Staffing Issues... HELP PLEASE!!!

[Jen2k]

Hey all, wow havent been on here for a while! Nice to be back lol

Just wanted people's opinions really on a staffing issue i have in the salon at the moment :irked:

Okay, basically i'm 24 and a co owner of a hair and beauty salon (in partnership with my mum). Opened last February and everything has been running smoothly (ish! lol) until recently i'm seriously beginning to lose all patience with the staff.

We have a hairdresser who is paid a weekly fixed amount that everyone is happy with. Although when she started back in october of last year she was meant to be sorting out 2 late nights a week where her son (who is 5) would be babysat by the family so she could do set allocated hours. Well basically this never happened. She works a fixed 9:30 til 2:30 then leaves to go pick up her son and thats it. Saturdays she stays til about 5:30.
I have a beautician who was employed on a 60/40 split - the salon buys all the stock and she has everything needed to be able to work with the clients, she has no outlay whatsoever. She's decided she only wants to work on a saturday.
Another beautician who was at college until she recently qualified also has the same split wage and again all outlays are paid out and she also only comes into the salon on a saturday.
Both the beauticians stated days and times they could be called into work if clients needed them to and so as usual i booked in 2 facials today and phoned one of the beauticians who is qualified in facials... no answer. I left a voicemail asking her about the booked clients and i simply got a text back stating "sorry i cant".
The beauticians seem to non stop moan about everything possible, 1 always goes out on the Friday night and seems to have hangovers every saturday morning, they moan about one having more clients than the other and im starting to have complaints about the standards (or lack of) of the work they do... be it only 1 day a week.

I am seriously running out of patience, being 24 i feel like i get no respect whatsoever (hairdresser is 28, beauticians are 20 and 23) and its feeling like i'd get more sense out of talking to a brick wall... the new thing is doing treatments like waxing or dying hair) to each other during work hours while the rest of us have clients in (note not paying for treatments either), picking and choosing clients and letting them down last minute, or swinging random days off and not even asking just marking it out in the appointment book.

I'm the only full time person in the place (having to now take over the nail treatments and enhancements because of the complaints, and qualified in waxing and a hair extensionist).

Apologies to everyone for the length of this thread but to get all the facts across i had to explain most things! lol
Any advice or opinions would be greatly appreciated... i just dont know what to do anymore

 

[Jaffacake]

sounds to me like they are taking the P! I think you need to let them know that they either do their hours every day/week or you are going to be looking for replacements for them. They need to respect you however old you are as you are the boss! If it was me i think I would call a meeting and have it out with them, you can't carry on like this and it sounds like the clients are not very impressed with them either so they are damaging your business - good luck

 

[Impulse1976]

Hey all, wow havent been on here for a while! Nice to be back lol

Just wanted people's opinions really on a staffing issue i have in the salon at the moment :irked:

Okay, basically i'm 24 and a co owner of a hair and beauty salon (in partnership with my mum). Opened last February and everything has been running smoothly (ish! lol) until recently i'm seriously beginning to lose all patience with the staff.

We have a hairdresser who is paid a weekly fixed amount that everyone is happy with. Although when she started back in october of last year she was meant to be sorting out 2 late nights a week where her son (who is 5) would be babysat by the family so she could do set allocated hours. Well basically this never happened. She works a fixed 9:30 til 2:30 then leaves to go pick up her son and thats it. Saturdays she stays til about 5:30.
I have a beautician who was employed on a 60/40 split - the salon buys all the stock and she has everything needed to be able to work with the clients, she has no outlay whatsoever. She's decided she only wants to work on a saturday.
Another beautician who was at college until she recently qualified also has the same split wage and again all outlays are paid out and she also only comes into the salon on a saturday.
Both the beauticians stated days and times they could be called into work if clients needed them to and so as usual i booked in 2 facials today and phoned one of the beauticians who is qualified in facials... no answer. I left a voicemail asking her about the booked clients and i simply got a text back stating "sorry i cant".
The beauticians seem to non stop moan about everything possible, 1 always goes out on the Friday night and seems to have hangovers every saturday morning, they moan about one having more clients than the other and im starting to have complaints about the standards (or lack of) of the work they do... be it only 1 day a week.

I am seriously running out of patience, being 24 i feel like i get no respect whatsoever (hairdresser is 28, beauticians are 20 and 23) and its feeling like i'd get more sense out of talking to a brick wall... the new thing is doing treatments like waxing or dying hair) to each other during work hours while the rest of us have clients in (note not paying for treatments either), picking and choosing clients and letting them down last minute, or swinging random days off and not even asking just marking it out in the appointment book.

I'm the only full time person in the place (having to now take over the nail treatments and enhancements because of the complaints, and qualified in waxing and a hair extensionist).

Apologies to everyone for the length of this thread but to get all the facts across i had to explain most things! lol
Any advice or opinions would be greatly appreciated... i just dont know what to do anymore

Its a pitty i dont live near you, i would love to work for you and give you the respect you deserved. x

 

[jacqui]

I agree with Sherrie, you need to need to sit down work out what you expect them to do, including the respect you deserve..

I wish i was nearer, even though I only do nails, when I rented a room in the hairdressers, i used to go in at 8.30 to set up and be there until 5.30, 6 days a week, some days i wouldn't get 1 client but I would help the hairdressers, just simple things like sweeping up, making tea.

I really hope you get it sorted, the sooner the better.

 

[Tracey Roberts]

YOURE the boss, dont let them dictate to you what they want to do, im sure there are plenty of peeps that would jump at the opportunity to work fulltime,try going for a slightly older age band of employee maybe???, 1:most have had their familys, 2: most are more grown up and friday night drinking dont matter, 3: Im sure they would be more grateful for the job....
this would apply to me anyway :lol:

 

[hippy-chick]

ditto to all above.

you need to call a meeting, state that biz is suffering because of this, remind them of the promised hours that they offered, state that this is going to have to be adhered too, otherwise you will have to look for someone who does want to work.

get some feedback from them, and perhaps get it down in writing.

 

[Doorie]

we've had issues with our staff too, and we decided to have an individual meeting with everyone, not only the "faulty" ones, to know why they wouldn't be there on some days, or stuff like that.

we ended in finding a quite quick solution for 2 of them, both leave at the end of the month, one got a warning that she would be next.

you HAVE to stay firm and stick to your guns. if you made a deal with them, if you wrote terms down, about the days they are supposed to be here and stuff, this is your proof that they are not reliable persons.

show them all the times you counted on them and they let you down, and let them know staff is easy to find, and you know you'll be better off with ppl that you can call when needed.

pay them less, since they work few. explain them you save the money to hire another person to fill the gap.

and FORBID them to use the clients products to provide treatments to each other, except on several conditions: ie paying for it to cover the price YOU pay, or they can use idk a product from a bottle you cannot use for retail, etc.

but if you do nothing you'll lose too many clients & money.

 

[fozzyo]

Write down all your points, everything you want to say and your reasoning. You're the boss, your the one who is there everyday dealing with all the clients. Then put down in writing the agreement for each individual and both sign a copy, one for you and one for them. Then if you need to review the situation you have clear grounds for disciplinary action as they have been told verbally, and in writing and signed to agree to it what is expected.

Good luck!

Mat

 

[Jen2k]

thanks everyone for all your opinions and feedback on this!!

what i am thinking of doing is advertising for a full time beautician (already advertising for full time hairstylist also) who can be there with me during the week and can do the walk in clients (should we have any) and split the bookings with me as its too many treatments to do on my own as i cant rely on the "saturday girls" to come in or help or keep up the standard of the treatments lol

That way they are going to lose on clients anyways and come saturdays the only things they will be able to do is going to be the general "saturday girl" jobs i.e. cleaning, making tea, etc etc if they choose to stay. That way with advertising for a "rent a room" basis should make life alot easier.
That way the facts are there that a full time beautician is needed, if they want to put forward for the position then they can be interviewed same as other people, there are fixed hours, fixed rent on their space etc... does that sound fair?

 

[~Emmsybabes~]

That way they are going to lose on clients anyways and come saturdays the only things they will be able to do is going to be the general "saturday girl" jobs i.e. cleaning, making tea, etc etc if they choose to stay.




does that sound fair?

To me hun, it sounds MORE than fair..
I don't think they should be choosing whether they stay or not...you should be !
They have (by the sounds of it) been choosing what they do at work for far too long....
Step in there girl..hold your bloomin head up high, and TELL them what is happening,
As said before ...get it all sorted in your own head first..and don't take no crap of them while you are talking to them,
DO NOT let them talk you over into their way of thinking babe,....you are the boss :hug:

 

[Rach]

Were they given any written terms and conditions when they started?

If not, you need to draw these up ASAP including the points about days off, using products on each other etc and make sure they sign them.

 

[Jen2k]

Were they given any written terms and conditions when they started?

If not, you need to draw these up ASAP including the points about days off, using products on each other etc and make sure they sign them.

No, admit completely my fault it was worked out the 60/40 split which was agreed at the time verbally because the first beautician that started was a friend of a family member who had left another salon and the newest one was only meant to be doing 72 hours of unpaid work experience, completed those hours and because she didnt want to leave we agreed on the 60/40 again because she wanted to stay.




what do other salons do with regards to treatments?? Is it a % discount or do people charge to cover costs of waxing/hair dye etc and if so how much roughly is the charge on this?

 

[Doorie]

in my company I have all products free, this includes make up, nail enc products, skincare, face care...

well. that's because I am in the management... and nail stuff is for training, or on demo...
if I work on a client well it's paid and covers the cost.

AND that was part of the deal for me.
not all the management has that, the staff usually can ask and bring back home the faulty products only if we know we cannot send them back. they have a free set of nails on request too.

 

[Jen2k]

Thank you Doorie, what about the part time and/or full time staff wanting to do treatments on each other using the salon stock? Bit of an issue at the moment as when i come to use things for my clients its either low or missing

 

[Doorie]

well stop it all and warn them...

tell them you noticed they used products you PAID for, and isn't meant to be used for free.
tell them you consider it STEALING stuff from you, and this is a warning, it won't be tolerated anymore.

do offer them a discount price tho, but do not let your money flee like that, really! I have my free products also because I need to test what I sell, and also because our partners send us the products before as to test and market them, and basically we don't really pay for them as they are kinda part of the deal. if you do have such a deal... let them, unless, it's a firm no.

what you can also do, if you go for an individual meeting with each of them, is clearly explaining them your costs, and everything. telling them "this product costs me 20£, the treatment is 40£, the margin goes in paying the rent, insurance, etc etc etc", don't forget the income and any wages you may have, and show them like 2+2 = 4 that you cannot have ppl taking stuff from your stock/retail items.

 

[Jaffacake]

I agree, they should at least pay your costs for the products! I would put your foot down now, probably find they take stuff to use privately too :irked:

If you advertise for a full time beautician on a rent a room basis how will this work with you doing treatments yourself? Looking at it from the other side of the coin, who gets the clients that come in? what if its not particularly busy one day and someone comes in for a treatment, would you do it or the person renting the space? you obviously dont want to let her do all your clients, but I wouldnt want to be renting space and only getting half the treatments to do either? I rented space to do nails in my local salon but I was the only one doing enhancements so it wasnt a problem as all the clients were mine unless they were in for a manicure then the salon owner usually did them, It did get a little confusing for the clients if they came in for a shape and polish as I wouldn't do it without permission for fear of treading on her toes! would have been far easier if ALL nail treatments were mine.

Maybe you could split the treatments or something? good luck in finding better staff I also think the more mature person would be less likely to take liberties, come in drunk, be texting on mobile all day, steal products etc etc :hug:

 

[Jen2k]

I agree, they should at least pay your costs for the products! I would put your foot down now, probably find they take stuff to use privately too :irked:

If you advertise for a full time beautician on a rent a room basis how will this work with you doing treatments yourself? Looking at it from the other side of the coin, who gets the clients that come in? what if its not particularly busy one day and someone comes in for a treatment, would you do it or the person renting the space? you obviously dont want to let her do all your clients, but I wouldnt want to be renting space and only getting half the treatments to do either? I rented space to do nails in my local salon but I was the only one doing enhancements so it wasnt a problem as all the clients were mine unless they were in for a manicure then the salon owner usually did them, It did get a little confusing for the clients if they came in for a shape and polish as I wouldn't do it without permission for fear of treading on her toes! would have been far easier if ALL nail treatments were mine.

Maybe you could split the treatments or something? good luck in finding better staff I also think the more mature person would be less likely to take liberties, come in drunk, be texting on mobile all day, steal products etc etc :hug:

Sounds like a great idea
Yes the treatments during the week would be split... im qualified in nails, waxing & hair extensions but not for example in eyelash/eyebrow tinting perming, pedicures etc so there would be plenty of clients for a rent basis.
But if for example i have anyone in for hair extensions then that takes a block of a good 4 1/2 hours easily so with me on my own during week days its really hard because nothing can be booked in. Thats why i feel i need someone to do full time.
Does that make sense? Sorry with the confusing posts! lol :hug:
Everyone has their own clients as the moment apart from as well as doing my own because of the complaints coming back because of the weekend staff i'm also having to redo their nail sets etc

 

[Susie H]

Hi hun, are these girls employed by you or self employed?
If self employed then stop taking bookings for them, call them and tell them they are no longer required. And replace them, I wish I was in your back yard, I'd be round like a shot
If employed then I really don't understand what they think they are doing, if they worked for Tesco's or Debenams they wouldn't dream of coming and going as they please, they would know full well they would get the sack. And thats what I would tell them, failing to turn up for work when called to do so is grounds for disciplinary action and helping them selves to products without asking or paying for them is theft and thats instant dismissal.

 

[Rainbow82]

Hi there,

What an awful situation to be in. It still surprises me seeing stories like this! people just dont know a good job when they see it!

Personnally I would get rid of them all asap and start again, they are obviously not interested and think you are a soft touch.

Tell them what's what, at the end of the day it is your business and you that will suffer in the long run, cut your losses.

You could maybe approach the local college and speak to some of the teachers to see if they can reccomend some people who are ready to finish there training? Then at least they might be better if they have an endorsement from the person who has trained/assesed them?

With the time of year it is there should be loads of potential new staff out there who will know an oppertunity when they see one.

Hope it works out for you, stay positive.

:hug:

 

[Jen2k]

Hi hun, are these girls employed by you or self employed?
If self employed then stop taking bookings for them, call them and tell them they are no longer required. And replace them, I wish I was in your back yard, I'd be round like a shot
If employed then I really don't understand what they think they are doing, if they worked for Tesco's or Debenams they wouldn't dream of coming and going as they please, they would know full well they would get the sack. And thats what I would tell them, failing to turn up for work when called to do so is grounds for disciplinary action and helping them selves to products without asking or paying for them is theft and thats instant dismissal.

Yes they are self employed hence why i havent been able to say alot when it comes to the hours etc because they said they didnt have enough clients to validate coming in all day but they would be available to come in should anyone book. Although this apparently is no longer the case after the facials incident i had yesterday lol

I do agree with what everyone is saying though, at the moment it seems to be a part time salon which in the long run is never going to make it as it stands at the moment without staff who can work proper hours.
The beautician situation cannot go on any longer i've realised that through everyone's responses throughout this thread.
At first i thought it was me being picky because im 24 years of age co owning a salon and ive tried not to make an issue of that when dealing with the staff but instead i've ended up being a complete walk over really instead

Feel 100% better now from everyone's opinions and situations and the staff are going to be in for a shock tomorrow now lol

Will keep you all updated thanks so much xx