Team spirit 2012: what makes a great team player?
Published
29th Jul 2012
by rachael
Teamwork is vital for a successful salon - we speak to a selection of talented team-leaders to find out how they make it work.
Sarah Holmes, co-owner of Stuart Holmes Hair & Beauty, Cheltenham - winner of HJ's 2011 Salon Team of the Year
- "Enthusiasm is key in a team member. We need people who can smile for eight hours a day - that's the nature of our industry. This shows that they enjoy what they do and makes them a great person to work with."
- "Commitment is another characteristic we look for as it demonstrates reliability and shows them to be a team member who is dedicated to their job."
- "Making every team member feel part of the company is important to encouraging great team players. We encourage team spirit in the salon by treating everyone as a significant contributor to the company. We involve them in important decision-making and plans for events we hold. We listen to them and, as the management, we try to deliver a working environment that they and the clients want."
- "Ensuring harmony reigns in the salon by dealing with any problems or potential conflicts quickly also helps create a strong team. We deal with any issues that arise straight away. We encourage staff to talk to each other to iron out any differences and we try to support all of our team members during difficult times and mentor individuals if our help is needed."
- "We have a great system in the salon to provide buddies for new starters to help them settle in. We also hold regular team meetings to keep everyone in the loop and provide an annual staff feedback forum off-site to give the staff the chance to discuss everything and provide their thoughts on the previous year's feedback and outcomes. We want to ensure that every member of our team feels comfortable and is happy in their position with us. We hold regular reviews with all of our staff to address any issues."
Samantha Brown, manager of Marc Antoni, Bracknell, Berkshire
- "We look for a great attitude, confidence and drive. They need a will to succeed, to show they have a passion for hairdressing."
- "I'd sum up a good team player as Someone who is keen to learn, and likes to share their ideas with others."
- "We also believe in swiftly resolving any differences between team members. Any issues that may arise are discussed and dealt with effectively and efficiently before they have a chance to fester with the potential to get worse. It's important that my team members feel heard, and that they can come to me with any worries."
- "Building strong team players at all levels is a priority. Recently, a few key team members have left, which was incredibly sad to see. However, it also benefited the younger members of the team, enabling them to come into their own and shine. We've all pulled together as a team."
- "To bring out the best in your team find out what drives the individual members and encourage this; bring out the best in that team member. Secondly, educate everyone and ensure the team is fully equipped with the knowledge and tools they need to succeed."
Dylan Brittain and Yasmin McMail, franchisees of Rainbow Room International, George Square, Glasgow
- "We look for individuality, a unique sense of style, an outgoing personality and, more importantly, a passion for hair when employing a new staff member. We look for someone who goes the extra mile and is willing to share their skills with others, while developing themselves at the same time. Someone who delivers on every level, from training development to client care and creativity."
- "Primarily, it's about making every team member feel valued and rewarded. We allow them to have fun in the workplace while still remaining professional at all times. We make each career level attractive with a focus on continuous development. We find this makes our team deliver to the best of their ability."
- "The salon's philosophy is 'together we achieve more' and this is instilled from day one. Everyone has different strengths and qualities and, of course, there will be conflicting opinions but everyone is given the opportunity to discuss their issues in regular team meetings and when we come together, everyone shines in their individual way. Everyone benefits from growing together and working in harmony."
- "Having a real focus can greatly improve team performance. At the start of 2011, our team decided to beat the recession and to win Salon Team of the Year at our annual awards ceremony. We set goals and every individual in our team had a role and a responsibility to make that decision happen. We developed our team and salon from training and development, to marketing, leadership and sales and we all had one common objective - to provide our clients with exceptional service. We developed our strategy together and the outcome speaks for itself."
