Improving staff performance will be one of your biggest challenges towards building a successful and profitable business. Our business is such that we must rely heavily on the performance and productivity of our staff.
As leader of your team, you must inspire, motivate, and take your team to a higher level by showing them how to succeed. Improved profits will be your reward.
Excellence does start at the top. Here are a few tips that will help you take tour team to a higher level.
Before you develop a compensation rewards system, you must evaluate your profit and loss statement to see if you can afford a rewards or incentive package based on their performance and productivity. I suggest you keep your rewards program simple and easy to understand for both staff and management. Most salon owners work long hours behind the chair, thus limiting their time to improve and reward productivity and performance.
Here are a Few Tips:
Create a Team Culture — so that everyone shares your goals and vision; a house divided will never grow. A team atmosphere where everyone shares your vision, goals, and leadership contributes to a very positive and fun salon environment.
Making the Right Hiring Decisions — Make sure that when you add a new member to your team, this new team member will be compatible with your other employees. A happy and productive staff will be your reward.
Keep Them Busy — by working hard to keep them with a measured flow of customers. Make sure you measure their customer return rate and referrals.
Education — Invest in your salon’s greatest profit potential by educating your staff. Your challenge is to help your workers build self-esteem and self-confidence in themselves and in their artistic skills. I urge you to work hard to help your staff become successful. If you show them how to double and triple their incomes, you will double and triple your profits. Always deal in terms of their benefits, not yours. I will be presenting my all day Personal Development Success all day seminar for your staff addressing the above concerns and more on Monday and Tuesday, July 22-23, in Las Vegas. Click here for brochure information.
Mentoring — Take time to seek out feedback from your staff in private one-on-one meetings. This lets them know you value their input and appreciate their hard work. Make them feel they are a valuable member of your team. Create an atmosphere of trust and caring, not an atmosphere of fear. Let your staff know that your door is always open if they need help and support. Authority does not make you a leader; it gives you the opportunity to be one.
Maintain Business Stability — Combat staff turnover. No salon or staff will grow when you have a constant merry-go-round of staff turnover. Naturally, your other staff members will question their job security and your leadership qualities if turnover is a constant problem.
Leadership — Whether you like it or not, you are captain of your team. It is your responsibility to take your team to higher levels of excellence. It will be your challenge to earn their trust, confidence and support by sharing your goals and vision for your business and your team. Always lead by example.
Praise and Recognition — Sometimes a little pat on the back will do wonders. It shows you appreciate their hard work and effort. Work hard to make your team feel valued and appreciated. A little personal note with their paycheck acknowledging your gratitude for their hard work, from time to time, will always be appreciated. Perhaps a little card on their birthday, or flowers on their workstation on Mother’s Day, if appropriate, would be appreciated. Maybe ordering lunch on a busy Saturday would be a nice gesture.
A Simple Thank You Card — Every so often, show your appreciation for their efforts in contributing to a professional and positive team environment. This shows your staff you appreciate their loyalty and hard work.
Treat Each Employee with Respect — Make sure you let your staff know that your door is always open if they need help and support. Always treat people the way you would want to be treated. Personal mentoring is a key element in helping your team reach higher levels of excellence. Never embarrass or reprimand a member of your team in front of others.
Show That You Are Organized — An important part of leadership is to show your staff that you are organized. Give them the educational tools and mentoring to succeed.
Make Your Staff Feel Special — Work hard to make every staff member feel special and important. Always praise in front of others. Work hard to make them feel appreciated.
Gift Certificates for Peak Performers — Give your staff gift certificates for exceeding your goals and expectations, perhaps a gift certificate to Starbucks or dinner at a local restaurant. Set targets with a rewards system for a job well done.
Team Contests — Have team contests for selling the most in retail or other salon services. Keep challenging them to seek higher levels of excellence. Make their jobs fun by setting targets and rewards.
A Suggestion Box — Ask your staff for suggestions on how the salon can be better; then reward the person who offered the best suggestion.
Bonuses — Offer a special bonus for not missing work for a year or for not having any tardiness. Perhaps you might give a bonus for the most improvement, or for selling more salon services.
Time-off Certificates — Save these for your peak performers. Reward them with a special day off: a fun field trip or picnic, or perhaps a day at the beach or park. This will contribute to teamwork and to a positive and professional salon environment.
A Benefits Package — Contribute to a simplified I.R.A. retirement account, or perhaps contribute to a health coverage package, based on performance and length of employment. Of course, before you can consider a benefit package, you must be profitable. There are also tax advantages as well. Consult with your accountant.
Hairdresser Career Development Systems offers programs that will help you take your team to the next level. As leader of your team, it will be your challenge to earn the trust and loyalty of your team. I do hope this will help you in this area.
Soon Jon will be launching his special personal success seminar for hairdressers, in an effort to help bridge the gap between hairdressers and management. Look under “Seminar schedules for hairdressers” on my website for dates and times.