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(03) 9534 9666
www.sapore.com.au
The ESTETICA round table session two had staff
retention, incentives and education on the lips of
some of Melbourne’s most meticulous
salon entrepreneurs, writes Cameron Pine.
T
here are not many salon owners who don’t
face the challenge of attracting quality people
to this industry. So what are the reasons for
top salons keeping their staff? ESTETICA takes a look
at the magic that helps these chosen salons stay at
the top of their game.
To kick-off the round table we zoned in on what
recruitment processes and methods of attracting
the right staff are in place for our panel of six
salons; Nicole Torcasio (Rokk Ebony), Stavros Tavrou
(Rakis), Tom Donato (Xiang), Angelo Fratelle (Fratelle),
Freda Rossidis (CAST) and Tracey Colebrook (Shibui).
Statistics from a WRAPS hairdressing destination survey
showed that in 2002, the average time a senior staff
member stays with a salon is 18 months. To the surprise
of our round table panel, whom beat the odds with most
of their staff being with them for several years. So what
keeps the above average retention score?
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r o u n d
“Everyone has a good day whenever
you have a meeting.” Freda Rossidis.
t a b l e
and link any enquiries to your website. Advertising on a
large scale may attract up to 100 candidates, of which
only 30 per cent can be quality applicants.
On average, how long do you keep team members?
Most agreed that due to their strong brand
awareness, they are often approached by seniors
from other salons although apprentices often come
through advertising on websites such as Seek.
It was a fair point in agreeance by all that sometimes
you just need to give them a go under the usual 3
months probationary period - you can’t always tell
what people are capable of until they get comfortable.
Some salon owners also prefer to work with someone
who is fresh and ready to learn, a blank canvas that
they can grow into the brand.
Presenting well and a strong personality are also ideal
character traits. One salon owner mentioned that it’s
a great idea to go and have a coffee, reinforcing the
ethos that if you can sit down and get along with them
as a person then you can generally work with them.
Other recruitment methods include:
• Keeping in touch with hairdressing colleges.
• Profile building: profile is the biggest drawcard.
• A long history and strong brand recognition
also helps.
• Ask team members to be on the lookout for likeminded individuals.
• Heavily research the demographic you are trying
to attract.
• Look for students who are just about to finish a
hairdressing course.
• For management staff; personality, organisation
abilities and trust are key points that salon owners
need from management staff.
Advertising process; Do you advertise, how effective
is this?
Some agreed that you are best to advertise directly to
reputable hairdressing colleges. The best candidates
tend to be the students that have committed to the
12 month hairdressing courses.
Salonscout.com was also suggested as it can often
attract better quality candidates than Seek. Also use
your own website to advertise or advertise in the paper
Generally you can identify if someone isn’t right within
the 3-6 month period and at that point you can initiate
their departure.
The general consensus was that there is a turnover
in the first 12 months. Apprentices usually stay for
around two years after their apprenticeship, Seniors
with varying averages from 4-5 to up to 10-15 years.
Most of the six are fortunate that staff have only left
the salon to travel, for family commitments or to
relocate – not to other businesses.
“Your business values stay the same, but they progress,
so as long as you move with the times and are aware of
what they like, offer career paths and education to keep
them stimulated, you will keep your staff.”
What strategies do you have in place to retain
your team?
Systems and processes that maintain consistency,
performance reviews and aspirational career paths
are important.
Offer them additional education so they are constantly
developing and creating.
Start training immediately and appoint one apprentice
to another to mentor each other.
Have regular meetings/weekly appraisals with staff
– make it friendly and relaxed.
Don’t frighten them off with intense induction
programs.
What is the process/exit strategy for when an employee
leaves? (How are reasons identified and explained)
Salon managers or owners are generally responsible
for the exit strategy.
Similar to the probationary period, with a large
business, initiate weekly discussions and appraisals.
Incentives (wages, bonuses, salary packages, employment)
This is an aspect that must be presented and discussed
immediately, you need to make them aware at the time
of employment. As a general consensus, money doesn’t
appear to be an incentive, travel and flexibility is.
Over the course of the employment you quickly learn
what is going to press their buttons.
Some determine their potential employees by showing
them their salon structure, and if they don’t like it or
don’t seem to connect with it then they are not hired.
What incentives are in place?
In some salons, targets are set and monitored weekly,
each person’s productivity is measured and set
against a weekly target.
Others set a group salon target to encourage the
team to reach the level together. Others offer a
Christmas bonus, travel incentives and holidays
including accommodation etc.
Apprentice incentives are generally not financial
based, they are opportunity based or bonus training
based. Younger staff love the opportunity to work at
shows, photoshoots, backstage and public recognition
is one of the best incentives for them.
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Dinner vouchers, gold class movie tickets are also
a great way to broaden the experience of staff. One
salon owner chooses to take staff to nearby up-market
restaurants so they can connect with the client base
and offer restaurant suggestions that suit savvy clients.
Incentives are kept fair by having a standardised
program for all staff. Some also believe that
constant training and overtime pay is an additional
incentive for staff.
The effectiveness of incentives is agreed by all
salons that they are designed to encourage a
consistent high work ethic which in turn benefits the
employee immensely.
What do staff want today?
A good work environment, fairness, acknowledgement
and respect. These aspects are usually made clear in
the interview once the staff member or potential staff
member is also fully aware of their responsibilities.
A work/life balance was one of the most significant
points in the discussion. Employers now recognise
the need to be flexible with working hours for working
mothers, understand the needs of how generation Y
live their life so their schedule can meet their needs,
motivate them and allow them to work at their peak.
Being flexible is one of the biggest advantages for
employees.
What management systems are in place to motivate
team members?
You need to empower staff with the power of your
brand so everyone can understand and follow the
brand’s philosophy.
Creative people are motivated by lifestyle benefits and
external opportunities generally.
If your salon has a good history and a recognised
system in place you will always get people wanting to
buy-in to the team or salon environment.
Photoshoots and public recognition are great motivators.
Newsletters internally and recognition among other staff
are also good incentives for motivation.
Staff meetings help motivation. One example is to
get staff to say something nice about another staff
r o u n d
t a b l e
“Hairdressing is heavily managed. I can be a little anti-managers
although apprentices need mentors and guidance.
Our history and brand power is our biggest asset.” Tracey Colebrook
From left; Tom Donato, Freda Rossidis, Stavros Tavrou
member every Saturday morning. This encourages
camerarderie in the salon.
Incident reports that can be given to management
confidentially also help staff to understand they can
be listened to.
Staff want to be listened to. Try to avoid behind closed
doors chats, instead keep the communication open so
everyone is aware of the expectations across the board.
Every junior staff member should have a mentor
in the salon.
Do you grow your own people and how?
Allow your staff to be leaders regardless of their
status. Have them market a product, to encourage
product knowledge and confidence.
Have a salon philosophy and ensure staff understand
it and work by it. Staff must firstly understand how to
live the brand when they are in the salon environment.
Some have weekly assessments of 10-15 minutes to
ensure they are happy and motivated.
A good rule is to give praise in public and criticize
in private. This will allow staff to grow with your
core business and feel confident to take on further
responsibility within the salon, whether it be a
coordinator, promotion to a manager, or head colourist.
How do you develop a personality (culture/philosophy)
within the brand?
Use an in-house manual and policy and procedures
system that mimics your brand values and passes
down the history of the brand. Salon culture should be
crystal clear when people walk in the door. Talk about
your values and philosophies at the recruitment stage,
you can generally guage whether staff will adapt to
this from their reaction and enthusiasm. Part of the
induction process should be spent on the floor being
exposed to the culture.
What education or training systems do you have in place
to inspire junior staff?
One particular salon recognises the potential of an
employee in a particular area once they are nearing
the end of their study and offers education incentives
and room for advancement in this particular area.
A tiered mentor system is a reliable way to keep
education levels high. Weekly training is standard but
some salons offer more or additional one on one training.
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One on one training – encourage an open forum, clients
appreciate the salon openness.
Another salon starts their training from day one, three
weeks out of every month involves regular sessions
which evolves based on their level.
Educating staff culturally as well as professionally
is also a key point – take staff to art galleries,
restaurants and bars and allow them to be inspired.
Address every member’s needs individually and on a
weekly basis at management level.
Use suppliers and make them accountable for staff
training, although this should not replace individual
training. Choosing the right mentor is half of the
job’s success!
What does your salon’s management structure look like,
what are the qualities and necessary incentives?
All agreed that a clear structure, strategy and guidelines
must be adhered to at all times, however, the strategy
must continuously be refined and developed.
Managers must have leadership skills and be able
to relate to the staff and most importantly have the
ability to understand different personalities. They
also need to be able to resolve conflict and provide
guidance. You can’t always bring a manager in, you
must develop them internally. There is more mentoring
needed in a salon than managing.
If you have more than one salon it was recommended
that it is best to have more than one business partner.
A typical organizational chart may look like: MD-HR
Manager, Education Directors, Financial manager,
Salon manager, Salon coordinators, team leaders
and apprentices.
Management team incentives include a partnership
that rewards longevity and loyalty. In saying that,
some staff are stars and get there quicker by really
working the salon culture, values and philosophy.
Many thanks to our round table partner, L’Oreal
Professionnel for their support in launching this platform
to encourage networking and salon development.
A further thank you to our facilitator Terry-Lyn Stevens
and all of our Melbourne salon owners for their input.
r o u n d
t a b l e
From left: Tanna Colebrook, Tracey Colebrook, Nicole Torcasio, Angelo Fratelle
“I usually favour apprentices who have been brought up by parents who
have their own business or worked for themselves. Their work ethic can be
different if they have come from a hard-working background.” Tracey Colebrook