Spa Pay

[Soar]

What is reasonable pay for working at a high end spa, part time? What other customary responsibilities are associated with this position?

 

[The_Living_End]

You may find a large difference between reasonable and normal. :?

 

[Christ alone]

It can vary from 30% to 50% commission for services rendered. Some pay an hourly for the time that you are there not doing services. As for duties performed, that too can vary. Sometimes it can just be the service that you are hired for; and others it can include laundry, and front desk duties as well. Just because it is a "high-end" spa does not necessarily mean "high-end" pay.

 

[jeulo16]

Plus sometimes high-end spas and particularly larger high end spas will give you a perceneforum.xxxe that looks reasonable, but there is also a 'product charge' which you have to pay out of your perceneforum.xxxe. This then gets really complicated because, funnily enough, they often don't seem to give you receipts so you can claim the 'product charge' as an expense.

What's good? A base hourly rate while you are on the premises, and you will do bits and pieces around the place during that time, commission on retail product sold with a lower sales target for spa/massage workers than beauty therapists, a good rate for treatments performed that recognised you can't work a 10hr day doing massage without burning out, and no product charge (they should cover it in they're cut).

I've not said perceneforum.xxxe because that really depends on their prices - If they charge $120 for every hour service, getting 30% is pretty good - $36 per hour, but if they charge $60 for every hour of service, 30% is only $18 per hour, which is pretty much a joke. I know most people compare perceneforum.xxxes, but they are pretty meaningless unless you get the whole 'x percent of $y' story. If they give you 50% and charge you $10 product charge, that's great at a $120 place (you end up with $50 per hour), but at a $60 per hour place you end up with $20.

Everywhere does it differently, just make sure you figure out the REAL rate.

 

[Shaneice]

Thanks for the feedback. I think I should take notes during the interview so as not to get "snowed" under the jibber-jabber.

 

[cyndiann]

i completely agree with melb's post. so many people get caught up in the % but it's the actual dollar amount that's important. then decide if you're willing to work for that dollar amount.

when i worked at a spa we were commission workers so we did nothing but massage and keep our rooms clean. there was no other work because they weren't paying us to do other work. to me, that's the upside of being a commission worker. if they're paying you to do massage, that's what you do.

 

[starshine dreamer]

i completely agree with melb's post. so many people get caught up in the % but it's the actual dollar amount that's important. then decide if you're willing to work for that dollar amount.

when i worked at a spa we were commission workers so we did nothing but massage and keep our rooms clean. there was no other work because they weren't paying us to do other work. to me, that's the upside of being a commission worker. if they're paying you to do massage, that's what you do.

But - I've heard MANY MT's say they are commission only, but still required to do laundry and other duties around the spa. I know of more than one who is required to be at the spa, working unpaid, when not doing massage.

Get EVERYTHING in writing....then hold them to it. Bleck.

 

[Casey R]

i completely agree with melb's post. so many people get caught up in the % but it's the actual dollar amount that's important. then decide if you're willing to work for that dollar amount.

when i worked at a spa we were commission workers so we did nothing but massage and keep our rooms clean. there was no other work because they weren't paying us to do other work. to me, that's the upside of being a commission worker. if they're paying you to do massage, that's what you do.

But - I've heard MANY MT's say they are commission only, but still required to do laundry and other duties around the spa. I know of more than one who is required to be at the spa, working unpaid, when not doing massage.

Get EVERYTHING in writing....then hold them to it. Bleck.

well, they tried to get us to do other work but we just laughed at them. really we did. and after the laugh added in when you pay us to do that work, we'll consider it. we were required to stay at the spa too if we didn't have appointments. it really wasn't a big deal. most of the time we were busy so it wasn't a concern.

 

[Jal]

I just interviewed at a high end spa who wanted me to sit for a 5 hour shift without pay, and then give me 35% of the massage. With no guarantees as to how many massages I would do. Could have been one in a shift.
I did not take the job.

 

[BleacHie]

I worked for a VERY short time at a spa (high end, I might add) that paid $7.50 per hour, 15% per massage on top of that. If that wasnt bad enough, they wanted us to give free hand massages to customers getting haircuts, and try to sell Dermologica products to them. And suprise-suprise, i didnt get everything in writing, and when the time came for my first check, they had taken out fees for the use of the sheets & oils! Omg. That had to have been the worst experience. The spa only hired MTS right out of school, because they found they could take advaneforum.xxxe. I lasted a week. Make sure they spell out everything, so you dont get the short end!

 

[maliboo_girl]

Well, from all the responses, spa's need to step up and acknowledge what we do and pay us accordingly.

I had the interview and it went well, I thought. I gave a massage to an mt who, I believe, was very happy with the treatment. We met with the owners and [new] spa director and he gave his feedback, which was positive.

They are interviewing 2 more people, and I was told I would know something by late tomorrow.

We spoke nothing of compensation or additional responsibilities (it was getting hectic toward the end of the interview - people coming in and out, phones), so I assume that will take place when and if the position is offered.

Thanks for everyone's feedback.

 

[storys of are champion]

Another hidden fee could be them requiring you to contribute to their credit card fees.

 

[rockin_robin07]

All depends on your status

If you are an employee

* it is perfectly legal to be paid 100% commission and be required to be there and be required to fold towels when not massaging. You just have to decide if your pay per service works out to a wage you a comfortable with.
* your paystub should show gross pay and a deduction for any product charges, which is your receipt for claiming "unreimbursed expenses" of employment come tax time. Same for uniforms, but not for CC charges.
* if you are paid a flat rate per 50/80 service - regardless of type of massage or products involved - then the "product fee" is really the difference between % pay and straight pay, no receipt or deduction required. (We do this, much simpler for everyone)

If you are an IC
* you only get paid for the work you do. If you fold towels, you should get paid something for non-massage work. Get it in your contract.
* you should be buying any product needed to execute the services you are contracted to perform. You should buy a tub / jug of it and take it with you every day. You are free to use it elsewhere, unless you are buying it at a discount to what you could purchase it for as an individual.
* your fee per service should reflect your cost of performing the service - ie your product cost
* be prepared to pay CC charges. At least they become an expense on your P&L

 

[V-katastrophe]

Geez

Dont roll all employer up in one little ball of badness!

I am not a high end ritzy spa or anything, but one day I will be someones boss in this field. I have looked into what is required of me and I know how much I can afford to pay a MT who is working for me. The amount I have in mind is more than you would get working at McDonalds for sure, but there are things to keep in mind.

For one, your employer expects to make some money by having you work there. It is unrealistic to think your employer will be happy paying you a huge hunk and the rest left over will just have your employer breaking even. So, a high end spa charges $150 for a 50 minute spa and pays the MT $15 an hour. Where does the rest go? Most of those high end places have a lot of people getting a piece of that $150. Managers, laundry, electricity, water, ac, the loan on the place, advertising, the front desk people, the guy who cuts the grass and plows the snow, etc....

Now myself as a much smaller operation, I have over head, but not as much as the big places, but over head none the less. I also charge A LOT LESS than the big spa, yet plan on paying my employees a larger % than most huge spas pay. Still... I know if I told you what I can pay, there are going to be those on this board who are going to say, "I would never work for that."

I really hope MT's in search of a job as an employee take this into consideration.

In another thread on this board, someone said something on the order of.... It may be true, but then when you are a true employee, you dont have to deal with all the hassle of dealing with all the over head, writing checks, dealing with people wanting to sell you stuff, and making business decisions. You just show up and do what you are told.

Simply put, people who show up and just do what they are told generally make less money than the people who tell them what to do. If you want to put the work into a practice and build it from the ground up, you will be rewarded with more money but also headache. If you think it is worth the risk, go for it. If you want to do massage but cant handle the headache of running a business, go work for someone else.

 

[hamster]

Gratelake, I don't think anyone is saying all employers are bad! We're saying "go in with your eyes open, and get it in writing". Putting it in writing protects the business owner AND the employees. Those who go in blindly thinking they will make a specific amount per massage or per hour, then are surprised by all the deductions to their paycheck, wish that they'd known what questions to ask in the first place. It is so much easier to make a decision you can live with based on ALL the facts. Those employers who don't give all the facts are wasting their own time, energy and money by surprising employees who decide to quit after a week. Generally it isn't the amount of pay that people quit over as much as the realization that this employer isn't upfront and honest.....so not all that safe to trust. But there *is* the whole, "I can't work for that, because I cannot SURVIVE on that" at issue, sometimes. Someone who has to pay a babysitter for 8 hours and then makes $20 for the day isn't going to make it, and regardless of how legal it may be of an employer to require it, it would be stupid for that employee to stay. Everyone has expenses, not just owners of businesses.

It sounds like you have every intention of doing the research needed to get the amount you can pay right before you ever hire anyone. It sounds like you intend to be fair to the employee as well as yourself. You are RIGHT in saying that those of us who take on the headaches of a business will make more than our employees. It's what works, how we have thrived as a nation. But that doesn't change the fact that high-end spas have a reputation (because they have a record!) of going through MT's fast and furious, burning many right out of the business, in their quest to get rich. Many of them even require things that are unethical or even illegal to require. Most just seriously lack respect for their employees. Again, not illegal - but they do have trouble keeping employees. It obviously doesn't matter to them, so....guess it works out.

Around here, the smaller salons pay much better than the big spas, and are much more reasonable to work for. MT's can generally say what they do, how they will do it, write up their own intake and keep their own files, define their hours, whatever. They just have to share the space if they don't want to be available 60 hours a week. Not all employers are horrible to work for, and even the spas keep getting employees. There is an endless supply of fresh blood!

I may someday - in the fairly distant future - want to hire someone, or contract some work out to another MT. I'm learning TONS here from all the complaints, from all the lists of expenses a business owner has, and I hope that by the time I get to that point, I'll have a good idea of how to make a better income for myself while providing a decent income to someone else - and how to be open & honest so that there is a mutual respect, rather than all the disappointment and frustrations others before me have experienced.

 

[Pompal 09.]

One of the other things that I would like to point out is that yes it is also legal for the employer to "charge" the therapist a credit card fee. At least in the state of Georgia. All things will vary greatly from state to state. As I said in another post, I am a spa director as well as a massage therapist. I do pay my therapist $10.00 per hour to "sit around and fold towels" while not doing services, I also pay them 40% commission on their services rendered. The service prices of course vary depending on the service that they perform from basic Swedish massage or signature facial, to Deep tissue for an hour to a Glycolic peel. I also pay them 10% commission on product sales. No I do not charge them rental fees or laundry service fees. I overall feel that I take good care of my therapists. I am not saying that I have the best place or the best pay. Nor am I saying that I have the worst, just that there are 101 scenarios that can happen in a day spa situation.

I have worked for several salons and spas in the Atlanta area and can tell you from experience that most pay 30-40% commission on service with no hourly rate to "fold towels". You are expected to sit in the building for 8 hours whether you have services or not and hope that you get one otherwise you don't make any money. They also require you to "push" product. Not the case from me, if you sell the product that's extra money in your hands, if you don't sell it you don't make the extra cash. No win/loss to me. I do not believe in pushing products on folks.

Greatlakes, I hope that you are not deterred in your ambitions to one day own/operate a spa. It is a great adventure, hard work but lots of fun.

 

[cristelle R]

Hey swarren -

You seem very fair and I would be happy working for you any day! And if your employees feel that you are being fair, they will be loyal and stay - a win-win situation I think and one that will give you a great reputation in the long run.

Good for you.

 

[corinthians]

Spa Pay

What is reasonable pay for working at a high end spa, part time? What other customary responsibilities are associated with this position?

Based on my experiences:

As an employee: Approx. $35 commission per hour massage/treatment plus gratuity, a little less if your are a new therapist, perhaps $38 or so, if you've been there a while. Paid training--a certain amount per hour, I think I was paid around $8.50. This same hourly wage if your total commission divided by the hours you worked in a day was under minimum wage requirements. (however, this never happened where I worked) Some type of commission on products sold. I worked at a resort that had a huge convention business, and when these groups were scheduled to come into the spa, the gratuities were guaranteed.
Responsibilities included keeping treatment room cleaned and stocked. Helping reception staff with stocking or very quick straightening of the locker room or rolling towels for jacuzzi area. (I only had time for this type of thing if I had a gap in my schedule, and I'm the type of person that would rather do this than stare at the clock). We came in late, or left early depending on the needs of the spa. They had this very well organized, and the reception staff had a very clear idea based on calls and where one stood seniority-wise on the schedule whether there was a chance you would get a walk-in, and should stick around or not.
Some added benefits: discount on product, free lunch/dinner in resort comissary, 401K, vacation based on hours worked, free training for modalities offered, employee discount at all resorts. Regular, full-time employees had health benefits and better options for 401K and more vacation. They had to work their full, 8 hour shift.

As an I.C: Pay is 50% which comes to $35 for an hour Swedish to $55 for a 75 minute stone massage, plus gratuity. Commission for product sales. Employee discount on lunch and other food at the resort. No pay for "sitting"; not required to sit for walk-ins. Responsibilites include stocking and straightening treatment room. All product is provided. When we started carrying a new product line, I spent about 2 days there for unpaid training. I often also find myself showing potential customers around and explaining the menu. Sometimes I answer the phone and do some scheduling, but none of this is required, I only do it when I have nothing else to do, and the receptionist can't keep up. I occasionaly have to do a little cleaning, since I have higher standards than the cleaning crew or manager.

I don't think it is unusual for spas to try to contract to get an I.C. to sit around for walk-ins. They will sometimes pay minimum wage for this. I personally wouldn't agree to this, but it really depends on your own situation. On-call arrangements are also common, and can be reasonable. I think the "higher-end" and also larger a spa is, the less likely you will be required to do any cleaning, or folding. A smaller spa, it seems resonable to be throwing your linens into the washer at the end of the day, and running the vacuum around---my idea of reasonable would be about 15-20 minutes of this type of thing.

Before you sign any contracts, it is reasonable for the place that is hiring you to give you an idea of what type of business to expect: they should show you their appointment book.

Noel

 

[Kandie Kay]

I love what Rose of Sharon said about making the decision based on all the facts. Its hard though for a first timer to know what to ask. I thought I had my bases covered. I had never heard of being charged for product. Two months after being at the spa I learned that I was paying 5% for oil!
What????????????? I was taken by big surprise. It is not indicated on the pay stubb at all. I believe my igonorance was taken adaneforum.xxxe of. Now I know because another employee told me. I brought it up to my manager and lo and behold a note was left for me the next day that they would no longer be doing that. But it left an icky taste in my mouth. Thank goodness for all the info on this board. Sounds like product charge is pretty commen. I just wasn't aware of it.[/quote]

 

[kellie f]

Overall I think my staff think I am fair. I try not to make them spend too much time folding towels if I don't have to as I have spa attendants for that and cleaning staff. But I also want them all to feel as tho they are a part of the whole and want them to feel as tho they have a say in the decision process so they each pitch in where needed. I have a great staff, I am looking for a part time aesthetician and massage therapist. I posted it on the job forum.

Keep your heads up, and yes most definitely ask all the questions up front at the interviews. There are a lot of "spa owners" out there that think massage therapist and technicians will just work for "peanuts". If you go in to the interview with a clear cut idea of what you are looking for before you get there and with an idea of what to ask and what questions you think they may ask you will have a leg up on the situation and get a better idea of what the true pay will be in the end.

Overall a spa can be a great place to work. Lots of different types of clients to work with, different types of therapist to receive treatments from and of course the perks of product discounts.