needs inclusion. Talk about cutting the creation time in half!

Looking for an even faster way to get your team handbook finished and implemented with your staff? The full 37-page template and walkthrough is $497 USD for a limited time; after it’s official launch, it’ll be bumped back up to its regular price of $597 USD!

As Mentioned Above, Check In With Your State and Provincial Labour Laws 

I can’t overstate this: be sure to check in with your state or province’s labour laws for what you can and can’t legally ask (or require!) from your team. 

Depending on your region, the legality of the following requests will vary:

1. “At will” (regarding termination)

2. Non-compete clauses

3. Overtime

4. Vacation, time off, sick leave, and maternity leave

Last But Certainly Not Least: the Key Ingredient!

As a former spa owner myself, I personally believe that the key ingredient in any stellar spa handbook is this: incorporating your spa’s values.

Establishing both your personal and professional values upfront in your spa team handbook sets the stage for not only ensuring right off the bat that you’ve hired on people whose mindsets align with yours, but also is the foundation of which all of your other guidelines are built from. (Heck, I even have a dedicated values page on my website!)

My tip? Dedicate a section of your handbook to your personal and professional values. The clarity it provides is off the charts!

Don’t Want All the Work of Creating a Handbook From Scratch? Kirsten Foss Coaching’s Spa Team Handbook Template and Walkthrough is Ready and Waiting!

Download your free outline or full template and walkthrough today; I can’t wait to hear about how having a spa team handbook simplifies your business!