Happy staff means happy clients, increased employee retention and a greater profit for your barbershop. In fact, Linda Stewart, co-founder of Rainbow Room International, the largest salon group in Scotland, tells us: “Employee retention is a huge talking point in the hair industry at the moment, and like many sectors throughout the UK, maintaining a skilled and loyal team is vital to the success of many of our businesses.”
Rainbow Room International have recently celebrated 45 years in business, and with 11 salons currently operating within the group, Linda certainly knows a thing or two about running a successful business. However, Linda believes that a lot of that success is really down to the directors and salon teams, explaining: “They all put in an exceptional amount of work and passion to service our clients and provide continuous and exceptional customer care.”
Here, Linda shares her top tips when it comes to improving employee retention in the hair industry…
Be Loyal To Your Team
Loyalty is a two-way street, and as much as your team show you loyalty, ensuring you return this is vital. Prioritise your barbershop team and show them that you are there for them both professionally and personally too – this is a huge must. Look out for their welfare both in and out of work, provide and create opportunities and show them you are committed to helping them achieve their long-term career goals.
Encourage and Promote a Positive Work Environment
A good place to work is something we strive to ensure within Rainbow Room International. Throughout all of our salons and Academy, we ensure our team are happy, content and continue to grow as a unit as well as individuals. Through continual communications, employee check-ins, and our open-door approach, we put a great deal of time into ensuring our team are happy within the workplace.
A Healthy Work/Life Balance is Important
As an employer, we want to ensure our business runs as efficiently as possible and ensure that clients are looked after at all times. However, it is vital that your team maintains a work/life balance in order to do their job to the highest of standards and remain in a great headspace at all times. We are firm believers that annual leave allocations should be taken and that you should encourage your team to take time away from the salon.
Invest in Your Team
Showcasing a commitment to your team and showing them that you are heavily investing in them is crucial to show them that you are prepared to support them on their career journey and work with them to provide opportunities that will help them on the way to their end goal. Investing in the likes of continual education, external opportunities, progression within the business – these are all ways to invest and show your staff members they are part of something, they are vital to the barbershop and again, shows your commitment to them.
