Working conditions in salons

[weezie]

I was just wondering what could realistically be improved by salon owners in order to make your job satisfaction higher. I would like suggestions of positive things salon owners could do to improve staff happiness and therefore commitment and productivity within the salon. This post is to give employees a chance to make helpful suggestions and not an attempt to slag off salon owners who are doing their best but instead to help them improve their business.

Some examples of improvements could be allowing enough time between treatments, capping the number of massages each therapist is expected to perform, allowing the therapists to have a full hour lunch break or asking the staff for input into decisions made in the salon. Please mention these again if they would be something you would like to be seen in salons.

I am not saying this does not happen in some salons but I am just thinking this may help people setting up their salons to have some ideas how to keep their staff happy and therefore run an ultra successful business.:hug:

OOh and also tell us about anything that is different about how the salon you work in is run that makes you love work would also be interesting.

Constructive criticism and ideas please. x

 

[weezie]

Is everyone blissfully happy?! :lol: I am especially interested as if one day I decide to go down the route of employing others I would love to know what makes them tick :hug:

 

[Lynne Baker]

I have managed many staff over the years in IT, not in beauty therapy, but I think that what makes people tick is pretty much the same whatever the profession. People need to feel valued, fulfilled, they need to feel that they have a say in their career. They need to feel that they are progressing, if that's what they want, and that they are doing a good job. What might turn them off? If they are left out of decisions which affect their working lives, if their opinions are not heard, if they are taken for granted, if there is no flexibility. People need guidance, support and direction. What they don't need is to be given no goals, no idea of what's expected of them.
In my experience it doesn't take much to make people want to leave, but equally it doesn't take a great deal of effort to keep them!

 

[weezie]

Thanks for your post Calla, I definitely agree with your comments. Motivation does come through a feeling of self worth and rewards for hard work. I am also interested in knowing things that are also specifically related to beauty therapists too please keep them coming if you have an opinion x :hug:

I know there can be a big problem with high staff turnover in this business.

 

[skymark]

I'm in the same position as Calla. Lots of staff and managing experience, just in a different industry.

Honestly though I think that good HR practice goes across all industries.

In the salon, definitely appreciate your ideas about giving enough treatment in between treatments etc. Staff never like to feel like they are being used as robots.

As well as that some of the things I like to make sure I do are...

- Giving little cheap suprises to staff, such as turning up one morning having been to a bagel shop with food for everyone to eat.

- In the summer, coming back from lunch with icecreams for all your staff.

- Making sure your staff know that you recognise their extra talents such as in a salon environment, maybe asking one member of staff to put an order together for retail items and telling asking them if they could do it because they have a knack for retailing (just a little compliment but it shows the staff member you notice things).

- Showing trust to your staff (once you have established you have a good trustworthy staff).

- Staff discount on retail items.

- Never forgetting to compliment your staff and show an interest in them.

These are just things that are off the top of my head.

:hug:

 

[weezie]

Thanks Skymark that really is some food for thought, pardon the pun! I remember where I used to work my boss would sometimes buy me a cake or some other treat and it did make me feel special.

Some really interesting ideas :hug:

 

[beautynails]

I think treatments for staff are very important, both in-house and at other salons. In-house as a way to help staff keep well groomed..............who can be bothered waxing their legs after working all day........and I think treatments at other salons are a great incentive. Every therapist needs to be treated, and IMO it is easier to relax away from your own work enviroment.

Employers need to have industry knowledge. Not necessarily be trained, but have an idea what's what.

The food get a big thumbs up from me too.

 

[Terese]

I think THANKYOU goes along way, its easy say and its understood worldwide!

Seriously though, Apprasals are good, keeping on top of how your staff are feeling and listening to their individual ideas and make SMART goals for them.

Staff can sometimes be embarrased/intimidated in saying what they feel in a large gathering.....there are all different types of personalities in the workplace and some will be stronger than others.

 

[weezie]

Thanks everyone this has got me thinking and dreaming about the perfect salon!:hug:

 

[Florriedee]

Also keeping things interesting! I have found that one of the problems in my job is that I get bored, but the smallest thing can make all the difference - changing the packaging of something, even just the shape of the bags or something tiny can keep me entertained (easily pleased I realise!) and I think appraisals are a brilliant idea too! Especially as it means that any gripes that your staff have they can raise with you in private and if you have any suggestions to make them more productive or anything you can do so in private - as long as when you make that suggestion you wrap it up nicely - ie 'I love the way you do such and such but I have had a thought, what about doing that this way? and that was a brilliant idea by the way doing that! I wish I'd thought of that!'

I hope you can understand what I mean by all of that - I frankly confused myself a bit there!

Lx

 

[Squabhead]

I had a great salon boss for 6 years. She didn't expect us to massage men unless we felt comfortable with it. No full body massages for men unless we knew them and were ok with it. No more than 2 or 3 full body massages a day. She let us pop out if we had a space as long as we asked permission. Basically she was a friend, as well as a boss, altough certainly no push over, we respected her too. It was only a small 3 room salon, and there were 2 employees and her so we got on well and there was never any bitching. Loved the job, loved the customers, loved the staff.

 

[sodabubble]

I love the idea of speaking to staff as equals - some salon owners have staff that are better qualified than the owners themselves and this does need to be realised.

I dont want to repeat the other posts - I agree with them all! so heres a few ideas of my own:

opportunities for staff training

not buying cheap & nasty products and expecting staff to work miricles!

believing in your staff - have faith and make sure everyone is aware of a structured complaints procedure (we all have bad days/bad clients - salon managers should not assume that the customer is always right!)

workable goals/targets - encourages a bit of fun and friendly competition, even if you only employ one therapist! Give her the opportunity of 'winning' something and she will try!

Praise - without this your staff wont feel valued - they will feel used and maybe leave and set up by themselves - possibly becoming a big threat to your business!

Also, if I wanted to run a salon, I would make sure that I am a therapist myself! Sounds obvious but there are so many salons run by people who arent therapists, and they dont have much of an idea of the job role, so maybe make it your business to train, even if it means doing night school.

Treat the business as a business - one rule for all. This means making it clear if family members are entitled to discounts (either the salon owners family or the staff's family - staff can get confused if Managers Mum usually gets freebies on Tuesdays, but not on Saturdays!)

Take an interest in your staff - staff are not robots, they are people with needs and aspirations, not minions under your control! This means dont expect them to pick up YOUR kids from school, or do YOUR laundry/shopping etc in THIER lunch breaks!

 

[sodabubble]

Oh, and practical things too, like having separate bins for recycle and landfill, big enough treatment rooms, working equipment, adequate ventilation etc xx

 

[weezie]

Thanks for the new replies, some really interesting and good points :hug:

 

[sianbamford]

Hi i have a hair salon i ask my staff wot they would like to receive for hitting targets etc last time we did a retail incentive i gave away weekends away, trips to theme parks, some1 ask for lunch to be paid for them, they earned it so they got it, we are also going on a trip to thorpe park as a team buliding day out! (not sure how much team building will be going on but oh well) I also make sure all my staff take a full lunch hour! even if i dont take 1 myself they do. I return for this all i ask is that my staff work as a team, do their work to the best of their ability, and have some fun doing it. We very rarely have any problems and i have really loyal staff who are great!

 

[Navada]

Hi
We have 2 salons one est 35yrs the other 18yrs we have had some staff stay with us for over 20yrs but the average is about 8 -10 yrs
I find that the best ways to keep staff is no tricks just be honest tell them all that is going on and involve them from the colour of your signage to the products you use and retail if they feel part of the business they are more likely to enjoy being there. Treat apprentices the same as the stylists because they are the future of your business.
Incentives and competitions are great for moral but make they quirky.
But be carefull the bottom line is always the money without it there wont be any staff or business make sure they realise how much every client is worth to them and you.
Hope it helps
N