While a good wage is essential, your hairdressers and front-counter staff need more than just compensation; they need health benefits, child care assistance, and much more.

What are Employee Benefits?

When we think of “employee benefits,” we typically jump to medical insurance or a retirement savings account. However, an employee benefit can include anything that isn’t a wage.

Employee benefits can have a huge impact on whether they leave or stay. A new parent isn’t going to stay at a place that doesn’t offer decent maternity leave, but they also won’t stick around if they can’t have a flexible schedule. Your employees need a work-life balance.

Some salons will offer additional privileges to senior employees in order to increase retention, but it’s essential that these privileges aren’t unfair to your new or less senior staff members.

Why Do You Need Employee Benefits?

All client-focused industries are rife with long hours, sitting or standing for long periods, and emotional customers. Being a hairdresser or spa employee can mean taking on a lot of emotional labor, as clients often discuss their lives intimately with your staff members.

However, too many salon employees aren’t given more than the bare minimum. Additional benefits like a group life cover benefit, dental plans, and a gym membership seem expensive, but they pay for themselves several times over when it comes to employee retention.

If you’re wondering how to create a positive culture in your salon, consider spending time and money on personal development programs, related education, and job satisfaction.

Why? Because you’ll start to notice the following benefits in your salon:

• More quality applicants
• Shorter employee turnaround
• A healthier workforce
• Increased productivity
• Heightened worker morale

Offering your salon employee benefits is one of the best ways to attract and retain talented salon staff, so don’t delay. Keep your employees happy by offering them benefits.

What Employee Benefits Should You Offer?

Your salon staff won’t be motivated by a one-size-fits-all benefit approach, so you’ll need to know what’s essential to each staff member.

Here are some suggestions to get you started.

• Group Life Insurance
• Health Insurance
• Dental Coverage
• Vision Coverage
• Prescription Drug Plans
• Vacation Days
• Paid Sick Leave
• Short or Long-Term Disability Coverage
• Retirement Savings Plan
• Free Education
• Gym Memberships
• Flexible Work Schedules
• Recognition Programs
• Meal Plans
• Commuting Compensation

If you have an agreement with your staff that they can work from home, consider reimbursing some of their hairdressing equipment. Salon items can be really expensive, and your hairdressers would really appreciate help with trimmers, blow dryers, hair products, and capes.

How Do I Choose What Necessary Benefits to Offer?

Most salons aren’t issuing benefits to their staff because they’re expensive, not because they don’t care about them. With that in mind, you won’t be able to give them all the benefits they’d want, so you have to start by offering things they absolutely need and go from there.

For example, your employees need health insurance, but they may not need the best plan if they’re young or don’t have children. Speak to your staff individually and ask what type of coverage is essential to them and issue said coverage based on a democratic vote.

Or, you could offer better packages based on seniority. Once your salon employees pass the 5-year mark, add on insurance, dental, vision, or prescription drug coverage to their plan.

Always keep an eye out for better deals, but don’t change providers without telling your staff, as they may be charged without warning. As your business grows, you can make your salon benefits packages better. This will further improve retention and attract talented staff members.

How Do I Choose What Supplementary Benefits to Offer?

Since supplementary benefits aren’t “necessary,” what you offer can be added or subtracted based on program participation. For example, if your staff members aren’t using their gym memberships, ask staff members why. Switch the program if they want something else.

Team building activities, incentives, bonuses, and recognition programs are always appreciated by staff members, even if they don’t have a direct monetary value. If you have room in your budget, try to include mental health coverage to compensate for difficult or unruly customers.