Most of us have lost a staff member from time to time. Some leave because they feel they can advance their career elsewhere, and some are lured by being offered more commissions or booth rental options. Of course client lists are expected to follow when your staff walk out the door.
No business can continue to grow with a constant merry-go-round of losing members from your team to your competitors. Any interruption to building and growing your business is a major challenge to salon owners, our profession, and your other staff members.
How are we to raise prices in this type of business interruption and turnover? Our current tough economy compounds our challenges. Unfortunately, some salon owners will, out of pure desperation, attempt to recruit key members of your team by offering higher commissions or booth rental options in the hopes of them bringing a clientele. This should serve as a red flag that some owners are desperate and depending on a hairdresser to bring a clientele to help grow their business.
This is more than just a financial problem, but an ethical one as well. There are more than enough customers for everyone. Getting ahead at the expense of others is just wrong. Sadly some owners have no plan of action on how to prevent and overcome staff turnover when it happens. Many try to recover by hiring anyone just to fill their chairs, while others struggle to find a replacement. With our new minimum and overtime mandates, training a new member to your team can be costly
The best way to protect your business and the livelihoods of your other team members is to first identify and prevent the causes of turnover and then fight back.
The following tips are not designed to hinder the livelihoods of hairdressers, quite the opposite! These tips are designed to not only insure job security, but also give you the owner and hairdresser the opportunity to grow in a professional and positive salon environment as well as create a demand for our services so we can raise prices to combat rising business costs.
If you want to combat and overcome staff turnover, here are a few tips: My book Creating Your Salon will help you in your terms of employment.
Hire The Right People — you should place all newcomers on a six month probationary period and make sure their employment is “at-will,” which means you can let them go at any time and that they can quit at any time. You should also state that this is not a contract for employment.This protects both you and them as you see if they make a good fit for your salon. Overall, make sure that any new hires share your vision and goals.
Prevention Is The Best Plan of Action— find out why an employee would leave before they do! Do you have an employee handbook? Did you provide a positive and professional salon environment? Did you implement a salon training program? During their six month probationary period did you find out if they shared your goals and team concepts? Sometimes, as owners, we also have to share in the blame for staff turnover.
Review Your Employee Handbook – did you clearly define your salon’s expectations to your new staff member? Did you provide them with terms of employment? Did you add a provision that all phone numbers and addresses of your clients are the property of your salon and will be cause for immediate dismissal and legal action if they’re taken away?
Always Fight Back — if your stylist leaves and take phone number and addresses without your permission, the best course of action is the fight back, not against them, but for your own salon! Fight back by sending all his or hers customers a very nice letter stating we want to keep you as a customer and make them an offer they can’t refuse.
Build the Reputation of Your Salon — not the reputation of the hairdresser. Work hard to win the loyalty of your customers by staying in touch regularly.
Leadership — you have to earn the trust and loyalty of your team by working hard to make them successful. Create conditions that foster loyalty. Let your staff know you really care. Remember: excellence does start at the top.
With my years of experience, I can say that you can prevent and overcome staff turnover as long as you start with the right mindset. For more information on how to maintain a successful salon, be sure to review my entire catalog of work.
Preventing and overcoming staff turnover will also be one of our many topics discussed on our 2019 7-day Caribbean Cruse. Be sure to make your reservation today, and don’t miss out on a wonderful and educational trip!