Incentive - December 2008 - (Page 37) TRAVEL The Verde Spa of the Bellasera Hotel in Naples, Fla., offers a menu of organic and natural products in an eco-friendly setting SPAS to the current economy. In addition to spa treatments’ utility as a preventative healthcare method, they also remain an effective perk to motivate, recognize and reward employees who have excelled in their work. “I would not cut these programs, and less so during the rough financial times,” advises Gabriela Corá, MD, president of the Executive Health & Wealth Institute in Miami. “It’s going to be extremely important for people to remain sane, fit and in great shape. People in particularly high positions who are managing other people and trying to lead the whole company will need to make sure they can exercise. If massage is what they want to have, they will need to make sure they can bring that to their schedule.” Corá says that whether spa treatments are offered at the expense of the company or not, companies need to be able to manage perceptions in order to promote employee well-being without offending the public and their shareholders. motivation programs and for many individuals’ well-being, because they serve an integral role in stress alleviation. She is well aware of the dueling perspectives on spas, pointing out that while spas are a practical and therapeutic method for reducing stress, the public often perceives them as “I would not cut these programs, and less so during the rough financial times.” “As a strategy to de-stress, spa treatments could help many people,” says Corá. “If someone has been working twenty-hour days, the public may perceive that if they take a full day off to pamper themselves, it’s something negative, but [the critics] are not seeing that the rest of the time [the individual is] working 24/7.” Corá’s experience as a wellness coach includes working with clients such as Abbott Labs, Coca-Cola and Pfizer, among others. Corá believes that spas are a beneficial component in corporate incentive and rewards programs, it is about pinpointing that delicate ratio of work to relaxation time. “If the public knows that a company has used $100,000 in getting their workforce ready and all they can see is that they went horseback-riding and had some massage therapy sessions, it is going to be tough for them to justify what they are doing,” says Corá. “But if they had working time in which they were also able to mix and match, it will be a lot easier. That break may allow them to feel more creative, more relaxed, and better focused and continue to work hard.” SimpsonScarborough, a D.C.-based integrated marketing and branding consultant to higher education has begun to use spa treatments as part of its corporate retreats in the method described by Corá. “We began this practice in July with massages for all employees, before talking about strategic planning, including discussion of the economy,” says Teresa Valerio Parrot, vice president of the firm. At their last retreat in October, the SimpsonScarborough staff visited a spa for manicures “to repair those nails chewed off in our discussion,” before continuing their meetings. Valerio Parrot has noticed several benefits from using the spa treatments during their retreats, including “increased ‘can do’ participation and proactive rather than reactive mindsets” in difficult discussions. —Dr. Gabriela Corá, Executive Health & Wealth Institute A Deserved Reward Of course, companies using spa treatments as incentive, recognition or reward tools, say the notion that spas are the ultimate in luxury and relaxation is exactly what they want their employees to perceive. “Considering all the press that incentive trips and meetings have been receiving lately, while it is a perk, it is an earned trip and has to be meaningful to them,” emphasizes Barry Wegener, senior director, marketing and communications for Carlson Marketing. “If you do this, you will receive this” is the message to employees, he says. Wegener says that his company’s incentivemag.com being a lavish expenditure—even when they are intended to boost productivity and morale or to reward hardworking employees. “You want to make sure that the workforce is in the best of shapes during rough times, and on the other hand, companies are faced with the obligation to make sure they don’t overspend, or are not perceived to be overspending,” she says. Corá adds that one way for companies to tackle the issue is to sandwich spa treatments in between “intense business sessions.” For companies that incorporate spas into their motivation and | December 2008 | Incentive | 37 http://www.incentivemag.com
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