Hairdressing has long been a flexible career, with options for full-time and part-time working – even more so now with the increase in self-employed hairdressers. However, employed staff in salons can still enjoy plenty of flexibility, given the right management. Gary Hooker, co-owner of Hooker & Young, a salon group located in Newcastle and Teesside, tells us about the role of part-time staff in his business.
“The main reason we find hairdressers wanting to work part-time is because they’ve just come back from maternity leave,” explains Gary. “For us, as long as it works well for the business, we’re more than happy to have part-time staff.” Gary notes that the key to successful part-time employment lies in the stability, sharing: “As long as they’re working the same days every week, it works.” Of course, a collaborative approach is also necessary – especially when someone is returning from maternity leave, where there are laws to follow. “We always sit down with the member of staff to make sure we have a plan moving forward.”
How To Balance Bookings with Part-Time Staff
“We currently have a hairdresser called Sophie working part-time. If she’s got a lot of clients requesting appointments, she’ll slightly adjust her hours – we’re happy to give her the flexibility to do that, and she’s happy to be accommodating towards her clients,” explains Gary.
Should Salon Owners Employ Part-Time Staff?
“Definitely,” says Gary. “The business landscape has changed, especially since COVID, and people want more flexibility.” In addition to part-time working, Gary explains that Hooker & Young have also adopted other methods of flexible working. “We have a lot of staff now who will work four long days, for example 8:00 to 20:30, and then have an extra day off. They’re still doing the hours required for their clients, and providing they still turn over the business we need them to, we’re happy with that.”
Yet again, clear communication is essential with flexible working. “If somebody is working in this pattern and they’re not meeting their targets, then we’ll sit down to discuss things. For us, it’s about keeping everyone happy with their work-life balance.”
Speaking of keeping staff happy, find out how you can improve employee retention here.
