As a salon owner you are responsible for not only the growth and development of your salon business, but also the attention and management of staff goals.
As we have touched upon before in this article, the success of your salon depends almost entirely on your team. It is therefore important to make time to focus on nurturing their personal goals as well as managing them in an effective way.
The power of education…
Investing in the right education is a fantastic benefit for your staff. It is impossible for your stylists and therapists to meet your expectations if they aren’t adequately trained to remain relevantly qualified and innovative.
By offering your staff education, they are more likely to perform at a higher level of skill which will in turn catapult your salon into the upper echelons of professionalism. This may also have an effect on the kinds of clients attracted to your salon as well as your brand’s image. You staff will also become more confident in you as a manager if you are seen to be placing their best interests at heart. It is this kind of supportive behaviour that will make your staff more likely to stay with your salon business.
Related: Making the most of staff training in the salon
Keep the lines of communication open…
In any career, there is nothing worse than feeling like you have hit a ceiling. This is even more prevalent in the business of hair and beauty as it is such a creative industry.
Stagnation is a likely reason for staff leaving your salon, so by remaining open to your staff’s suggestions and questions regarding their goals and aspirations, productivity is likely to improve. It is also likely that they will continue their journey of growth as a professional with you as a salon owner thanks to your commitment to helping them achieve their goals.
When discussing the goals of your staff, ensure that they align with your salon’s image and overall strategy. It is important to also accept that the goals must be measurable such as level of client retention to ensure that there are no grey areas and targets can be met.
Related: How to keep a handle on staff turnover
With this in mind it is important to ensure that expectations are clear from your staff members’ very first day with your business all the way through their respective careers.
Creative vision is extremely personal to your stylist or therapist. However, by setting some guidelines it will be easier to talk about any areas of improvement without your staff feeling their work is being picked apart needlessly.
The importance of performance reviews…
Staff reviews are important and should be a regular occurrence within your salon, whether you stick to a schedule of monthly, bi monthly or annual reviews. Ensure that the reviews are thorough and work a fair balance between a stylist’s or therapist’s strengths and areas for improvement. In order to remain fair and effective, the review process should also include the opportunity for your staff to give you some feedback as the salon owner.
Rewarding staff…
Your salon employees are more likely to want to strive to meet your expectations and seek to deliver for the salon they work for if they are rewarded. Small verbal rewards, perhaps on a stylist’s cut and colour job on a client, go a long way towards positively reinforcing their worth within your business.
With an illustrious and loyal client base, your staff are hugely important in the development of your salon business. By effectively managing your staff, respecting their aspirations and actively working to move forwards, your salon is bound for success.
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Other posts in the Salon Management series: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT OPENING YOUR OWN SALON | HOW TO BUILD LOYALTY WITH YOUR CUSTOMERS