What Makes a Good Beauty Employer?

What Makes a Good Beauty Employer?

Since winning Professional Beauty Employer of the Year 2016, I have often been asked

“What makes a good employer?” what are the top tips to be a Top Employer?”

I have transformed my business from a failing salon into an award winning salon in less than 2 years. As my background wasn’t in the beauty industry, I have shared an incredible journey with a very passionate team who wanted to improve and learn; we put together a business strategy and focused on our continuous development.

I don’t have the winning formula to give you to be a “Top Employer”, but I would like to share and explain some of the key activities that my team and I have worked on at Utopia have contributed where we are now.

I have always believed that the success of my business is dependent on my Team and the quality of service and treatments that we provide. So, since the outset, I have involved the team in all changes and developments and ensured that they were always clear and up to date with our Business Plan, so that they felt 100% part of Utopia. It’s important to me to understand what makes my team tick, and what they value the most in order to get the best of them. I use their skills and talents, and I have learnt from my team as much as they learnt from me. Individual staff empowerment is all about making time for your team and commit your time to them through regular communication.

Continuous Training and Development for staff is of inestimable value to our investment.
This investment comes in various forms.

The team confidence increases massively through training and provides consistent standards throughout the salon. Also working through individual development plans support the team with clear individual progression routes. I meet with the team every 8 weeks and I also have individual meetings on a weekly basis, even if sometimes it could only be for 15 minutes. Staff will feel motivated and valued when you spent time with them. I also put a great value into team building as we regularly have team dinners, day spas and weekends away. Annually we hold a planning day, and in January this year, I have taken my whole team for a planning weekend in Rome.

Another key activity that we focused on from day 1 was to review all systems and processes in every area of the business from how a client is greeted right through each treatment procedure so that everyone was clear on the “Utopia Systems and Process”. We now have a fully systemised system with great standards. Investing time in upskilling the team and improving our standards to the highest possible, has increased the team confidence and consequently has had a positive impact in their performance and our turnover.

Being an employer in this very competitive sector, I feel that you have to work together with your team and share your vision. My management philosophy is to be in a partnership with my team, where my team have their own business within my business. Getting the team fully involved in the success of the salon, makes them feel totally inspired and motivated and 100% part of the success of Utopia.

I love inspiring and motivating my team, my passion and drive is fed by my team achievements and confidence, and where are now after 3 years, we have received 2 awards and I can proudly say that my team have transformed my vision into reality!