Bosses Fears Confirmed! Workers Get Spa Treatments During The Day

British Bosses who fear that the right to work from home permanently might damage productivity have had their worst fears confirmed as Secret Spa says it has seen a surge in at-home bookings during the working day.

Secret Spa has seen a surge in at-home bookings during the working day, as clients make the most of working from home.

With the government suggesting home working is set to stay, Secret Spa said that at-home beauty treatments are now being booked during the working day, as clients “embrace the ultimate in flexible working and the work-home balance.”

Peak appointment times move from the evening to daytime hours of 9am – 5pm, as beauty and wellness enthusiasts use app Secret Spa to bring treatments to the convenience and safety of their homes. This is giving clients the ultimate work-home balance, with many multitasking having treatments while they work.

Secret Spa, the mobile hair, beauty and wellness app in London, Manchester, Cheshire and Brighton, has recorded a surge in daytime bookings as working from home becomes the norm for many businesses.

Pre-pandemic, in 2019, 40 per cent of all Secret Spa bookings took place after 6pm with the peak booking time being 7pm, as busy clients rushed home from the office to have their treatments. Since reopening, on April 12, 2021, only 20 per cent of Secret Spa bookings have taken place past 6pm, a 50 per cent reduction on pre-pandemic levels.

Day time bookings have increased by 33 per cent since 2019 with lunchtime bookings up by 46 per cent. The most popular appointment time for manicures, pedicures, waxing and lashes has moved from after work to 9am.

Emily Ewart-Perks, Co-Founder of Secret Spa, said, “Working from home and furlough has brought about a move towards day-time booking. Our clients have fed back that without the time spent traveling to the salon they are now able to fit treatments around their work schedule by having professionals come to them. Many have also commented that having a professional come to the home feels not only more convenient, but safer than going to the salon.

“We see flexible working as an important enabler for the ‘Work-Home Balance’, and the ability to fit stress-free self-care treatments into your working day an important factor. Given the turmoil and change the nation has experienced over the past year, we are delighted to see these positive booking trends emerge, showing we are supporting our clients through this difficult time.

“Many of our clients have fed back that they are more control of their schedules than ever before, and feel they can fit in treatments around meetings and their work, reclaiming precious free time in the evenings. Many have stated that taking a break in the day actually improves their productivity and seeing a friendly therapist enables them to cope with the solitude of home working,” she added

Treatment breakdown:

Nails – Morning manicures are now the trend, with peak booking times from 9am. Evening manicures are no longer as popular with bookings down 51 per cent from 2019

Massage – Morning massages are very busy, but the peak booking hour is 5pm showing that clients are booking this treatment to relieve the stress of a day at work

Tans – Tanning remains a popular evening treatment for many, but there has been a surge in afternoon tan bookings

Waxing – Morning and lunchtime waxing is now the trend with 9am as the busiest hour. Lunchtime waxing is up 90 per cent on 2019

Lashes & Brows – Are no longer popular treatments to have in the evening with the busiest time for the treatments at 9am

Hair Styling – Early morning blow dries remain popular however a lunch time blow dry is over 50 per cent more popular than 2019

Facial – The lunchtime facial has become hugely popular with bookings up by more than double, up 134 per cent in comparison to 2019, and 11am is the peak booking time

Make-up – bookings have shown less change, as most are driven by evening events during the week

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