That perfect staff member/stylist/teammember

Tell me please!!
How do you get outstanding staff/stylist's to work for you, over the last few years we have had so many staff work at our salon's only to have them leave because they don't want to play.
We have a great interview process but after a few weeks a lot of them seem to loose direction. We have stylist's who decide they don't want to do training (we pay for it and they don't go ) and argue that they have done an apprenticship and don't need more training..(if only they were that good.0
Some think it's unfair to have a set (industry specified) target to make, feel it's unimportant to sell product, get cranky when they have a full day booked out ...no bludge time... , hate the "were a team we work together to be the best salon ever, "motivation speach's
We even had one staff member (a long time ago) who was so full of herself that when she was short of money she helped her self to the till, even had a 31yr old 3rd yr apprentice who would not learn to do men's cut's we gave her a performance review... and she tried to sue us for phsycological abuse through workcover..that lasted 5 mth's!!.
Then theres the ones with personal problems, to many problems to worry about work!!!!!!

Yes I know I'm having a rant but I'm over it!, I want a talented, enthusiastic, artistic, thankfull, professional who want's to learn even more, to be compeditive and proud of who they are and some one who want's to make and earn a lot of money.

It's just that every time we are full speed ahead the wheel's fall off and we have to start all over again.

Looking to hear from you input.

Regards
Murray.

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There's no such thing as alittle off the top,we're talking full make over here!

Million $ issue of our industry
I completley understand and really feel for your staffing dilema, It gets to the point after a while where you just go numb on it.
It takes alot of thick skin these days to employ staff and as the years go on the tougher I have become.
I have compariable staffing nightmars, where do I start! (abbusive mothers coem to mind)
I will think about this for a while and let you know what works for us, but what I can say is alot dose not work.
In 5 years I have gone through about 10 qualified hairdressers! Just can not get it to work out.
Only home grown apprentices work for us, long process to grow your own, but we are full circle in the process now and we just keep the evolution going,
Have a rant Murry If you like anytime, makes you feel beter, you are not alone.

Cheers
Belle

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Smile, we have the greatest job in the world!

What can i say Murray... I hear you

We could exchange stories all day; abusive parents, fainting episodes, fake cancer scares, theft and all that you listed too.

We take over a new salon today where one staff member takes home $1100 net per week and brings in about $1500 gross. (there's 4 staff with similar stories) No performance reviews or targets. She has on average 1 week off a month plus wants 5 weeks off to get married in July. Apparently she's a bit worried that we won't be going with that deal when we take over. Very unfair of me, what about her mortgage & wedding costs?
Did i mention that the previous owner has gone bust doing this crazy deal but is privately lobbying me to keep her on?
I reckon this guy has lost about $200K since he decided to become a salon owner last June.
Pure madness but an example of a salon running wild for the benefit of the staff only. I guess the hard thing to explain to staff is that if the salon isn't profit making then it's out business - and they are out of jobs as this crew will be (i don't fancy going broke funnily enough).

Thats my little rant as I'm so pissed off that so called professional stylists can screw a salon so badly and without remorse

Anyhow - how do you get great staff?
We do have really fantastic staff so i guess we should know.
But no we don't. There's no secret recipe other than recruit apprentices and nurture them.
Ultimately no matter what a great boss you are, how great the training is, how famous the salon becomes, how well you reward, how well you manage with flexibility or how well YOU do anything. There's only one deciding factor in how great your staff will be.
AND THAT IS THEM - THE INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYEE.

Lets face it Murray, people are people. Some are good, some are bad, some are lazy some are World-beaters. Most are all of those things at different times. You or I cannot control any of that.

At best when you employ- employment is such a generous thing by the way. To take responsibility to pay, train and keep paying week after week no matter what is a very serious thing that most 'normal people' would never do. Especially for what is to begin with a perfect stranger. Somehow employees get it backwards and think we are some how out to fleece them of their God-given right to make as much money as possible from the Boss, who has too much money anyway that they earned for him - greedy boss *******!

People are just people Murray.
Design, plan and execute the very best business that you can. Because that's the kind of people you are.
Do your best to make your salon Worldclass. Forget the central coast - make it the best in the World. If you fall short you'll still be the best in Australia. If that's what will drive you. It 's what drives me.

Along the way you'll attract people - hope for people like yourselves to be attracted to the best. If you get other less desirable people then try to accept them for them before you get too far along and invite them not to share your dream (ie, go away bad people i'm busy I'm with my dream there's no place for you here) Be prepared to be perceived to be the Big Bad Boss ******* by bad people.
Hopefully you will be seen for what you are by your good people - a man with a noble dream that is willing to protect it and those dedicated to it with you.

Just to make matters worst of course people change too. So get while they're hot. Drop them when they're not. It's kinder in the long run.

Anyhow - how's that for a rant?
A see your rant and raise you.
Feel free to match it anytime

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"If you beleve you can, or if you believe you can't. You're absolutely right."

Chumba Concept Salon
Pro Hairstylist (main website)

HAHAHA! Carl, you,ve made me look at it in a new perspective.
$1,100 .00 gross and $1,500 turn over, I'd pay her $1,100. if she made me $4,000.week..lol.
I had to laugh today as another salon phoned me for a work referance on the previous staff member who tried to sue us for physological abuse because she didnt want to learn how to cut?????????..... I was so amused, it realy brightened my day (no I didn't say anything bad) I just laughed and said "this is a joke right" apparently it wasn't.
It's good to know (well not really) that other salon's have the same problems as us.
Yes! our aim is to be the greatest salon ever to exist, after all our USP is "The best hair anywhere ... Guaranteed" ....Also our name is Dyenamic and we aim to be dynamic in everything hair that we do.

Been great talking to you Carl, catch you later.

Regards Murray.

__________________
There's no such thing as alittle off the top,we're talking full make over here!

Hi Murray,

no you mis-read me .... $1100 net!
thats base - just to turn up - which she doesn't do a lot of the time.
God knows what that is gross but it ain't happening.

Get your laughing gear around that one

On a more serious note - that salon owner has really lost a bundle by cutting these insane deals. And yes, he's out of business as of this week and has a great tax right off for many years to come i'd say

__________________
"If you beleve you can, or if you believe you can't. You're absolutely right."

Chumba Concept Salon
Pro Hairstylist (main website)

__________________
Smile, we have the greatest job in the world!

Stop it Carl your killin' me hahaha!.. $1100.nett..hahaha stop it hahaha...for some one that dosn't turn up...hahha...the previous owner must have been out of their mind, if he had money to through away, they could have thrown it my way.
I really hope all goes well for you guy's.......If you lot are going to be at hair expo Sydney (we will be there Sunday & monday) we should arange to meet up and chat)


Regards
Murray

__________________
There's no such thing as alittle off the top,we're talking full make over here!

__________________
Smile, we have the greatest job in the world!