Build that Winning Team Culture!

By David Watts

So many conversations with salon owners are centred around increasing their team members performance, how they can motivate their teams and how they can keep them satisfied in their work.

In my experience, getting the culture right will make all the difference. In fact, establishing and maintaining a positive culture in your salon will not only create a thriving team it will also provide the platform for a successful business too.

On the other hand, a negative culture can lead to disengagement, mistrust, and conflict, ultimately obstructing productivity and achievement. When there is a toxic or unhealthy culture, team members may feel unsupported, undervalued, or even marginalized. This can lead to disengagement and a lack of motivation, as well as increased turnover and decreased job satisfaction.

In a negative culture, team members may be more likely to engage in unhealthy or unproductive behaviours, such as gossiping, blaming others, or avoiding accountability. This can lead to a lack of trust and communication and can ultimately undermine the ability of the team to work effectively together and achieve shared goals.

Unfortunately, a negative culture generally has a ripple effect, impacting the salon more broadly. It may lead to a loss of reputation, difficulty attracting and retaining talent, or worse impact on the delivery of your client journey.

Therefore, it’s essential for leaders to be proactive in creating a positive and healthy culture, and to address any negative behaviours or attitudes that arise quickly and confidently.

Culture is more than just a buzz word; it is an important piece when it comes to leading your team. When your culture is aligned with your team’s values, attitudes, and behaviours, it can have a profound impact on their performance, motivation, and job satisfaction.

Leaders who promote open and honest communication, provide opportunities for feedback and growth, set clear expectations, and model positive behaviours themselves will help to create a productive, positive, and thriving culture that benefits everyone involved.

Four reasons to focus on your culture:

1. Team Retention: When your salon has a positive culture, your team members are more likely to stay with you. This is because a positive culture fosters a sense of belonging and connection, making employees feel valued and appreciated. Retaining talent is important because it can save you time and money on recruitment and training.

2. Improved Customer Experience: A positive salon culture can also improve the experience for your customers. When your team are happy, engaged, and motivated, they are more likely to provide excellent customer service. This can lead to increased customer satisfaction, loyalty, and positive reviews.

3. Increased productivity: When your salon has a positive culture, your team are more likely to feel motivated to work hard and be productive. A positive culture can also create a sense of camaraderie among your team, leading to better collaboration and results.

4. Better communication: In a positive salon culture, employees feel comfortable speaking up and sharing their thoughts and ideas. This can lead to better communication and problem-solving, which can benefit the entire team.

Where to Begin?

Here are a few tips to help you improve the culture in your salon:

Clarify your salon’s values

Make sure you have a clear understanding of what your salon’s values are. This will help everyone understand what is important to your business and what behaviours are expected.

Consider what values are important to you and your salon. This could be things like respect, teamwork, customer service, innovation, or creativity. Involve your team in the process of defining your salon’s values. Ask for their input on what they think is important, what they’d like to see from the salon, and what they value in their work.

Once you have your list of values, communicate them to your team, customers, and the wider community. Display them prominently in your salon and on your website, and make sure everyone understands what they mean and why they are important.

Encourage open communication

Communication is the foundation of any healthy relationship, whether it is between individuals or groups of people. Without effective communication, misunderstandings, conflicts, and mistrust can arise, leading to a toxic culture. your salon. This means living them out in your actions and communication.

Create a safe space where your team members feel comfortable sharing their thoughts, ideas, and concerns. Encourage open communication and actively listen to your team’s feedback.

Better communication leads to better collaboration, which results in improved productivity. When people are on the same page and have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities, they can work more efficiently towards achieving their goals.

Use your values to guide decision-making within your salon. Whenever you face a challenge or have to make a decision, ask yourself how each of your values can help guide you.

Actively listen to your team members and provide them with the resources and support they need. Keep your promises and follow through on your commitments. This will help build a reputation for reliability and consistency.

Invest in your team’s professional development

Show your team that you value their growth and development by providing opportunities for training, education, and skill-building. This will help them feel more invested in their work and more confident in their abilities.

Identify the skills and knowledge gaps in your team. Consider the current and future needs of your salon, as well as the individual goals of your team members. This will help you determine what training and development opportunities are needed

You can also encourage your team members to share their knowledge and expertise with each other.

Recognize and reward good work:

Celebrate your team’s achievements and contributions, whether it’s through verbal recognition or more tangible rewards like bonuses or promotions. This will help create a culture of positivity and appreciation.

It is important to establish clear performance goals for your team. This will help them know exactly what is expected of them and enable you to measure their performance accurately.

Lead by example

As a leader, your behaviour (and attitude) will set the tone for your team. Make sure you model the values you’ve established for your salon. This means living them out in your actions and communication.

Use your values to guide decision-making within your salon. Whenever you face a challenge or have to make a decision, ask yourself how each of your values can help guide you.

Actively listen to your team members and provide them with the resources and support they need. Keep your promises and follow through on your commitments. This will help build a reputation for reliability and consistency.

Improving your salon culture is an ongoing process, but by focusing on these tips, you can create a positive and supportive work environment that will benefit both your team and your business.

It is important that you prioritize creating a positive and supportive environment for your team, as this can set the tone for all other aspects of leadership in your salon.

Something to leave with..

Practice makes perfect, and the more you work on building the culture in your salon the better you and your team will get at it, it takes time and effort. By focusing on culture and practicing regularly, you can build a strong and supportive team that will benefit both your salon and team members.

A thriving salon with an excellent team and exceptional service will build a positive reputation in the community. This can lead to more clients, and more repeat business.

David. XoX

A salon owner and support coach on Team Chrissy – The ZING Project. David has a diverse background in sales, marketing and operations and is passionate about improving the professionalism of the industry.

Contact David via email davidsc@zingcoach.com.au or DM on Instagram @davidwatts_zing