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Sustainabilityis crucial for salons, given the negative environmental impact of the beauty and wellness industry. Sustainability is something I deeply care about as a salon owner, and I believe that more businesses in the industry should take steps to create a better planet.
But in my view, sustainability should go beyond making a positive environmental impact. Just consider one of Merriam-Webster’s definitions of sustainable: “of, relating to, or being a method of harvesting or using a resource so that the resource is not depleted or permanently damaged.” As salon owners, we need to be mindful of not depleting our energy, health and peace so that we can lead our teams more effectively. When everyone at a salon lives a happy, productive life, they can better serve clients, helping them look good and feel good.
Why Sustaining Your Energy, Health and Peace Is Crucial
Salon professionals have tough jobs. They’re usually on their feet for hours on end with client after client. Their work —be it applying makeup, cutting hair, giving a massage, etc. —majorly influences clients’ self-esteem. They have to get it right, and the better their energy, health and peace are, the more in tune they can be with their work.
Owners majorly influence a salon’s culture. If you walk into the salon each day in a bad mood, over time, morale at your company will likely decline. Employee turnover will likely increase, putting you in a difficult situation with your clients. Frustrated clients might leave, and you’ll have to ramp up your marketing efforts to find new ones. Ultimately, you might lose your business.
How to Boost Your Well-Being
There is a lot of useful advice on improving your well-being. I’ve found several steps to be particularly useful.
First, focus on your mental health. Something that’s helped me immensely with my mental health is adopting a positive, grateful mindset. Research has shown the mental health benefits of gratitude. According to the University of California, Berkeley’s Greater Good Magazine, “many studies over the past decade have found that people who consciously count their blessings tend to be happier and less depressed.” Strive to focus on the good things about your business and team. Try to spend some time each day writing down the things you’re grateful for. Or reflect on what you’re grateful for as you go through your day, such as when you have a cup of coffee or go on a walk. Even when you face setbacks, practice gratitude—those setbacks hold valuable lessons that can help you in the future.
You should also feed your mind with new ideas and information. Embrace continuous learning. As motivational speaker and self-development author Brian Tracy noted in his book Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time, “One piece of information or one additional skill can make an enormous difference in your ability to do the job well.” The more you learn, the better you can lead your team and stand out from the competition.
The Rolling Stone Culture Council is an invitation-only community for Influencers, Innovators and Creatives. Do I qualify?
Something else I’ve found helpful is playing with my dogs and grandkids whenever I can. I can work 12- to 14-hour days. Stopping to play helps me let go of stress and other negative emotions and just feel happy. Find ways to incorporate play into your life. You could play fetch with your dog, play board games with your family and friends, go to an escape room with your team, take up painting as a hobby, etc. Just carve out time to be happy.
How to Increase Your Team’s Well-Being
As you work on your well-being, you’ll be able to be more present as a leader and guide your team more effectively. However, you should take other steps to increase your team’s well-being as well.
First, I recommend making a habit of truly listening to your team members. Get their perspective and hear them out. If they need help, figure out how you can best accommodate them. For instance, one of my employees recently wanted to take four months of maternity leave. We worked with her to make that a reality. People have lives outside of work, and when you help salon professionals feel fulfilled in their personal lives, they’ll be able to pay it forward to the rest of the team and your clients.
It’s also paramount that you create a supportive, collaborative work culture. People should feel united; like they are all in it together. Your team members should feel like they are working toward a common goal, something that is bigger than themselves. Social activities, like karaoke nights and movie theater outings, are a great way to create strong bonds between your team members.
Additionally, that work culture should be rooted in positivity. Toxic positivity should be avoided. After all, we all have our moments. We need opportunities to vent during bad days. Everyone on the team should give each other the space to express their negative emotions (in a professional manner, of course), but then, they should help each other quickly move past that. The team’s goal should be to remain as positive as possible.
Finally, in the same way that you should prioritize continuous learning, you should help your team grow and develop their knowledge and skills, too. For instance, we had a certification class for employees to learn coaching skills and have had classes centered on cultivating mental health and well-being. The management team and I also regularly ask employees what they would like help with, and we seek continuing education classes that cover those areas.
You and your team are who will ultimately make or break your business. By investing in your growth and happiness, and your team’s growth and happiness, you can build a happier, more productive workplace that will stand out to your clients.
