The problem that stakeholders faced was extreme staff turn over of massage therapy providers. We were tasked with understanding why the massage department had an extremely high turn over rate, how it affected the company and it's clients, and the overall cost of the turn over. In this study we we're responsible for documenting the clinics (massage provider) employee experience from end to end, and creating a plan to retain a fully staffed massage team.
We used both qualitative and quantitative methods to gather the data necessary to take a deeper look at why this clinic was having severe turnover within the massage team. We conducted group and individual interviews, specifically with the massage therapists at the clinic. To obtain data on the employment cycle I researched the previous exits, employment patterns, overall attendance and turnover of the clinic massage staff using employment documents and the clinics scheduling software.
-p-500.webp)
When redesigning HR services, we started where it matters most — with the people who use them. Through in-depth research with staff, hiring managers, and leadership, we uncovered the friction points hiding in plain sight.
From inconsistent onboarding to clunky internal tools, the insights shaped a service blueprint rooted in clarity, equity, and actual usability. Because great HR isn't just policy, it’s experience with numerous touchpoints and nuance.
.webp)
translating research into a clear, actionable roadmap. We identified critical touchpoints across the employee lifecycle, restructured support workflows, and prioritized quick wins alongside long-term transformation.
Let’s explore the possibilities—book a quick call and let’s talk through your goals.
.webp)
We used both qualitative and quantitative methods to gather the data necessary to take a deeper look at why this clinic was having severe turnover within the massage team. We conducted group and individual interviews, specifically with the massage therapists at the clinic. To obtain data on the employment cycle we researched the previous exits, employment patterns, overall attendance and turnover of the clinic massage staff using employment documents and the clinics scheduling software.
In order to break the ice with the massage staff I started with a group interview. I tried to create an atmosphere of comfort during this first research session. I felt that most of the staff were very nervous and seemed distrusting of me initially, as I was an outsider. I facilitated this initial session by bringing in coffee and snacks, shutting off the overhead lights in the conference room and opening the blinds to let the sun in. By creating the right environment with natural light, offering coffee and snacks, starting with a conversation and a smile, it made this interaction easier for everyone.
Next empathy mapping session was followed by six weeks of staff interviews, group and individual. By interviewing the massage providers about their experiences and interactions, with doctors and management, strong themes started to occur. These themes became difficult very quickly for some of the staff to talk about, the staff became very emotional and very honest about their experiences. These documents were instrumental in educating stakeholders. The documents served to reorganize the hiring structure and put HR processes and procedures in place.
After presenting our findings to stakeholders and management, the result was implementation of a long term human resources plan. Which included a hiring and retention road map, and compliance materials. Over the next three weeks we went back through our research and created an onboarding flow map for their clinic. We implemented a hiring process with the front office manager, which consisted of creating a new dedicated email account and formatted emails for recruiting purposes with company branding. A new career page was published on their website, which included policies and licensing requirements (which were not previously listed for state compliance purposes). We created a company employee handbook that covered the procedures and policies of the company and the requirements of its employees and contractors.
Retention rate of massage staff after implementation of HR policies and benefits plan.
Overall rating of the clinic by staff after the implementation of the HR Service Plan.
New Massage Therapists on staff for over a year after this study and planning.
.webp)
After 3 months, we revisited the clinic to see how things were going. We interviewed the staff once more. We found that the majority of massage staff that had previously been interviewed were still employed at the clinic.
After implementation of the new hiring procedure and handbook, HR admin, and benefits plan, the overall staff retention rate was 80% at the time of our visit with additonal staff, 6 more LMT's being hired on.
.png)
.png)