The run-up to Christmas is an incredibly busy time for salons across the nation, but while the industry will welcome the extra business, don’t neglect the health of your team during this often-stressful period.
Elena Lavagni, co-owner of Neville Hair and Beauty, London, and L’Oreal Professionnel Partner, advises on how to spot signs of burnout and ways to prevent it…
THE SIGNS OF BURNOUT
Poor time keeping
The first sign that a team member may be experiencing burnout, and struggling with the pressures of their workload, is lateness. If a team member who is usually conscientious and punctual starts arriving for work late and seeming flustered, there’s a chance they are suffering some level of burnout, either physical, mental or both.
Lack of motivation
If you notice that usually enthusiastic members of your team are suddenly lacking in motivation, this can be another red flag in terms of burnout. Watch out for team members getting lazy in the way they communicate with clients, perhaps they have lost their usual sparkle. Keep an eye out for team members either taking longer than usual to complete an appointment or rushing their time with clients. Either scenario can suggest a loss of enthusiasm for their work, which can have a long-term effect on your business.
Loss of focus
When a team member is suffering from burnout their stress levels and anxiety can lead to their mind constantly overflowing with thoughts, leading to a lack of focus. Look out for team members who are normally on it making silly mistakes – getting clients' names wrong or forgetting important steps in the consultation, for example — or simply seeming distracted for no apparent reason.
HOW TO PREVENT BURNOUT
Make mental health a priority
It’s important to prioritise the mental and physical health of our team members above making a profit. We need to be prepared to give our teams the rest they deserve even if this will mean more pressure on salon owners,
Have an open-door policy
Team members need to know that it is fine to come to you with concerns about their health. Listening and communicating with the team is paramount. Make sure they know that your door is always open and that there will be no judgment if they come to you with issues concerning their physical or mental health. Looking after each other is what a real team is all about so seek help from other team members if you see someone in distress. It may be that support from a fellow team member will be antidote to their issues.
Find solutions
Once you listen to a team member and take on board their concerns, there is nearly always a solution. Sometimes it can be as simple as verbally recognising the extra hard work they are putting in to ensure your clients are kept happy during a busy period. In more serious cases, you may need to work out a way certain team members can have a little more free time, even if that means taking on a more hands-on work yourself.
Everyone deserves to be happy and it’s the salon owner or manager's job to ensure they have a happy and contented team however busy the salon gets. A happy team usually means happy clients, so it makes good business sense too.