Tuesday, August 7, 2007

A Spa Manager's Worst Nightmare: A Dishonest Employee that Steals

One of the worst things that any business has to deal with is dishonest employees. No matter how honest people might seem, employee theft is a huge problem in every industry. As the spa manager, always be aware of what’s going on in your spa by staying organized, alert, and remove the opportunities that can tempt dishonest employees.

Most employees steal because they feel unappreciated, underpaid, or overworked, so they justify theft by convincing themselves that they are owed something. If you notice unusual activity, strange sales transactions, or suspicious behavior, don’t just look the other way. Keeping a close eye on your staff and their activities is the best way to prevent employee theft.

You should also maintain a good inventory system of all your products, supplies, and materials. This means keeping track of everything from lotions to gift certificates to the dressing room towels. Balance the inventory with your sales receipts on a weekly basis and track any irregularities.

To protect your clients from theft, ensure that you have lockers for them to store their valuables and personal belongings and give the client responsibility for the key at all times.

While you don’t need to be suspicious to the point of paranoia, you do need to make sure that you are aware of what’s going on in the spa and keep temptation low by making it difficult to steal

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