Keeping employees happy, motivated and productive is not easy.

Either their kids are sick, they’ve had a late night and missed their morning coffee before work, or the day just isn’t going their way. Beauty therapists are by nature sensitive, delicate souls. However, a beauty clinic and spa is sacred space. And unhappy staff means unhappy clients. If not addressed, this will develop into a long term recipe of financial disaster for your business. But don’t fear and lose hope if you are dealing with staff that are unproductive and unmotivated. Here are a few simple suggestions you can turn your staff into happy, productive angels!

Setting the Tone
From the get-go when you go through the interview process and hire a new team member, it should be clear that the company culture is happy, productive, team oriented, and client focused. Consistency starts right at the beginning. Set boundaries. Make sure you reinforce your policies and systems on a regular basis. I suggest having a mini-review at the end of the new employee’s trial period to reinforce and refine these concepts.

Set Goals
A big part of motivating employees is creating parameters for success and growth. How would your staff know where to go if there is no road map? What sort of productivity quotas do you have in place? Celebrate success when they achieve goals.

Lead the Way
The team is always a direct reflection of their leader. When leadership fails everyone fails. Leadership means rolling your sleeves up and really fighting for your team. Lead by example, not by fear. Remember that success leads to further success.

Improve Team Skill Sets
So many leaders are afraid to invest in staff development because they may leave. Think about it, would you rather have incompetent staff that stay with you forever; or competent staff that eventually will move on? Which one is better for your business?  Confident employees are happy employees.

Catch Them Doing it Right
It’s easy to get so busy running the business that we literally run our staff down. We start to see only their faults and forget to celebrate their successes.  Catch your staff doing it right. Compliment good work and good behaviour. Reward success.

Remember, its Personal
Keep in mind that your employees are not clones, or robots. They are separate, amazing individuals. We hope that as they follow our systems and maintain a standard of consistent quality that they will also bring to work every day that special spark that is their personality. The same philosophy must stand behind your motivational tactics. If possible sit each employee down for five or 10 minutes per week and discuss their performance. Where are they at with their goals? What can you offer them to help them succeed?  Remember their success means YOUR success. Finds out what drives them. What inspires and motivates them? I think too often staff feel that management doesn’t care. Their spark fades, and the clients feel it. Take care of the individual.
 

Success Leads to More Success Assign each team member a specific task each week e.g. a specific product of focus or a re-booking goal. Set a goal that is achievable but somewhat over the top. Each time your staff reaches a goal; they will reach a bit further. That is human nature. Interestingly also, we naturally tend to mimic those around us. Many think this is a survival strategy to fit in with the group for self protection purposes. In a clinic or spa this means that your stars will rub off on those who aren’t quite sparkling yet. Keep up that momentum, and suddenly you will see those less confident start to sparkle just as brightly.

Motivating your team is a key element in your business overall success. It should be as large of a priority as paying bills, doing laundry, and opening your front doors for business. Take time out each month to consider the next month’s bonus options, events, internal promotions, and motivational tactics. Developing a motivational agenda is crucial to your business overall health.
 
 

Keeping employees happy, motivated and productive is not easy.

Either their kids are sick, they’ve had a late night and missed their morning coffee before work, or the day just isn’t going their way. Beauty therapists are by nature sensitive, delicate souls. However, a beauty clinic and spa is sacred space. And unhappy staff means unhappy clients. If not addressed, this will develop into a long term recipe of financial disaster for your business. But don’t fear and lose hope if you are dealing with staff that are unproductive and unmotivated. Here are a few simple suggestions you can turn your staff into happy, productive angels!

Setting the Tone
From the get-go when you go through the interview process and hire a new team member, it should be clear that the company culture is happy, productive, team oriented, and client focused. Consistency starts right at the beginning. Set boundaries. Make sure you reinforce your policies and systems on a regular basis. I suggest having a mini-review at the end of the new employee’s trial period to reinforce and refine these concepts.

Set Goals
A big part of motivating employees is creating parameters for success and growth. How would your staff know where to go if there is no road map? What sort of productivity quotas do you have in place? Celebrate success when they achieve goals.

Lead the Way
The team is always a direct reflection of their leader. When leadership fails everyone fails. Leadership means rolling your sleeves up and really fighting for your team. Lead by example, not by fear. Remember that success leads to further success.

Improve Team Skill Sets
So many leaders are afraid to invest in staff development because they may leave. Think about it, would you rather have incompetent staff that stay with you forever; or competent staff that eventually will move on? Which one is better for your business?  Confident employees are happy employees.

Catch Them Doing it Right
It’s easy to get so busy running the business that we literally run our staff down. We start to see only their faults and forget to celebrate their successes.  Catch your staff doing it right. Compliment good work and good behaviour. Reward success.

Remember, its Personal
Keep in mind that your employees are not clones, or robots. They are separate, amazing individuals. We hope that as they follow our systems and maintain a standard of consistent quality that they will also bring to work every day that special spark that is their personality. The same philosophy must stand behind your motivational tactics. If possible sit each employee down for five or 10 minutes per week and discuss their performance. Where are they at with their goals? What can you offer them to help them succeed?  Remember their success means YOUR success. Finds out what drives them. What inspires and motivates them? I think too often staff feel that management doesn’t care. Their spark fades, and the clients feel it. Take care of the individual.
 

Success Leads to More Success Assign each team member a specific task each week e.g. a specific product of focus or a re-booking goal. Set a goal that is achievable but somewhat over the top. Each time your staff reaches a goal; they will reach a bit further. That is human nature. Interestingly also, we naturally tend to mimic those around us. Many think this is a survival strategy to fit in with the group for self protection purposes. In a clinic or spa this means that your stars will rub off on those who aren’t quite sparkling yet. Keep up that momentum, and suddenly you will see those less confident start to sparkle just as brightly.

Motivating your team is a key element in your business overall success. It should be as large of a priority as paying bills, doing laundry, and opening your front doors for business. Take time out each month to consider the next month’s bonus options, events, internal promotions, and motivational tactics. Developing a motivational agenda is crucial to your business overall health.