Habia survey reveals major changes

Two new surveys by Habia - Habia Skills Survey of the Barbering Industry 2007 and the Habia Skills Survey of the Hairdressing Industry 2007 - have revealed the dramatically changing face of the hair industry. Gone are the days when the vast majority of salons were independent salons that employed a handful of staff and solely offered hairdressing services. These days, nearly a quarter of salons are members of a chain or franchise with an average of 13 employees. There’s been a dramatic shift toward offering other services such as beauty therapy, nails services and spa too – with almost 40% of salons offering such services. Another key shift in the industry is that more and more men are choosing it for their careers. In the late nineties, just one in 10 hair professionals were men, that figure is now at almost one in four and growing..But while the industry is under a spell of rapid growth there are still some concerns over training, as just 43% of hair salons have a staff training plan. The biggest skills gaps were reported in Indian Head Massage and hair extensions. Alan Goldsbro, Habia chief executive, said, "The results of the surveys show that, generally, things are improving and that the industry is becoming more professional, though there are still certain areas that need addressing. By using this survey to identify those areas, Habia will work with employers, training providers and manufacturers to ensure that the key issues affecting them are addressed and the next ten years see an even bigger improvement."