THE EMPLOYEE JOURNEY By Estelle Carroll

What are people who work for you saying about your Business? What are you doing to attract the right people? Let me share with you the Employee Journey so you can uncover why things may not be as you hoped.

The Employee journey is a series of experiences that each employee will encounter during their time with you.

It can begin with the first time an applicant responds to your job post and says - “That’s me! That is the place I want to work” - “they are talking to me”, “That sounds like my kind of place.”

As an Industry right now, there is a lot of conversation about ‘Advertising for Team’ and ‘lack of Applicants’. If you were to know ‘Why’ employees are leaving the industry or their employment to work somewhere else wouldn’t that information be GOLD? Well thanks to a review from the Australian Hairdressing Council we do know. And these results I believe are relevant to all salons in the hair, and beauty industry.

So, what does an Employee want? The three main pain points of a team member were.

1) Culture - bad

2) Communication - inconsistent, not feeling heard, not appreciated

3) Training - it’s over promised and not delivered, inconsistent

So, as I go through the employee journey this will give you insights to the areas of your business where your Culture, Communication and Training might have slipped and what you can do about it.

AWARENESS

The Timeline of their journey is first their awareness, It’s possible that when a team member looked at coming to work for you, they saw something on social media. They might have heard things also, from friends or on insta stories -things that have painted a picture of what it’s like to work in your business. The photos are telling them a story - is this place action packed, tranquil, busy, fun?

DECISION

They make a decision - that your salon is where they want to work - I can see myself working there and I want to be part of it. I want to be like them.

SECURITY/SATISFACTION

This is what I thought it would be like. I’m getting into the groove of things here.

LOYALTY

They are happy and stay. The relationship is built on honesty, trust, and commitment

ADVOCACY

When they are an advocate of the business they love to come to work, and they attract new team members too.

Often, we take our team members though awareness, decision and stumble in security and satisfaction - often not getting loyal team members or advocates,

There are three areas a team member will go through and whilst we want to ensure we are making this journey memorable in a good way for our team members, we also want to make sure it’s memorable for the team members who didn’t get the job. Why? Because they could be your next hire and they are also potential clients.

Pre-Employment

- Do you respond to all applicants with a letter to say ‘unfortunately you were not successful at this time? Do you acknowledge that they have put in the effort to apply for your job? How can we acknowledge them - thank them? Especially if no one else in your town does. These unsuccessful applicants might be a client, they are certainly a potential client, and what if they might be successful later on - but you left a bad taste in their mouth.

- The Interview. Are you disorganised, scratching around at your desk for papers, no prepared interview questions, you haven’t even read their resume properly? - Are the images portrayed for your positions vacant and your salon - congruent? Do you follow through with your promises of commitment to fun and training?

Employment

- Do you have an induction procedure that if you were sick, another team member could follow to ensure a smooth process and welcoming start for the new team member? You have an opportunity to create a welcoming environment, that it’s set up for them so that there are always things there that they might need. - That could be a ‘go to folder’ a guide of contacts, technician phone numbers, educational books - Training and development - Reviews Post-Employment - Separation - Connection - Re-Employment: Would you ever reemploy someone

My most favourite is The Grass roots of the Employee journey. This is explained best by Abraham Maslow - An American Psychologist who created a motivational theory in psychology. He believed that we have 5 different needs. And in order to reach our full potential we need to have the primary needs met first.

The Hierarchy of needs goes like this.

1) Physiological Needs. Foundations - How Supported are they

2) Safety Needs. Money - Consistency - Messaging

3) Belonging and loved needs. Relationships - Culture - Trust

4) Esteem Needs. Happiness - Fulfillment - Confidence

5) Self-actualization. Inspired - Intrinsically motivated

A team member must have their lower needs met in order for the ones proceeding them to be met. For example, a Physiological need met before the ‘Safety’ needs are met. Then they must have their Safety needs met before they can have Belonging and so on. Let’s look at how this can appear in your salon.

PHYSIOLOGICAL NEEDS

Do your team members have a support network around them? I’m sure you like me have considered this when we hired an apprentice. Who will drive them to and from work? Be the listening ear when things get tough for them? Are they looking after themselves, health, nutrition, rest?

SAFETY NEEDS

What makes your team feel secure? Let’s look at what makes them feel insecure and often gets overlooked and we wonder why our team members are not reaching their potential. One of the things that would have tested their feelings of being safe would be Covid-19. To create a sense of safety we all uplevelled our high cleaning standards, wore masks and had distancing of clients etc. And we needed to do those things to ensure our team felt and continued to feel that the standards we keep are high, to protect our team’s wellbeing - we care. But what are some things we are slipping on? Messaging. Money for example - “I don’t know if we are going to pull through this” “things are really tight, someone might have to go” How would that make someone feel? There might be some truth in this - but how is it delivered? You are their leader - their rock. And if you’re saying “If you’re not as good as ‘Sally’- who is smashing her targets, banging clients in, outperforming everybody… I just think you’re not going to hit the mustard’. Will they feel their job is safe? Will they feel that their leader has confidence in them?

It’s like your team member is a plant - growing, and when you do this - you have pulled them out of the ground, got them by your hands, shaken their foundations. They need to feel secure and safe in their work - and that comes from you, Spend time on this and the rest is easier. If you are whining about - “Why are you not inspired and motivated” are you pointing the finger at your team when the solution is in, you.

What’s the inconsistency of your messaging? Are you saying the salon has plenty of clients, we just need you! Things are amazing. We do this and that… but you don’t.

BELONGING AND LOVED/CULTURE

Do they feel connected with you? Do they feel you give a damn about them? Do they trust your heart is in the right place? You actually care about them personally and professionally. Is It fun in your workplace? Do they team appreciate you all have your differences and get along?

ESTEEM NEEDS

The feeling of accomplishment. Seeing the training, the things they have learnt create happy experiences for them and the clients. The clients ask to see them again - their clientele builds. The Team asks them for help? Admire them - respect them.

SELF ACTUALISATION NEEDS

Achieving one’s full potential I think we should do this or that. How can I learn more?

So - Where do you start?

Consider what your original promises are. If you promised all those wonderful things - make sure you follow through. Make them feel secure in the trust that you do what you say you are going to do. Your employee journey deserves critical thinking to ensure you have created a space where people are drawn to work with you. At the heart of it all is your desire to ensure everyone reaches their full potential, the client in their service, the team on their journey and your business success.

To develop your strength and understanding of the Language of Leadership connect with Estelle Carroll on socials Instagram: @estellecarrollzingcoach Facebook: Estelle Carroll-Zing and email estelle@zingcoach.com.au