We come into contact with hundreds, if not thousands, of cosmetic medical practices and spas each year. During a busy travel year, we easily come into contact with that many practices in one room in a month. The one thing we hear over and over again is, “There’s no good help in (fill in the blank with your city here).”

Truth be told, that’s not true. There is plenty of great help for your team available out there. Clear, concise, consistent, and ongoing training is a key to success, as are ongoing team member evaluations. Your staff member should never be shocked with a poor evaluation after 90 days, six months, or one year. Instead, managers should consistently catch their team members doing something right and have open, respectfully honest conversations about all areas of improvement along the way.

But we know that not every staff member is a true team member for life. There will come a point in every business’ life when it’s time to let an employee go. We’re giving you some of the top signs.

THEY’RE STEALING FROM YOU

They’re stealing from you. This seems obvious, but we’ve seen practices who choose to keep their thieves on payroll long after they discover the issue. Whether it be stealing clients, consumables, or cash, stealing is stealing, and every one of these items comes off your bottom line. We recommend installing cameras and security devices in all public areas to protect your space, keeping in mind that filming in private areas where clients disrobe is illegal.

THEY’RE BRINGING IN DRAMA

They’re bringing more drama than the Bravo Housewives season finale. Drama is infectious, and one bad-tempered team member will soon infiltrate your otherwise happy spa. Other staff members will mimic the same behavior in retaliation and the poor climate will become obvious to clients. You can’t hide unhappy.

THEY’RE NOT FULFILLING KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

They’re not able to fulfill their key performance indicators. You may have a happy, non-thief in your spa, and they make each day brighter for you personally when they bring you their homemade blueberry muffins, but deep down, you know they just aren’t able to perform in a manner that will grow your business. They may not answer the phone with a smile, and, therefore, have trouble booking clients on the phone. They may not be offering clients the skin care products they’re supposed to. Their consultation-to-treatment percentage may be in the single digits. We always suggest setting those goals for your team members when you first hire them, so everyone is on the same page in terms of what needs to be achieved.

THEY’RE REGULARLY BREAKING RULES

They’re regularly breaking the rules of your spa. They may be showing up 12 minutes late each day and putting on their makeup in the bathroom after they’ve clocked in. They may be eating at the reception area while checking their personal Instagram. They’re not breaking any laws, but they’re certainly breaking the rules. Make sure that all of these policies are spelled out in the employee manual and that each new team member has received (and signed) a copy on their first day. If you don’t have an employee handbook or manual, now is the time to get one.

Letting someone go isn’t easy but keeping them on the team is only going to bring you down. Not only are they taking money from your pocket, but they’re sending a message to the rest of your staff that this is acceptable behavior.

Mara Shorr, BS, CAC II-XIV serves as a partner, as well as the Vice President of Marketing and Business Development for Shorr Solutions, assisting medical practices with the operational, financial and administrative health of their business. She is a Level II - XIV Certified Aesthetic Consultant and program advisor, utilizing knowledge and experience to help clients achieve their potential. A national speaker and writer, she can be contacted at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Jay A. Shorr BA, MBM-C, CAC I-XIV is the founder and managing partner of Shorr Solutions. He is also a professional motivational speaker, an advisor to the Certified Aesthetic Consultant program and a certified medical business manager from Florida Atlantic University. He can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. More information on the awarding practice management consulting company Shorr Solutions can be found at www.ShorrSolutions.com.