Staff Arrrgggghhh

[the-hairdresser]

i wanted to let you all know about what happened to me a few weeks ago, i went to work everything was fine all the staff working nicely, fully booked appointments for the whole day. Just myself and one other stylist working with one trainee. ( due to staff holidays ) all was well until around 2pm, my stylist went out the back for a cigarette and never came back, she had taken her handbag, car keys etc. this left me with all her clients to sort out whilst sorting out my own, she wouldnt answer her mobile phone and wasnt answering at home. i was so angry that she walked out on us (staff and clients) and that she couldnt even be bothered to answer the phone to me, she has still not contacted me to tell me why she did this and i cant get in touch with her. i pay VERY good wage and commission also, i look after all of my staff very well but i always seem to end up with members of staff who just cant be bothered. i feel like i am to soft on them and thats why they feel like they can act in this way.
it is getting to the point now where i feel like i dont want to train my staff because they are just going to leave and take all the training i give them to another salon.
Advice desperately needed!!!!!!!!

 

[loubylou]

Sounds like you have answered your own question hun, you need to toughen up with them,
give them a contract that states if they leave in a certain amount of time they have to pay for the training that you have provided to them maybe,
chin up hun everyone has staffing problems now and again and you just learn from it each time

 

[gemmamarie]

I cannot believe that this happend to you!:irked: That is awful:irked:
I agree with the last comment that you should definately draw up some kind of contract to stop this happening!!
Its when I hear stories like this that I am very very pleased that I am a one man band so to speak.
Is there anyway that you can stop her last wage or anything, so at least you can get something back for all your training costs:idea:
I am really sorry that this misfortune happend hun,:hug:

 

[nicjill]

I don't think there's any way to recoup your losses I'm afraid, you can't legally withhold wages. You can only get on with things until you hear something. She should have given you notice or at least called you after to say she wasn't coming back, for all you know she could have been abducted by aliens & come back after a few weeks expecting her job back! Unfortunately it is more likely that she's just disloyal to you and has found herself a job elsewhere. I'd definitely agree with the others, you need to be tougher in future, you need a legally binding contract. It doesn't stop staff from leaving but at least it means they have to give you notice if they do, plus you can stipulate that any training costs have to be repaid if they leave before a certain period, etc. It protects you and your staff so you both know where you stand and what you expect of each other. We tend to expect people to behave as we would in their situation but unfortunately we have to learn the hard way that we are just too trusting and many people only look out for themselves.

I feel bad for you being in that situation, especially being left with all those clients but if she can do that to you & your business then she isn't worth worrying about, find yourself someone more loyal and forget about her.

 

[jogriff]

I hear so many times of staff leaving and taking the clients with them, and that is really gutting. I too find staffing issues really difficult and also find it hard to find committed reliable staff. I try to pay well but do expect them to cover the salary before I pay commission. Also self employed staff are just as frustrating, I have one who is only scheduled to work 3 days a week yet constently takes 1 day out sick or for other bizarre reasons. leaving us to contact the clients and reschedule them. We get the greif and he gets them coming back time and again, his clients use us when he lets them down. He also texts me all times of the day or night to complain or moan about things, yet never talks them over with me, only last night at 12pm I got a text just saying "im losing clients because they dont like the salon" what does he expect me to do, the salon has just been refurbished we have all the latest equipment and top the line stock, its driving me mad, we go on a 50% split and he is very busy but Im wondering if its really worth it. SORRY ABOUT THE RANT. :hug::hug:

 

[hippy-chick]

that is terrible for you, I bet you were on tenderhooks all day wondering what was going on.

got a solution for you, this is what I would do if I was going to take someone on.

I would rent a chair, and make them pay a month in advance, eg say you rented a chair for £60 a week, they took payment for their own clients, cash or cheque. This also self-motivates them as they have to do a certain amount of treatments to make a wage. They pay you a month in advance before they start and if they leave, you keep the money unless they give adequate notice.

If you havent already got contracts up and running then start them now, stipulate what you expect of them and what they will get from you, indicate how many days notice they have to give, if they leave what radius they can set up in, if they have training, how long they have to work for you before they can leave or have to pay some of it back.

My friend opened her own spa 3 years ago, she has had 5 members of staff get her experience and knowledge and then leave. 2 have set up in the next street from her and another in the town.