In any industry, problem-solving is part of being a manager. I often joke that I am a professional firefighter, because what I do every day is put out fires. Joking aside, it rings true, especially with my friends and colleagues who own businesses. In our industry specifically, this time of year seems wrought with problems. Slowing sales, declining EFTs, “sun scare” and changing weather … all these things add to the ever-growing number of fires to put out. My desire with this column is to help with some of your management issues. As a salon and small business owner, trust me – I know your pain.
When you create an environment that you and Millennials can both enjoy, everybody wins.
I recently took an informal Facebook poll that asked salon owners to name the biggest problem facing their salons. The chief complaint of each: Millennials. This has become a bit of a buzzword, but there is some validity to their woes. The term refers to the age group who reached young adulthood around the year 2000. Many in this generation and the next are our current employees. They don’t work the same way their parents did! We’ve had great success with our Millennial and Gen-Z teams, and found some secrets to that success.
1. Money is not their primary motivator.
Studies have shown that the overwhelming majority of the workforce place money as a second or third to enjoying their job and co-workers, having purpose, and feeling valued. If your team members enjoy their interactions with your customers, with you, and with fellow staff, they’re much likelier to be happy with their jobs.
2. Upward mobility makes a big difference.
This is a post-Mad Men generation. They’ve grown up watching their parents and television depict a world in which the employee writes their own ticket. They aren’t looking for a minimum wage job to work through college. They want something that looks good on a résumé and will give them a chance to advance. When staff perform well and exceed expectations, I ask myself, What duty do I have that I can give this person? Recently, we’ve had great success by handing over social media – one of our part-time employees is doing all of the research, scheduling and posting. We gave her a raise and she’s taken a big burden off of me. More importantly, it’s being done better than if I were doing it myself, because she has the time to do it.
3. Make the environment fun and challenging.
You aren’t here to entertain your staff; however, if they are excited to come to work and will be challenged when they get there, everyone wins. We incentivize our sales staff with individual commission and a monthly team goal. When the team goal is met, there’s a pre-established reward: a paint bar party, a pool party, an evening at the trampoline park … something that is fun for them and won’t break the bank for us.
4. Communicate your expectations clearly and hold them accountable.
It is critical that employees understand what is expected of them. To “run the salon” is not enough. You need a detailed explanation of what you expect them to accomplish on a day-to-day basis. We go over these detailed job descriptions in our initial interviews. If the candidate can’t do the work or we don’t feel they can, they don’t advance to the next round. When staff understands what’s expected and are challenged to meet the standard, it removes the frustration when they’re underperforming. You can now correct problems or remove the employee.
When you create an environment that you and Millennials can both enjoy, everybody wins. You’ll find a dedicated team that’s in it for the long haul.
