Salon Management

If you find a good employee who you feel will stay with the salon for some time, consider taking the employee to one of the trade associations’ training programs. The depth of knowledge that is presented, as well as the opportunity to network with other salon owners and employees, is invaluable. If you can’t justify the travel expenses for any of your employees, still give serious thought to going yourself. The knowledge you gain, as well as the training manual, will be an asset to your in-salon training program. Another, less expensive alternative is a correspondence training course offered by some of the associations.

Rapid employee turnover is something all businesses want to avoid. In addition to being costly in money and time, it also can cause problems with other employees and client relations. In order to minimize this problem treat your employees well.

Being considerate and generous to an employee will encourage him or her to do more for you. Treat your employees in the same manner in which you wish to be treated—with fairness and dignity. However, if an employee has become very negative and doesn’t seem receptive to reconciliation, get that person out of the salon. The negative attitude will be transferred to other employees and to customers, causing a great deal of damage to the salon’s morale and image.

An open communication policy can solve many problems before they develop into major issues. Talking to your employees is of primary importance, and let them know how you feel about their performances. If they are doing a good job, tell them. If their performances are slipping a bit, let them know you are concerned, and would like to know if there is some way you could help get them get back on track.

If you have students working in your salon, school usually takes precedence
over work. Make every effort to accommodate their special needs and try to develop a schedule that will work smoothly for them. If this is not acceptable to you, don’t hire students. However, at the same time, they should be made aware of the special needs
of your salon, and that you are operating a business.

There is a fine line between being friendly with your employees and still maintaining your authority. Socializing after work hours should be limited. However, eating lunch together, when possible, is a good way to bridge any communication gaps that may exist.

Try to be at the salon as much as possible since this lends itself to better employee relations, as well as better client relations. Employees generally are more responsible, and clients feel more secure when there is an authority figure present, and it creates a more professional atmosphere.