Successfully Integrate New Staff Members
Recruitment for Salons has never been harder!
At MySalonManager we’re constantly being asked for advice on how to recruit successfully. We remind our members that it takes time to find the right person with the right attitude.
After weeks of recruiting, our salons tend to find the diamond in the rough, but I often find that a salon’s induction process is often flawed and can fail to convey what the salon manager expects from their latest addition to the team.
I recently spoke to a salon owner who was disappointed that a staff member had left after just six months of being employed. They left because they didn’t understand their targets and hadn’t hit them. I asked the salon owner if they had given them written details of their commission and weekly coaching. The answer was no.
All that time and money spent recruiting the new stylist was wasted.
How can we expect a stylist to perform and be loyal to a salon without defining our expectations?
We must convey our expectations clearly and help our stylists achieve their goals, or they may leave, or even worse, sit in the staff room creating an undesired culture.
Here are my four tips for integrating new staff successfully:
01. You’re Hired!
Found a stylist you love that’s passed your trade test? We recommend an offer letter, identifying the key information including their start date, basic pay and commission, hours they work and any other information such as uniform or buffers.
02. It’s All in The Detail
It’s imperative that you have their contract of employment ready for handover. It’s boring but it’ll help clarify your expectations and could prevent future misunderstandings. We recommend Good Salon Guide for Contracts of Employments and HR support. Ideally your contract should be sent out via post and returned to you on their first day.
03. Welcome to The Team
We believe a stylist’s first day should be spent getting to know the team, the salon goals and for you to learn more about their expectations and aspirations. Don’t forget to also go through your Health and Safety Policy with them; not doing so can create some serious confusion.
04. It’s Not Over Yet
Think your stylist is going to remember your salon’s policies, commission structure and targets after just one day? Think again. It’s imperative that you conduct weekly performance reviews with your new team member, ensuring there’s a real focus on client rebooking performance for both new and existing clientele and new client numbers. Entering these meetings with a non-judgemental attitude and conveying your passion for their success is crucial for these weekly reviews.
You will find yourself repeating yourself time and time again, but done right, your stylist will grow quickly and boost the atmosphere of the salon.
Getting a stylist off to the right start in your business can avoid some serious headaches for both you and your newest team member.
Salons with a better induction and with clear objectives and targets will benefit from a higher retention of new staff, a smoother integration to the existing culture and team and faster growth leading to increased profit. Get it wrong and your salon will experience the exact opposite!
MySalonManager members benefit from assistance on matters like this and more via a variety of methods such as video tuition, live Q&A streams, telephone support and more. We are dedicated to the growth of profit hungry salons.
I’d love to hear your comments and experiences with the above, feel free to drop me an email at [email protected].
Raymond Bottone
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