Imagine running your business staffing critical roles. No one to take calls, book appointments, wash and cut hair, discuss and implement the wants and needs of clients, and so on. The business would cease to operate, which is why employee turnover rates are one of the most significant obstacles beauty business owners face. While clients come in for a massage, hair color, trim or their monthly facial, they keep coming back for their favorite stylist or spa pro whom they trust. The employees, essentially, are the business as far as customers are concerned. So how do beauty business owners win the war for talent?
Investing in your team
Salon and spa professionals do more than provide client service. They offer clients a shoulder to cry on, a trusted person to share news with or in some cases, they may be the only consistent human connection a client has access to, especially among older clientele. When thinking about talent and employee incentives, salon and spa owners should invest in their team just as their employees invest in their clients.
- Mentorship: Today’s salon and spa professionals know they have to grow and hone their craft to build and maintain their client base. Learning from others can be key. Salon and spa owners should consider how mentorship plays a role in their team’s daily operations. For example, according to a survey from MentorcliQ, 83% of Gen Z workers believe having a workplace mentor is important for their career. Employees are an invaluable resource in defining how a salon or spa approaches mentorship. Owners should nurture an open dialogue with their teams to understand what they want out of mentorship and how their employers can meet their needs.
- Job security: With many stories of layoffs in the news of late, employees across industries want job security. Throughout 2024, salon and spa owners should work to reinforce their team’s confidence in their employer. This could come in the form of compensation, added benefits and/or furthering education programs. Something as simple as team meetings where the owner is transparent about the state of the business what is being done maintain and attract clients can go a long way to reassuring key personnel that their jobs are secure.
- Community: Salons and spas that invest themselves in the community reap potential benefits such as new business opportunities, reputational amplification and more engaged employees. For example, community involvement can provide employees with a deeper connection to a salon or spa. By engaging in community service projects or having a presence at community business and social events, employees can grow their clientele, and that of the business, while taking ownership of their efforts.
There are many reasons turnover is common in the beauty industry, some of which salon and spa owners cannot fully control. However, investing in employees can only yield positive results for business owners. To be intentional, salon and spa owners should ask their teams how they want to be supported, what their goals are and how the business can help them flourish. After all, beauty professionals are a salon or spa owners’ most important asset.
Kathy Lopez, Account Manager for SASSI, the Salon and Spa Specialty Insurance program at Brownyard Group. She can be reached at klopez@brownyard.com.
