Managing success

Rockliffe Hall's spa director, Ashley Ashton, tells Lollie Hancock about building up a strong team and how the spa became PB's Employer of the Year 2023

What advice would you give to someone stepping into a management role?

“Take a step back and listen to your team. Be a leader. You can learn how to be a manager, but I think to be a successful manager you need to be a strong leader, and lead by example. “Involve people through all stages of decision making so it limits the resistance to any changes you’re making, and let your team learn from what you do.”

Why is building a good working environment for your team so important?

“It’s mutually beneficial for your therapists and you to keep your team happy – they’re the jewel in the crown!

“The spa industry is booming, so what sets each spa apart? It’s the team. It’s about customer service and achieving a balance between being friendly and open but keeping to five-star levels of professionalism.

“I was recently at an awards event where the manager of Gleneagles summed it up by saying, ‘You can’t be a five-star hotel or resort without having five-star staff’.”

How do you build good relationships between the spa team and senior management?

“As a management team, we sit among the rest of the team in an open office with an open-door policy. We start our relationship with our therapists before they even join us, going into colleges from the start and seeing them through their Level 2 and 3 so they get to know their potential future managers.

“As for our current team, we have regularly monthly meetings for therapists and whole group biannual meetings. I think by holding these meetings as well as our open-door policy, it stops any fear among employees that they can’t ask for help or support, and sparks their development even further.”

How do you approach any conflict or friction in your team?

“Working is a lot like a family – you can’t pick who you have to work with. We try to put into perspective that everyone is different, and learns and acts in different ways. We recently did personality profiling with the team as well.

“We’re here to work and do a job, so we try to work through any conflict by helping to understand both sides so that even if you don’t agree with the way something happened, you can understand it.”

How do you deal with pushback on decisions you’ve made?

“Sometimes we get asked why we do things a certain way, or why we make certain decisions, and there’s always an explanation – whether that be because its’ more profitable or because it may impact another part of operations.

“Ultimately, decisions are made with the business’ needs and intentions at the forefront, so it’s about giving the team the full information to help them understand.”

What did winning Employer of the Year at the PB Awards 2023 mean to you?

“It’s such a nice title to have, to know you’re doing the right thing for your team, especially after all the changes that we made to the business after Covid to focus on our team, what they do, and the service they provide.”