The concept of isolating the entire professional hair industry from its clients for an indeterminate period of time is very hard for us to get our heads around. Here’s how to strengthen your leadership:
1. Do not hesitate to use social safety nets to safeguard the continuation of your business activities and to protect jobs.
2. Take advantage of the suspension of any tax breaks or postponements to create a small fund to help support employees in difficulty.
3. Have a chat with your closest staff members and contributors to keep them in the loop and updated as to how things currently stand: it increases empathy and strengthens their of belonging to the group.
4. Take advantage of this period of time to focus on training and education: create video tutorials to illustrate new techniques and lay out the guidelines for doing a team photoshoot when things are back up-and-running.
5. Plan phone calls or 1-2-1 chats to help support your team psychologically and always keep them motivated at the prospect of the salon reopening.
6. If you have someone in the team who’s particularly skilled in digital or social networking, it’s time to get them involved. If you don’t, choose someone to become could become digital support ‘right-hand-man’ and arrange a quick online training course.
7. Involve staff members directly in making video recommendations for customers, or invite them to engage with the clients they know the most to give practical advice and help.