Strategies to Foster a Positive Salon Culture Through Leadership
Redefining Salon Culture: Embracing Freedom While Fostering Growth: In recent years, the term “culture” within the salon industry has become a dirty word, often equated with control rather than collaboration. This perception has caused many commission-based stylists to become independent, pursuing the suite life to reclaim autonomy over their professional lives. However, this move isn’t primarily fuelled by the pursuit of higher earnings as one might expect; rather, it’s a quest for greater freedom – in scheduling, pricing, client interactions, and even dress code. With the right salon leadership, it can be cultivated.
The Real Impact of Going Independent
Transitioning from a commission-based salon to a solo venture might seem like a lucrative shift, but the reality differs. Many independent stylists find that they are not significantly better off financially than they were in commission-based roles, often pulling in similar profits once expenses are accounted for. What truly drives this exodus from employee to independent is the desire for freedom and the ability to make independent decisions, attributes that were often stifled under the guise of “creating culture” in their previous salons.
Constructing Culture Without Control
How can salon owners cultivate a positive culture without imposing control?
The key lies in fostering an environment where stylists feel empowered and valued. Culture should be about enhancing the agency and authenticity of each individual, which in turn nurtures a workplace that stylists are loath to leave. The essence of culture is the dominant and consistent behaviors shared by the group; hence, changing culture means influencing these behaviours without exerting control.
1. Understanding Motivations
Recognize what drives your staff and leverage these motivators to promote desired behaviours collectively. The trick is to get staff buy-in to the new systems that form a structure for desired behaviours that in turn influence culture. The only way to do this is to understand what is important to your staff and describe to them how they can attain these goals through these behaviour shifts.
2. Collaborative Visioning
Involve your team in crafting a shared vision. This isn’t just about laying down the law; it’s about building a vision together that resonates with everyone. Aim to create a vision so big that each and every staff member can create their own vision within it.
3. Creating Non-Control Structures
Implement systems that support the desired cultural behaviors but are built through collaboration. This approach ensures no one feels controlled, yet everyone operates within a structure that supports the salon’s overarching goals. If we can build fluid structures, or structures that can be adapted in a unique way by our staff we will see a much higher rate of success in rolling out new systems.
4. Embracing Individuality within Structure
A strong culture doesn’t mean uniformity in every aspect. For instance, requiring stylists to wear a shirt doesn’t mean they can’t choose the type that best expresses their personality, whether that’s a t-shirt, a button-up, or a tank top. This balance between shared standards and individual expression plays a crucial role in nurturing both the individual’s authenticity and the collective culture. A good way to execute this is when faced with an uncomfortable situation tell yourself: “If it doesn’t challenge or compete with company values then it’s a YES”.
5. Implementing Systems that Support Cultural Goals
At my salon, we decided to overhaul our guest experience, a core aspect of our culture. We broke down the experience into segments like greeting, consultation, and follow-up, implementing a digital checklist (our fluid structure) to maintain high standards in each category. This structure was not about enforcing control but about ensuring quality and consistency, which are fundamental to both guest satisfaction and our cultural identity. Although we all agreed that each and every touch point of the guest service had to be executed every time we allowed each staff member to customize the experience in their own unique way for their clientele.
A positive salon culture is not about control; it’s about creating an environment where individuals can thrive while aligning with the salon’s collective goals. By focusing on freedom, collaboration, and individual respect within a structured system, salon owners can foster a workplace culture that attracts and retains top talent, ultimately driving the salon to new heights of success. Let’s champion a culture that celebrates individuality and fosters collective growth, redefining what it means to have a “good salon culture” in today’s beauty industry.
Francine Thompson
Elite Salon Leadership
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