Five ways to motivate your salon team

Longer opening hours, new salon protocols and wearing PPE all day – the new normal of salon life can be a challenge for your staff during these times, so it’s important to motivate your salon team now more than ever. So, we asked some experts in staff management how you can motivate your salon team and keep spirits high in the salon.

5 ways to motivate your salon team

 1. Personalise your incentives 

What motivated your team before lockdown may not be as motivating now. “I think those initial conversations are important because motivations may have changed,” says Stefania Rossi, owner of Utopia salon in Essex and founder of Stefania Rossi Recruitment. So, speak with your team to find out. “It might be days off, products, vouchers, days out, treatments or team events; there are lots of different things you can do,” says Anna Nickless, co-founder of business consultancy AB Beauty and former owner of the Lavender & Stone salon chain. “We used to do chase the £10 note which created competition in the salon. Every time you sell a product, you stick a £10 note on the whiteboard with that person's name next to it. And then the next minute, someone else has sold something and it would move again – it creates a bit of fun.” However, this doesn’t need to be expensive. “Being appreciated is a huge incentive,” says Nickless, who recommends generating healthy competition with Employee of the Month initiatives to highlight team members who have excelled. “Some may be more motivated by flexibility that we can give them, like not coming back on a full-time basis, or having their birthday off,” says Rossi.

 2. Plan your team meetings 

Preparation is key to motivate your salon team, says Penny Etheridge, managing director of Radiant Hair & Beauty Consultancy. “Plan your team meetings with an agenda and a timetable to keep it on track,” she says, explaining that you should cover all communication styles in order to engage your team and elicit the best response. Check her guide on  communicator types you have among your staff so you can motivate the individuals in your team. “If you’ve got a lot of open communicators in your team, the chances of it becoming one big conversation are very high,” she says, warning that your meeting could be derailed. “Set one topic every time you do a team meeting and bring everything back to topic. So, for example, say, ‘thank you, Michelle, for that feedback, now let's just revert back to what we’re doing with our customer care’. This will help set the focus and goals for the day ahead.”

3. Schedule breaks

Working for longer hours in PPE can be taxing, so schedule in small breaks for you and your team to avoid burnout. “Make sure that they all take their full lunch break,” says Nickless. “I think getting outside having a walk, getting some fresh air, eating healthily and drinking lots of water is beneficial.” Additionally, while some may be happy to work the longer shifts, others may struggle, so check in individually. “Some staff can do 9am to 9pm, but other people would really struggle,” she says. “Look at your team individually and make sure that it is working for everybody.” Breaks are more important now than ever with PPE, which can be uncomfortable to work with if you wear glasses, for example. “Communicate with your team; ask: ‘How does it feel?' says Nickless. “I know that there are lots of different types of PPE on the market and it may be that some people feel more comfortable with different kinds of visor headwear, for example. If they feel comfortable, then they're going to be able to perform their treatments a lot better.”

4. Motivate with one-to-ones

The pandemic may have been personally challenging for some members of your team, so making sure they feel supported is key. “Individuals may be going through a really tough time and they might think everybody around them is coping, but that's not necessarily the truth,” says Nickless. “But they might not want to outwardly talk about that, so a one-to-one meeting is very important. Talk it through, ask them how they feel, how you can support them and let them know that you're there for them,” she says. Additionally, a one-to-one is an opportunity to show how much you value individuals. “Remind them why you picked them to be part of your team and ultimately find out why they love the job. Really get them to fall in love with it again. That reconnection is very important,” says Rossi. “It’s also important to share your new vision, and get them to be totally invested in your business again. Give them a sense that they’re contributing ideas. They may have had loads of ideas while they were in lockdown, which is why it’s really important to realign where you’re going with the business to make sure you take those into account.”  5. Develop career progression Having a career plan in place for your team can help them stay focused and reach their goals. “I like to create career paths in my business because I want to work with those individuals,” says Rossi. “I identify the key strengths and I almost want to develop the dream job so that I can retain them. Salon owners have an opportunity to think about what those progressions look like.” Not every team member may want to become a leader or a manager – and equally, those promotions will not always be available in your business – so it’s important to think of different progression routes. “Progressions and aspirations don’t necessarily need to be linked to the financials,” says Rossi. “After lockdown, the progression may be different; for instance, online training. For others, that path will be around flexibility, new ways of working, security, good working conditions, or more interesting work,” she says. “It’s an opportunity to empower those members of staff, to get them excited to achieve within the business.”