In my experience collaborating with salons across North America, we’ve come to realize that the need to hire is far from straightforward. Salons embark on the hiring journey for a myriad of reasons, each unique to their circumstances. As such, your approach to hiring may vary greatly depending on the specific rationale driving your decision.

Top Reasons salons hire (in no particular order)

1.     Someone quit.

2.     I am turning away clients.

3.     I need an in-house trainer & no one here is qualified.

4.     I’m worried someone is going to quit and I have no bench of people.

5.     I want to start moving my clients to others so I can work behind the chair less.

6.     I am opening another location.

7.     I want to grow our top-line revenue + drive profit.

Among these seven reasons for hiring, you’ll notice that the majority are reactive rather than proactive. In other words, salons often hire in response to specific events or circumstances rather than viewing hiring as a strategic tool for growth. This mindset shift is crucial for the professional beauty industry as a whole if we aim to cultivate successful and sustainable businesses.

The real snag with reactive hiring is the emotional hit salon owners take.

The real snag with reactive hiring goes deeper than just the financial blow a salon takes when these situations arise (and trust me, scenarios 1-5 usually come with a hefty price tag). It’s more about how salon leaders feel when they find themselves stuck in this cycle. I’ve felt it firsthand myself. I’ve seen it firsthand – salon owners are tired, drained, and downright pessimistic about the whole hiring process. No wonder it’s not exactly topping their list of priorities. But you have to overcome this.

So, here’s my friendly nudge to every salon leader out there:

Let’s shift our mindset on hiring. It’s not just about boosting revenue; it’s about nurturing profitability and fueling business growth. Let’s make hiring a cornerstone of our salon success stories.

Some thoughts on how to get started…

An essential aspect of prioritizing hiring processes is realizing the joy that comes with rediscovering the essence of your brand and the talents within your team. It’s about building something truly remarkable, and there’s an undeniable beauty in that journey. While every salon must maintain consistent brand awareness marketing, it doesn’t necessarily mean hiring immediately. If boosting profit or managing cash flow is a concern, consider first identifying productivity gaps within your existing team. Rather than simply discussing schedule requirements or your needs, leverage data to approach your team as a coach, guiding them toward their full potential.

For instance, let’s say you have a stylist whose productivity sits at 75%. Upon reviewing her schedule, you notice that Tuesday nights tend to be slow for her, often resulting in early departures due to gaps in appointments. On the flip side, you realize that Fridays from 10 am to 4 pm are prime time slots where the salon is consistently understaffed, leading to turned-away clients.

In the spirit of fostering growth, maximizing earnings potential, and exploring new possibilities, consider this approach for every team member. Engage in

discussions about potential schedule adjustments that could not only benefit you but them!

Boosting profits can be as simple as rolling up your sleeves and coaching your existing team to close those pesky productivity gaps. Not only does this save you the hassle and expense of training new hires, but it also frees up some cash you can reinvest in your already-trained team members. Of course, sometimes growing profits means bringing fresh faces into the mix and giving them the support they need to flourish. Once you’ve exhausted all possibilities within your current team (because let’s face it, change isn’t everyone’s cup of tea), it’s time to turn your attention to hiring for the here and now. If you’ve been rocking your brand awareness marketing game, tossing up a job post on social media should have potential hires knocking on your digital door in no time. But hey, if you’ve been slacking on the recruitment front, you might find yourself in a bit of a pickle when it comes time to fill those positions. This is often the hardest part for salon owners because tackling social media takes skill & time.

We teach all of these skills in The Salon Recruiting Bootcamp. A class that is available on demand or in live Zoom trainings. Learn more about which one might be the best fit for your salon here.

Here’s my little nugget of wisdom: Always keep someone on the bench. By staying proactive with your recruitment marketing, you can avoid scrambling to fill spots at the last minute and save yourself from the anxiety of being caught short-staffed and losing money.