Building teams that are skilled, aligned & sustainable in wellness-focused businesses
I've spent many years working alongside business owners on their most difficult people decisions. What I've learned is that hiring well, especially in wellness-focused businesses, is rarely about finding the most impressive CV. It's about building teams that are skilled, emotionally aware, and aligned with the values you're trying to protect.
This series is about hiring for both heart and skill and doing it in a way that supports your people, your clients, and you as the business grows.
Hiring in a wellness business is different.
You're not just bringing someone in to do a job. You're inviting them into a space where clients may be vulnerable, emotional, or placing a great deal of trust in your practice. The people you hire don't just represent your brand; they shape the experience clients have when you're not in the room.
And yet, many wellness business owners start hiring from the same place: urgency.
You're stretched. Demand is growing. You know you can't do everything yourself anymore. So you rush to fill a gap, hoping skills and experience will carry the rest.
Sometimes that works. Often, it doesn't.
What I see time and again is this: technically capable people who look perfect on paper, but somehow don't feel quite right once they're embedded in the team. Tension creeps in. Boundaries blur. The culture starts to shift in ways that are hard to name but easy to feel.
"The wrong hire rarely fails on skill alone; they fail on fit."
Skills get people in the door. Values decide whether they stay.
Most role descriptions focus heavily on tasks, qualifications, and experience. That matters, competence is non-negotiable. But in wellness settings, skills alone are not enough.
Emotional intelligence, self-awareness, empathy, and the ability to hold boundaries matter just as much, sometimes more.
Before you write a job description, it's worth pausing to reflect on a few deeper questions:
- How do you want clients to feel after interacting with your team?
- What behaviours are essential to protect the tone and safety of your space?
- What attitudes create ease, and which quietly drain energy?
These answers rarely live on a CV.
Photo by Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash
A highly skilled practitioner who lacks empathy, struggles with feedback, or dismisses boundaries can undermine your culture far more quickly than someone who needs training but genuinely shares your values.
"You can train skills. You can't train values."
Get clear on the real job
Another common mistake is hiring for what you think the role is, rather than what it actually involves day to day.
In wellness businesses, roles often include a mix of visible and invisible work: emotional labour, client reassurance, teamwork, adaptability, and handling uncertainty calmly. If these elements aren't named, you risk attracting people who are technically capable but emotionally mismatched.
Ask yourself:
- Where does this role support the emotional tone of the business?
- What pressures does this role quietly carry?
- What kind of person copes well here, and who might struggle?
Being honest about this isn't negative. It's respectful. It allows the right people to recognise themselves in the role, and the wrong people to opt out early.
That protects everyone.
Defining "heart" without being vague
Many owners say they want someone with "heart" but struggle to define what that actually means.
Heart doesn't mean over-giving, blurred boundaries, or emotional exhaustion. In healthy wellness businesses, heart usually looks like:
- empathy without over-identifying
- care without rescuing
- professionalism alongside warmth
These qualities need to be named clearly, otherwise you risk attracting people who burn out quickly or expect the role to meet their emotional needs.
"Heart-led work still needs clear boundaries to be sustainable."
When defining your ideal team member, consider:
- How do they respond when a client is distressed?
- How do they handle feedback or challenge?
- How do they look after themselves while caring for others?
These reflections form the backbone of a role description that attracts alignment, not just ability.
Photo by Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash
Write the role description for the right person
Once you're clear on the person you're looking for, the language you use matters.
Generic job ads attract generic applicants. Clear, values-led descriptions attract people who see themselves reflected in what you're building.
That doesn't mean sounding fluffy or vague. It means being grounded and specific:
- describing how you work
- naming expectations clearly
- being honest about responsibility and boundaries
When people understand not just what they'll do, but how they'll be expected to show up, alignment starts before the interview even happens.
"Clarity at the start prevents disappointment later."
A moment to pause
If you're considering hiring this year, take a few minutes to reflect on this before you write anything down:
- Who has worked well in your business, and why?
- What behaviours have caused tension or drain in the past?
- If you could protect one thing about your culture, what would it be?
The clearer you are on these answers, the easier hiring becomes, not faster, but cleaner.
Why this matters more than ever
Wellness businesses are built on trust. Clients feel when teams are aligned, and they feel it when they aren't.
Defining your ideal team member isn't about perfection. It's about intention. It's about hiring in a way that protects your values, your clients, and your own energy as a business owner.
When you get this part right, everything that follows, attracting candidates, interviewing, onboarding, and retention, becomes far more straightforward.
"Hiring well starts with knowing what you're trying to protect."
Reflection for the week
Before you advertise or recruit, write down:
- three non-negotiable values for your team
- two behaviours that would undermine your culture
- one thing you want this role to make easier for you
That clarity is the foundation of heart- and skill-led hiring.
Main – Photo by Christina @ wocintechchat.com M on Unsplash
About the Author: Samantha Newton
