Creating an exceptional medspa experience requires more than state-of-the-art equipment and skilled providers. The foundation of any successful aesthetic practice lies in its providers, making the work environment and team culture crucial aspects of running your practice. When your staff feels valued, supported, and empowered, that positivity enhances patient care and practice growth. Drawing from over two decades of experience running AesthetiCare and training countless aesthetic professionals, we’ve identified key strategies that transform good practices into places where people love to work.
1. Match Your Staff’s Personality With Their Role
Success in the medical aesthetics field stems from putting the right people in positions where they can showcase their natural talents. When team members work in roles aligned with their strengths, they perform better and find more satisfaction in their daily tasks. A naturally outgoing person might excel at consultations, while someone with keen attention to detail could be perfect for treatment planning and execution.
Take the time to evaluate each team member’s inherent qualities, considering factors like:
- Communication style: Does the person thrive in one-on-one interactions or group settings?
- Energy level: Are they better suited for high-volume patient care or administrative work?
- Learning preferences: Do they excel with hands-on training or prefer more systematic instruction?
By strategically matching personalities to roles, you reduce the friction that occurs when team members struggle against their inherent traits. Once you’ve positioned your staff for success, you can focus on driving achievement through shared objectives.
2. Set Team Goals
Creating shared objectives gives your team a unifying sense of purpose while fostering collaboration and mutual support. When everyone works toward common milestones, individual achievements become collective victories that strengthen team bonds.
Your goals should encompass both quantitative metrics and qualitative improvements. Monthly revenue targets matter, but so do patient satisfaction scores, treatment outcomes and team development benchmarks. Make these objectives concrete and actionable by breaking them down into weekly and quarterly goals.
Regular check-ins help keep the momentum going and allow you to address challenges or setbacks before they derail progress. Consider implementing a structured meeting schedule — perhaps weekly team meetings to make sure everyone is on the same page or monthly deep-dives to assess larger trends and make strategic adjustments.
3. Invest in Training
Continuing education is the cornerstone of excellence in medical aesthetics. As treatments evolve and technology advances, your team needs opportunities to refine their skills and expertise. At MINT Aesthetics, we’ve seen firsthand how comprehensive training at our own medspa, AesthetiCare, transforms capable providers into industry leaders.
Providers that have received additional training tend to be more confident in their treatments and consultations which translates to a greater buy-in from patients who feel at ease with the quality of care they will receive. Aside from the client-facing benefits, employees who are provided resources to succeed—such as continued training—feel they are more supported and cared for by their employers.
Create training programs that address multiple facets of professional growth. Technical proficiency matters, but so does patient communication, consultation skills, and understanding the psychology behind aesthetic choices. While reps and vendors are invaluable resources when it comes to industry trends and best practices, partnering with experienced industry educators ensures your team masters both the art and science of aesthetic medicine.
4. Create Pathways for Growth
Driven people seek out new opportunities for growth. If you’re not providing pathways to growth, it can cost you some of your most talented team members. According to a 2021 Gallup survey, career development is one of the top three benefits that people look for in a company, and employers who invest in upskilling are twice as likely to retain their employees.
To create opportunities for growth, map out potential career trajectories for each role in your practice. Front desk personnel might progress to patient care coordinator, then to office manager. An aesthetician could develop expertise in advanced treatments, become a trainer for new staff members, or move into a leadership position overseeing treatment protocols.
Beyond vertical advancement, consider creating opportunities for horizontal growth. Some team members might prefer expanding their expertise rather than taking on management responsibilities. Support these individuals by helping them acquire additional certifications, master new treatments or develop skills that increase their value to the practice.
Communicate these growth opportunities clearly and provide the support needed to achieve them. Regular career development discussions, mentorship programs and structured advancement criteria can help team members visualize their future with you and strive for the best as they make meaningful progress toward their professional goals.
5. It’s Okay to Be Selective With Your Clients
Your clients are an important aspect of your business (obviously). Your team spends a significant amount of time with them, from the initial consultation and treatment process to follow-up appointments and aftercare. Since patients and providers work so closely together, client attitudes can have a big impact on the workplace environment and team morale.
Most clients will be a delight to work with, but it is inevitable that some will be difficult. Maybe they are unhappy with their results or have unrealistic goals from the beginning. Let your team know that it is okay to say no to difficult clients and be selective about who you treat. It’s not worth making your entire team miserable to meet one person’s impossible expectations.
Additionally, it’s important to back your team when dissatisfied clients make themselves known. If your team knows you have their back, they will be more likely to reciprocate. It also creates a unified culture if providers know they won’t be penalized for encountering a client that was not a good fit.
6. Foster Open Communication
Open communication can go a long way toward creating a positive workplace environment. Your team needs to feel confident sharing their thoughts and ideas without fear of negative consequences. It not only helps employees feel appreciated but can also drive innovation and provide valuable insights that help prevent small issues from growing into bigger problems.
Schedule regular team meetings that blend education with open discussion. At AesthetiCare, we meet once every other week for one hour, with additional monthly provider meetings and lunch gatherings. This ensures everyone has a voice and feels heard. Keep these meetings productive by establishing clear agendas that include:
- Client feedback and treatment outcomes
- Team challenges and proposed solutions
- Industry updates and treatment innovations
- Collaborative goal-setting and progress reviews
- Recognition of team wins and individual contributors
Maintaining consistent communication through meetings, check-ins and other channels fosters an environment where feedback flows freely, creating a foundation of trust that strengthens your team’s cohesion and drives your practice toward excellence.
7. Build Unity Through Shared Experiences
Strong team bonds develop through shared achievements and experiences. Beyond the daily workflow, creating opportunities for your staff to connect and collaborate strengthens workplace relationships and enhances overall practice performance. At AesthetiCare, we’ve found that quarterly staff treatment nights, complete with pizza and wine, not only boost team morale but also deepen product knowledge and treatment understanding.
Consider implementing creative team-building activities that serve multiple purposes. Staff treatment nights let your team experience the client journey firsthand while building camaraderie. Collaborative projects, like developing monthly treatment specials or organizing client appreciation events, foster teamwork while driving practice growth.
Recognition also plays a vital role in building unity. Whether it’s celebrating treatment milestones, positive client feedback or personal achievements, acknowledging individual contributions reinforces team values and motivates continued excellence. Creative rewards like spa days or group outings show appreciation while creating memorable shared experiences.
Take Your Team to the Next Level With MINT
If you’re ready to transform your workplace environment and empower your team, MINT Aesthetics offers comprehensive training programs designed for medspas and aesthetic practices. From online courses to hands-on clinical training, we provide the tools and expertise you need to build and maintain an exceptional staff.Â
Explore our e-course catalog and training options to learn more.
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