“Integrity is telling myself the truth, and honesty is telling the truth to others.”
One of the leading obstacles to business growth and long term success is turnover. No business can continue to grow and remain profitable with a constant merry go round of staff turnover.
Our business is such that we must rely heavily on the performance and stability of our staff to maintain business growth and stability.
In order for us to make this a reality we must examine the causes of staff turnover and find solutions to this business challenge.
Who is at fault? Salon Owners? Hairdressers? Beauty schools? At some point we all can share in the blame.
Whenever turnover occurs in a salon, everyone is affected; customers, staff members, our profession, and profits. Everyone loses.
How can we expect to create a demand for our services and raise prices in this environment?
The following guidelines will help address this challenge.
Unrealistic Job expectations — few people are willing to take full responsibility for their own success or failure, it is much easier to blame the boss when you’re not busy enough. Sometimes as painful as it is, we sometimes have to look in the mirror.
If your outstanding and work hard, people will find you and refer others. Frequent job change is not the answer. It takes experience, hard work, and a commitment to maximizing your full learning and earning potential.
Poor Leadership — on the part of management is one of the leading causes of turnover. If you can’t manage yourself, how can you expect to manage your team? Your ability to earn the trust and loyalty of your team and create a team culture will be a key management skill on the part of the owner. Create a positive and professional team environment that keeps everyone happy. My book Developing Your Skills will help you develop your leadership skills. Click here.
Poor communication — between staff and management is a major problem. As a salon owner you want to always keep lines of communication open with your staff based on mutual respect for each others viewpoints. Make sure you let your staff know that your door is always open if they have a problem.
Overcoming The Grass is Greener Syndrome — many hairdressers make poor decisions on job change because they feel they can be happier at another salon or earn higher commissions. Remember 100% of nothing is still zero. Beware, every time you change jobs you run the risk of going backwards. Before you change jobs define the reasons of your unhappiness and then ask for a private meeting with your boss and try to work out a solution, not in the back room with other hairdressers.
Gossip and pettiness — never allow yourself to make job change decisions due to salon gossip and pettiness, or misinformation from a fellow worker.
Lack of Educational Guidelines — as leader of your team , and as owner of your salon it is your responsibility to provide the leadership and educational guidelines in helping your team to reach higher levels of excellence. Are you offering educational guidelines and support to help them reach higher levels of excellence?
Exit Interview — Find out why this individual wants to leave your team, you may be the reason they are unhappy. Sometimes we as salon owners have to share in the blame; after all we made the decision to hire them. Did we create conditions that foster loyalty? Did we provide leadership and mentoring? Did we invest in our salon’s greatest asset by educating our team?
I do hope that all of us can join together and bring stability to our careers and salons. We need each other more than ever.
Before you make the decision to change jobs, keep in mind, your decision can also affect the livelihoods of your fellow workers as well. Try to work out a solution with your boss. Maybe you just need more education and experience. Keep lines of communication always open with your boss. They can’t help you if they do not know what your unhappy about.
If you still want to change jobs, do so in an ethical manner, without taking phone numbers of clients. I,m sure your new boss will provide you with more customers. Getting ahead at the expense of others is just wrong. You may want your job back if your new job is not what you expected or need references.
Never burn the bridges behind you. Please urge your staff to attend my Hairdressers Guide to Making Money seminar when one comes to your area.Click Here