Could the dearth of stylists mean the death of the salon?
No matter who you speak to, whether it’s a salon that has been around for 40 years in Sussex or a bustling urban barber, all owners right now will tell you the same thing — it’s never been harder to attract and retain talent.
64% decline in new hairdresser registrations in a year.
In the United Kingdom in 2021 a total of 17,000 individuals registered as new hair stylists, but by 2022 that number had dropped to only 6,000, a whopping 64% plummet.
This is more than just a ‘salon problem.’
Funnel issues as large as this require everybody to play some kind of role in making the industry attractive again — it’s not just an issue for the various British hair council’s (whose job it is to handle industry recruitment).
Why aren’t school leavers considering the hair industry?
Through the 80’s and 90’s, hairdressing was positioned as a perfect pathway for the ‘non academic’. Today that is less relevant and the average 18 year old has infinite choices in career direction. Industries that lead with a culture-first approach are the most attractive. The salon industry has long benefited from the growth and culture of beauty, but a perception of low wages, long hours and undesirable conditions are making this less appealing. It is being democratised. The smart move is to embrace this, not fight it. There is no ‘going back’ to the old ways.
It’s not just the newbies. Stylists are quitting salons.
Salon owners are experiencing loss of stylists of all calibre, across all stages of their careers to the lure of the freelance economy. This change is possible due to less barriers of entry to business ownership and better tools to support digitally-savvy operators.
What needs to change to halt the decline and encourage growth?
It will take a consistent strategy to address the multitude of macro factors, here are a few starting thoughts…
- We have observed that the salons who have altered their opening hours as customers behaviour has changed, are reporting a stronger retention of employees.
We know that the pandemic changed the way both customers and stylists function across a week, with a continued penchant for ‘working from home’. Whilst we all enjoy the benefits of WFH, there are also consequences to the lack of return to the office, including an impact on the days of the week that people are going into salons. A trend towards a four day salon week and reduction in weekend hours has come from customers happily ‘working from salon’. Used to a salon’s advantage, this can be made to be very attractive to stylists and help them align their weeks with the family and peers.
2. Salon experience should be the crucial pathway for ambitious creatives
In every industry there is a hierarchy of skills and it’s time for the salon industry to reclaim their place, but it’s no longer a rightful position — it must be earned. A salon must prove that it has the creativity, the nous, the nuance and network to foster talent, to bring back a true sense of apprenticeship.
The salon must be the platform that springboards the next-gen into their highly successful and lucrative stylist / influencer careers that they so badly covet. Right now, many salons aren’t even in the conversation and that’s largely what has to change.
With “Influencer” being the #1 most coveted role for Gen Z’s, the salons can offer a pathway to it. Whilst treating stylists like rockstars may not be to everyone’s taste, it is a sign of the times. The meteoric rise of Hair Tok and #hair has meant an industry littered with influencers, all fulfilling the insatiable content appetite of the consumer.
Some of these hair creators aren’t professionals, they’re the top of the DIY pile, having earnt their followers through hands-on skills put on display in relevant and click-worthy ways. This should be an opportunity not a threat.
3. Trust in the stylists and support their Instagram
As the leakage of stylists into freelance began five or so years ago, salon owners have struggled with retaining employees and many restrictive mistakes have been made to try and stem it — such as banning employee Instagram accounts. The short-sighted nature of this type of rule is a prime example of why young stylists are being turned off. Any measures to separate them from their social handles could be seen as identity blocking, unnecessarily stopping them from ‘being their best selves’ — something they hold more dear than anything else.
Tapping into the rhetoric and trying to understand the zeitgeist looks like stepping beyond the comfort zone of Instagram and into new territory such as Tik Tok.
4. Fostering talent through mentoring, training and creative challenges
Fostering talent through mentoring, training programmes and creative challenges is going to give them the edge they’re craving. Consider how senior talent is interacting with emerging and how one can help the other, showing respect for the hard yards completed, but also interest in the new perspectives offered. There is value in creating an environment where even the greenest can feel they have something to offer their peers. We are living in a time where culture trumps everything.
5. Growing salons are providing freelance freedom from within
We’re seeing smart business operators snap up and fill gaps left by covid-wrecked salons. There are good deals to be had by those with the funds, fortune and foresight to expand their empires whilst others contract. They’re creating more attractive propositions for stylists — such as shared ownership programmes, employee profit share, bonuses and international travel to global events all being baked into agreements. These all help a stylist to feel like they’re getting the benefits of being a freelancer, without the hassle. Many are being encouraged to do both.
How do we come together to make this possible, right now?
New models on offer and changing consumer behaviour will create an eventual positive industry outcome, catering for all types of needs, wants and budgets. After all, we are also seeing some salons thrive right now and capitalise on the changing times.
An open mind, a willingness to change, and acceptance that there will be a departure from the ‘way we’ve always done things’ is going to be essential. From there, a ‘better by design’ approach where a deep dive into the user experiences and requirements of all stakeholders will help everyone to feel seen and heard.
The right pathway forward is centred in collaboration and anchored in co-creation.
How do you help them attain their greatest dreams and desires? How do you amplify their creativity?
We know that this won’t simply or naturally correct itself, it will take a considered and consistent strategy that bears in mind the multiple factors at play.
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About Powered by Flossie:
Founded and headquartered in New Zealand, Powered by Flossie is a ground-breaking technology that addresses a pivotal industry challenge. The platform empowers multinational hair and beauty product companies by granting access to and aggregating distribution network (salon) data. Pulling billions of data points together, this innovative solution enables multinational hair/beauty product companies to digitize, merchandize, and track the customer data journey on behalf of their salon network (all without requiring changes to existing software providers). With 12 years of focused technological investment and a specialized founding team, Powered by Flossie pioneers a world-first-and-only solution for the hair and beauty sector.
