Constructing the transformative wellness service framework: A phenomenological study

ABSTRACT

Transformative Service Research (TSR) advocates shifting the lens on services from profits to well-being of both employees and customers, which is prominently important in contemporary post-COVID times. Engaging TSR in the wellness service context, we explore initial wellness offerings and how such services can be successfully delivered, using a case of Le Monastère des Augustines, in a wellness hotel in Québec, Canada. Emerging from the lived experiences of 13 employees, we advance the TSR framework by constructing a Transformative Wellness Service (TWS) framework. Those employee experiences not only reveal the essence of wellness, but also generate rich managerial implications regarding the ubiquitous organizational philosophy of healthcare, the maintaining of employee well-being, and the continuous role of customers in conveying the benefits to society of the holistic wellness ecosystem. The TWS framework is a holistic concept promoting hospitality, healthcare, and any service industry that aims to improve individual and societal well-being.