Is everything in the spa industry being given a wellness spin to make it trendy and marketable? Consultant Valerie Delforge explores the issue of “well-washing”

Having worked in the spa industry for almost 30 years, you could say that I’ve seen a few buzzwords in my time, with some proving to be longer-lasting than others.

Nowadays, it’s all about “wellness” and making the word work with our spa offerings, and why not? With recession and competition on the rise, plus recruitment issues and increased product prices affecting business, adapting to trends is the key to any spa’s success.

However, the word “wellness” is now being used for everything and by every sector, and it sends shivers down my spine. My issue is that the word is misused constantly, even by those working in the spa industry, and this has led to “well-washing” – where everything is given a wellness spin to make it trendy and marketable.

Wellness is a 360-degree lifestyle that should be accessible to everyone. In a spa, wellness should start with your customers and end with your staff, and the only way to make it happen successfully is to create a budget for the concept that includes everyone. Only then can you promote wellness in an ethical way. Three of the biggest well-washing issues in the spa industry right now are:

“My issue is that the word is misused constantly, even by those working in the spa industry, and this has led to ‘well-washing’”

1. We’re not practising what we preach

I meet so many spa owners on the verge of a nervous breakdown. They’re in survival mode and believe that adding “wellness” to their offer will bring in more clients because it makes it more marketable.

Funnily enough, I’ve found that in some spas where wellness is promoted with every offer it’s the spa managers who are suffering from stress and anxiety the most. The lack of support and free leisurely hours they get are a far cry from the wellness element they are shouting about, with many delivering an 80-hour week. Stress is the real buzzword in our industry.

2. Many wellness programmes fail to deliver

I’ve seen a lot of spas give up with their wellness ethos at the first hurdle. One told me, “we tried yoga for our staff but no one cared, so we stopped”. When I probed, I realised that it was a one-off 30-minute session at the start of a new year that was never followed up.

However, on the company’s Instagram, they had posted a photo promoting how great the working culture is for their staff. It made my blood boil.

3. Ideas are not followed through

I’ve met with spas that have created a wellness programme without the end game in mind. The message was mismatched and not in line with their target market.

It’s the same principle as buying a machine that you believe is going to bring you an amazing return on investment, only to realise that your customers don’t want it as it doesn’t belong to your concept. So, it just sits there gathering dust while you wait for the next best thing to come along. Is this wellness? The answer is, sadly, no.

Valerie Delforge is a spa and salon business consultant, delivering bespoke programmes for businesses. Previously she held management roles including head of UK spa operations for Steiner.