Salon employees are the backbone of a salon’s success, as they connect with clients and provide essential services. Of course, this means that retaining salon employees can be highly competitive. Salon employment for barbers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists is expected to grow 11% in the decade from 2021 to 2031 — a much faster rate than the average for all other occupations.

That’s why salons must invest in skilled workers to ensure they remain satisfied with their job. In our post about the ultimate client experience, we emphasized that it’s up to the service provider to make the most out of the time spent with salon guests. Therefore, investing in your employees is also investing in your client experience. Today, we’ll look at some ways to improve salon employee retention in 2023:

Provide employee wellness initiatives

Wellness is currently a trend across all industries as organizations realize the importance of investing in their employees’ productivity and well-being. To keep good people, business leaders must treat all employees well and prioritize their well-being. A study by Work Institute found that 53% of managers have trouble identifying when staff members are experiencing mental health issues or burnout, much less having the tools or confidence to handle these concerns.

Establishing an open dialogue with your salon employees can help set them up to be more engaged and healthy. Most importantly, salon work can be exhausting and require hours of focus, so direct your resources to mental health awareness days or rewards-and-recognition programs your employees will appreciate. Ensuring salon employees are in the right mindset and physically fit to do their job can directly impact the customer experience.

Provide opportunities to learn

Investing in education for your team furthers their skills, boosts their confidence, and helps them stay on top of trends. Look for regular training sessions, workshops, and courses to give them opportunities to grow, plus mentoring options for new and younger salon employees.

Engage with your team

Working in a salon culture that puts its people at the center is essential to maintaining employee happiness, productivity, and a competitive edge. Human connections between you and your employees can give insights into their motivations and possible concerns in the workplace. 

Your salon clients are usually attached to their stylist — not the salon. Connecting with your employees may provide relevant insights into your clients’ preferences and behaviors.

Using our salon software for your client scheduling and communication needs is a great way to connect with your customers. Insights and feedback from your team about these clients can help you improve your salon operations to better reach your clientele, such as tailored loyalty programs.

Ultimately, looking at employee retention is essential in improving your connection and relationship with your clients. The salon industry is growing, as represented by employment numbers, and keeping your employees happy and motivated will be vital to retaining them in a competitive market.