It can be a delicate balancing act ensuring that your salon business moves forward and progresses, all whilst keeping your staff motivated by any company changes that you make. It’s equally as challenging to ensure that your salon staff are continually motivated to work within your hairbeauty or barbering business in an industry that is notoriously competitive. After all, as most salon owners will be well aware, your salon staff mainly hold the relationships with clients and are the reason clients come back to your salon time and time again.

Understanding how to motivate your staff can sometimes be a tough job, especially when your salon is hectic! Introduce these inspiring strategies in your workplace, and boost your team productivity.

Here at Salons Direct we are here to help…

1. Decision Time

Involving your team in decision making will make them feel like an important part of the business‚ plus, if your team aren’t on board with new initiatives then they could turn out to be non-starters. Your staff are in contact with your clients every day, so if anyone knows what the customer wants then they do! Listen to their ideas, and consider them when making decisions.

2. A thank you goes a long way

It’s all too easy to forget to say “thank you,” but acknowledging your team’s efforts and good job is important for staff to feel valued in the workplace.

3. Make them feel at home

As award-winning salon owner Leo Bancroft points out, “It’s really important to remember that the salon should be just as welcoming to our team as it is to our clients.” Allowing a few home comforts and offering a great staff room where your team can relax on their breaks will ensure that they come back to work revitalised and re-energised.

4. Incentivise and reward your team

Offering your team something they want, in return for them doing a good job is one of the best ways to motivate them. For example, Carl Mitchell of Bonce Salons offered a free Elemis facial for everyone in the team, if they hit the aftercare target that month. It’s important to reward the team as a whole for the good work they have done, as it is the whole team that works together to ensure the smooth day to day running of the salon.

Don’t be afraid to incentivise individuals as well, if you feel that they have personal targets to achieve. Rewards can range from a free treatment, cash bonuses or even gifts such as experience vouchers or a digital camera, whatever will motivate the individual most.

5. Team Spirit

Encouraging your team to work together can really improve the atmosphere and welcoming feel for a client walking into the salon for the first time. Ocean Hairdressing have a yoga instructor visit the salon once a month‚ it’s great for bringing the team together, and the team have even noticed a difference in their posture and general well-being as a result! No matter how big or small the gesture, it goes a long way to promoting a happy team.

6. Healthy Competition

Encouraging your staff to work as a team is really important, but so is a bit of good, healthy competition. Offering team and individual incentives will encourage a certain type of staff to be more successful, and this positive competition within the team will encourage everyone to work hard.

7. Recognise the best

Setting up your own company awards no matter how low key, can be a great way to promote competitiveness in your team. It’s also something for team members to look forward to! Faruk Mohammed from Hair by JFK says “Giving the team the recognition and rewards they deserve for their hard work is great for morale and gives everyone a new burst of enthusiasm for the year ahead”.

8. Training

“Education and training is key in not only continually developing a strong team but also keeping them passionate and motivated about the career they’ve chosen‚” says salon owner Paul Faltrick. As well as internal training in the salon, look at external courses too, to make sure that the team is constantly learning.

9. Treat everyone as an individual

“We encourage our staff to think of themselves as their own business‚” says Gavin Hoare, salon manager at Chelsea’s Richard Ward Hair and Metrospa. “We really try to push home the idea that each hairdresser or beautician is responsible for their own column, and at the end of the day, how busy they are will be financially beneficial to themselves.” Reminding your staff that your success is theirs too, can be a great way of motivating them to work hard.

10. Creative Inspiration

Nourish your staff with exciting discoveries and new techniques, and always make sure they have access to trade magazines or online inspiration. Keeping them up to date with key trends and hot industry topics will continue to motivate them in the salon, and encourage them to experiment with new looks. Don’t be afraid to spark up debates on current trends either!

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