For over two decades, Relax Massage Group has been a leader in advancing the career paths of the next generation of registered massage therapists. Owner Melissa Gardner acquired her massage therapy license in 2000, and four years later, opened her first stand-alone, two-room treatment clinic. After practicing for 17 great years, Gardner switched her focus to the business side of operating.
“I started seeing common themes in terms of many challenges that massage therapists faced in the industry, and it really inspired me to change my focus to be a problem-solver for massage therapists. They tend to struggle a lot with tax planning, marketing and advertising, and they were finding all of the extra time-consuming work took away from what they actually enjoyed, and of course, also what was earning them money,” says Gardner.
Today the group has over 50 employees and seven locations all over Ottawa and the Valley. Gardner has focused on making the company an appealing place for those who want to start a family, or travel the world. She has done that by adding better benefits and flexible work hours.
What is your recruiting philosophy?
Compared to other massage clinics, Relax Massage Group is not multidisciplinary, meaning it does not have various professions under one roof. Relax Massage Group emphasizes who they hire, ensuring staff are heard, since they know the industry and the therapists’ needs better than anyone.
“The vision at Relax Massage Group is a therapist-first clinic. By taking great care of our therapists, they can take great care of their clients,” says Gardner. “This philosophy has grown the company to become one of the largest employers of RMTs in Ottawa.”
Vacation and leave policy
Unpaid unlimited time off is offered to staff, which gives them the flexibility to work when they wish and vacation for as long as they want. Gardner said many of its staff work just enough to travel several times each year, and make money to travel. Varied needs of the therapists are accommodated as much as possible and time away is encouraged by management to promote longevity and satisfaction in their profession.
Benefits
Staff at Relax Massage Group have the option of becoming a full-time employee or a part-time contractor. Either way, they receive 100 per cent support from management.
They also promote diversity and inclusivity with a body-positive environment, and have a strict dress code to ‘be comfortable’. “We like to see our RMT’s personalities shine through at work, so you won’t see uniforms here,” says Gardner.
Wellness initiatives
Relax Massage Group has recently launched relax.University, a program that offers free or discounted courses, workshops, mentorship and “lunch and learns”. Gardner said when she started the company, one of her goals was to create an education space that would uplift their employees and provide them with the tools to alleviate unnecessary stress, promote longevity and fulfillment in their career. Every year, massage therapists must take part in a program called STRIVE in order to keep their license.
“We provide as much free support to our staff as possible to help support them through this task. It’s an important requirement to ensure you are up to date with all your skills and legal obligations as a regulated health professional,” says Gardner. “It’s an opportunity to talk through different opinions and debate different scenarios. When you have a mix of experienced and brand new massage therapists, it’s a wonderful opportunity to share wisdom and group support.”
Have fun!
Every summer, Relax Massage Group hosts an annual summer cottage party for its staff, and a much-anticipated holiday party with employee recognition awards. Individual clinics also offer team-building outings and social events.
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