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FEATURE
WHERE HAVE ALL THE THERAPISTS GONE?
By Clare Lamberth
It’s the cry from our industry at large right now. Resonating most in regional centres who are busy but struggling to grow or replace staff due to a short supply of therapists nationwide. We speak to Therapists and Clinic Owners on the front lines of our industry to hear straight from those effected most where all our Therapists are going, and what the possible cause of this nation-wide staff shortage could be. Nancy Abdou, Lead Education Specialist at The Australian Laser and Dermal Institute. I hear this a lot when speaking to Clinic & Salon Owners. It definitely seems to be increasing. Either employers can’t find the great Therapists, or they lose them to other positions / career paths. Over my 18 years in the industry I have left and re-entered the industry 4 seperate times. Each time was for the same reason, that the industry no longer brought me joy & I was forced to make a decision between my personal life and my career. As a predominantly female industry, we all know that the majority of our Therapists will, at some 10
Beauty Biz Year 14 Issue 3
point, embark on some pretty huge adventures & challenges in life. - Marriage - Motherhood - Purchasing a Home - Mental health challenges - Physical health challenges These times in our lives are already so stressful, the last thing we should worry about is how our careers may be affected. Unfortunately, though, many Therapists choose to either leave the industry, or work from home, when things get too hard to manage, or when the working environment becomes unhappy. Not to mention the guilt that can come with letting an employer or your team down. Sadly, this is how many Therapists feel during the happiest times in their lives. “How am I going to tell my boss I’m pregnant, or that I need a few weeks over Spring Carnival to get married!” Equally, every business owner knows the feeling
of finding out your star Therapist is pregnant. It’s one of excitement for them, but also stress and worry of how you’re ever going to fill that void! I wish I had an easy solution, but my only thought is that we, as an industry, need to ensure that we let our valued therapists know (often) exactly how valued they are! Business owners sometimes forget that hard working, loyal therapists still need to know that you would hate to lose them. Let them know that you will support them through their challenges (whatever they might be), and as long as you can make it work for your business, you’ll do whatever you can to make sure they remain happy at work & it fits in with their lives. The Therapists I know who have stayed in the industry, have experienced employers that did this. It creates a mutual respect between Employer and Therapist and is a win win situation. The amazing therapists I know, who are no longer therapists, or work for themselves, experienced the opposite.
