Think back to when you were a child and your parents enforced rules that you had to follow. Clean up your room, come home directly from school, do your homework before supper, fold your clothes, make you bed. No matter what the rule, you basically learned that you were expected to follow instructions and life at home was simple and non-problematic as long as the rules where followed. When the rules were followed, your parents were happy, things ran smoothly, life was good.

Fast forward to the salon environment. Let’s look at your salon as a family unit, a household. Your employees as members of a house that need basic rules to make things run smoothly, establish relationships and make living in the house harmonious for all who occupy it.

This is not easy but can be accomplished. You as the leader must provide an environment that makes understanding your salons core principles easy with simple rules to follow. The first step is make rules, and insure every employee understands them. These rules are meant to be followed. If these rules are not followed there will be ramifications. As an employer you will also be expected to keep score of your employees who don’t follow the rules. By setting these standards it brings people together, harmonizing the group as one, aligned with each other, with a common set of guidelines that everyone understands and there will be no exceptions. The goal here is simple: rules keep the salon in check, everyone's happy, life in the salon is good.

Let’s look at your salon with no rules in place. If you don’t give people metrics, smart people will quickly make up their own. In fact, there’s a lot of behavioral psychology around the fact that the less rules in place the quicker others will step in to make up their own rules. This is a great gift for some. They may think they are doing you a favor. These people are usually the strongest of the group. In many cases this tends to divide the salon and causes a word I dare to use: DRAMA, the demise of many salons. Put simple – No rules, equals drama, equals unhappy employees and unsatisfied customers. This leads to the slow demise of any salon, walkouts, customers leaving and a salon environment that is unfit to work in.

We have identified that the salon needs rules. These rules should be put in an employee handbook. Each employee should be given a salon employee handbook outlining the rules that you have put in place. This handbook should be given to them when they start employment with your salon. You should review the employee handbook with each employee so they understand your salons rules, ramifications and what is expected from them as an employee of your salon, The employee should sign the employee handbook. A copy should be given to them and you as the salon owner or manager should keep the original on file.

20 Simple Rules for Salon Employees:

1. Come to work on time and fully prepared for work

2. Keep your work common space neat and clean

3. Leave the drama at home

4. Notify manager or owner when calling in to work

5. No alcohol or drug use at work

6. Keep your appearance clean, cut and professional

7. Never get defensive with customers – the customer is always right

8. Treat employees in a professional manner

9. No cell phone use at your styling station

10. Flip flops are for the beach not work

11. If you're sick, stay home

12. Personal hygiene is critical in the salon environment

13. Clean dispensary after every use

14. Theft in the salon will not be tolerated – borrowing without permission is theft. If you borrow from a co-worker, ask and then give it back.

15. Greet each customer by their name

16. Always say thank you to your customer

17. Work time is for focusing on clients

18. Recommending products is part of your job description

19. Keep eye contact, body language and physical contact professional

20. Participate in team meetings and advanced education in the salon