Oct 2013
Hiring the right staff for you salon can make a huge difference to your business as it means that you will be able to offer a range of services to your clients and provide excellent results. As most salon owners know, once a customer likes a certain member of your staff they will tend to come back time and time again, which ultimately keeps your business secure for the future. So how do you go about picking the right team for your business? Nova Insurance has four top tips to make the process easier:
Tip 1: Think about your type of Business
Depending on where your salon is based and the demographic of your main clientele you will require a certain type of staff. For example, if you are a barber shop you will need to hire staff that not only specialise in cutting short hair but can also do it fast – most people who visit barbers don’t book appointments and so you want to ensure the waiting time is as short as possible. Other salons may cater to young people who will want trendy hairstyles and so you should hire staff members that have a keen passion for fashion and trying out new ideas. Remember, you want your customers to feel comfortable when visiting your salon so make sure you provide them with staff members who can cater to their needs.
Tip 2: Get to know Local Colleges
When most people start their hairdressing career they work as an apprentice for a salon while completing their qualifications, which means it’s always a good idea to get to know the colleges around your area that offer this type of course. By building up a relationship with local colleges not only will you become an employer of choice but you will also be able to hire the best upcoming talent before they get snapped up by your competitors! Before you hire an apprentice make sure you talk to your current members of staff and find out what type of person they are looking for and why they think that sort of person could benefit the business. Ultimately, they will be the ones training them so it’s important that they have a say.
Tip 3: Constantly train your Staff
Hiring new members of staff isn’t just about what they can offer you but what you can offer them, and so you should make sure that each new member of staff has the opportunity to develop within your business. Arranging training on a regular basis will not only help develop the skills of your workforce but also ensures that your salon is up to date with new techniques, products and hair styles. You should also think about allowing your staff members to branch out when it comes to beauty treatments as a number of salons these days offer beauty treatments such as manicures as well as hairdressing services. Don’t forget that if you do start offering client’s beauty services you will have to upgrade your salon insurance policy to cover the new treatments and equipment.
Tip 4: Make sure your Team works Together
Having a number of highly skilled members of staff is always beneficial, however if these people don’t get on then you could find their skills won’t be put to good use. This is why it is imperative that when hiring a new member of staff you don’t just look at their skill set but also their personality and whether they will realistically get on with those that already work for you. Naturally, you can’t always please everyone, but by keeping this in mind you should be able to create a team of workers who are efficient, helpful, and most importantly, happy to work for you. Keeping a team happy usually relies on understanding each member’s strengths and weaknesses and then playing to them accordingly. For example, if one is better at colouring than styling then they should be in charge of the colouring department where they can utilise their skills to their full potential.
Having the right staff can ultimately make or break your business, which is why when hiring new members you need to keep in mind the above four tips. If you get it right, not only will your business flourish but you will also have a group of people who you will be happy to work with on a daily basis.