How to integrate new team members into your salon team

There will be lots of movement across the hairdressing industry over the next few months with some  hairdressers eager to make a change, while others may be forced to look for work after losing their jobs due to Coronavirus. With back-to-back client appointments you may decide you need to grow your own salon team but the trick to success is knowing how to integrate new team members into your existing salon team, explains salon business coach Penny Etheridge from Radiant Hair and Beauty Consultancy.

Tips to follow to integrate your new team members successfully into your salon team

1. Don't keep it a secret

If you've just hired a wonderful talented personand you want to integrate them into your salon team as quickly as possible, don't keep it a secret – now is the time to shout about it! Make sure the rest of your salon team and, in some cases, wider organisation, know all about why this individual was hired in the first place. Send out a resume or CV via your WhatsApp group or in-house  e-mail detailing this new team member's past achievements. Letting people know why this person has been employed stops the questions being asked in the staff room out backend avoids any gossiping.

2. The small stuff does matter

It’s the little things that can be the biggest frustration for anyone who is new to a salon team and wants to show themselves in their best light. Where are the staff toilets? Is that coffee maker for the team to use? Where is best to go for a quick lunch? These are the type of questions new team members will not ask for fear of appearing fussy or a bit “thick “so make sure you pay attention to the small stuff. Think about yourself as a new employee and answer these questions before they need to be asked. This means  your new employee can focus his or her attention on the big stuff such as being comfortable and confident in front of their clients.

3. Keep everyone talking

It's even more difficult at the moment to integrate new team members into an existing salon team. Reduced team numbers working in the salon at the same time, split shifts and salon teams often being split into a team A and team B means we need to focus on how to bring whole teams together on a regular basis. Ensuring everyone is working to the same song sheet, understanding company guidelines and transparency on company vision is crucial to ensuring a well-run team. Schedule regular weekly Zoom/Video catch up calls for the whole team as this is the easiest and most efficient way to overcome varying shift patterns and challenges of not being able to integrate new team members face to face.

4. Create open communication

There needs to be regular communication with all members of the team, including new team members to ensure everyone knows and understands the market, government and company policy changes that need to be implemented in the salon. It is incredibly important for new team members to feel part of this conversation so they know exactly what is expected at all times. If you explain to your team why a new behaviour or culture needs to be followed you will be able to get the best response from your team workers. If your team know and understand why a new measure is being introduced this will result in the task being carried out more efficiently than if we don't. By communicating daily or at least weekly, either face to face or via video will ensure everyone has the same information and nothing is being lost or left to chance. These daily catch-ups can last for as long as you feel necessary but 20 minutes is probably all it takes to keep everyone in the loop.