It’s a great feeling when you hire a great staff member. Perhaps it was someone you’d had your eye on for some time, or a surprise candidate with a mind-blowing CV. And so it’s understandably disappointing when hat same employee hands you their letter of notice.
Staff turnover in the beauty industry is high, but assuming you’re operating within the realms of legal professionalism – adequately compensating your staff for their work and giving appropriate time off – there are other issues that often see good staff members walk out the door.
Clashes with the manager
“People don’t leave bad jobs, they leave bad bosses,” says Jack Kelly, founder of recruitment agency WeCruitr. “When you’re in a management position, there is a belief that staff will immediately respect, listen and follow your directions. After all, you’re the boss and they’re supposed to follow to your demands. It’s not that simple and it hardly ever works out that way. In fact, it’s incredibly difficult to earn the respect, admiration and loyalty of staff.”
If this is a possibility in your salon – and you should know this if you carry out exit interviews with departing staff – it’s a good idea to look at your salon’s management style.
Staff don’t feel protected
If staff feel like you don’t have their back – such as when dealing with a difficult or complaining customer – they won’t feel that they’re working in a safe environment, and will likely look for an alternative employer that will provide a more secure environment. Talk is cheap – don’t simply tell your staff that you have their back, but then behave in a way that suggests otherwise, such as berating them in front of customers.
They’re constantly exhausted
According to a recent survey by Robert Half recruitment agency, feeling overworked is one of the top reasons for staff attrition in the beauty industry. Burnout is a high possibility within the beauty industry because so many treatments require the therapist to be on their feet, and treatments – such as massage or waxing – can be physically taxing. It’s advisable to check in with your team to see how they’re feeling, and switch up treatments or responsibilities to give them some time to recoup their energy.
Lack of advancement opportunities
In a salon, particularly a small one, opportunities for growth or promotion can be few and far between. And as a result, this is one of the reasons good staff will often find those opportunities elsewhere. Unfortunately, this isn’t a situation that a salon owner can easily rectify. The best option here is to maintain an open line of communication surrounding employees’ career plans and goals.
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