Hairdressers quitting their profession is becoming an increasingly common occurrence in Canada. With shuttered salons and mandates in place, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced some professionals to seek employment outside of their normal occupation. Additionally, the increased competition and sweeping changes in fashion mean that hairdressers who remain face uncharted challenges.
Coupled with a lack of stability, limiting work hours often make it financially difficult for hairdressers to stay in business. The industry is increasingly become inhospitable as cost of living grows with demand for services still decreasing due to economic downturns across the world. Consequently, these events have caused a deep impact on the global hair services industry with many professionals leaving their craft behind.
The goal of this blog post is to take an in-depth look at why hairdressers tend to quit their positions more often than other workers.
We will be exploring the root causes of hair stylists leaving their jobs, such as lack of job satisfaction, inadequate salaries and benefits, and difficulty navigating the salon industry.
This article will also highlight varying opinions from experts in the field and salon owners who can provide valuable insight into what makes a hairdresser successful and capable of thriving in their position.
Through this comparison, we hope to gain clarity on how employers can make key changes to support their staff which could help reduce turnover rates for hair professionals.
Why Do Most HairStylists Quit?
High Stress and Burnout
The demanding nature of the hairdressing profession can make it a very stressful job. It requires dealing with difficult clients, managing erratic schedules, and staying up to date on changing trends and techniques. The stresses of salon life can start to accumulate over time, leading to burnout or exhaustion.
Hairdressers may deal with physical stress from long periods of standing or repetitive movement. They may also find themselves in emotionally taxing situations such as resolving conflicts between clients or dealing with constant criticism.
With all these pressures, it's not surprising that many hairdressers feel exhausted by the end of their workday. If left unchecked, this high level of stress and strain can lead to a hazardous cycle if both physical and mental fatigue.
Physical Demands
Working in the hairdressing profession is physically demanding, as stylists typically stand for long hours while providing services. This strain on the body can lead to sore feet and legs which can, overtime, result in chronic muscular pain and injury if precautions are not taken.
In addition, the repetitive nature of cutting hair along with unnatural postures required when shampooing and applying color can add to the strain hairdressers feel in their joints.
These physical demands do take a toll on many stylists leading to fatigue and increased risk of chronic pain caused by overuse. Unfortunately, this means that some hairdressers struggle with an ongoing injury or pain that leads to them quitting from the job due to reduced quality of life or discomfort.
Low Pay and Lack of Benefits
Hairdressing is an often underestimated and undervalued profession, with many hairdressers facing low pay and lack of benefits in their chosen role. This issue is compounded by the fact that all haircuts come at a finite cost, meaning that a hairdresser's salary is limited to the services they can provide.
This can make it difficult for hairdressers to make enough money for sustainable living, since even charging higher prices for services may alienate customers who can’t afford to pay more.
Consequently, many hairdressers have to quit their job or take on additional work outside of their profession in order to make ends meet financially.
Clearly, there should be more recognition and consideration towards the difficulties faced by professional hair stylists and how this affects them in their daily lives.
Lack of Career Advancement Opportunities
Pursuing a career in hairdressing can be a difficult and demanding job with limited options for advancement. On the surface, it's easy to assume that hairdressers can find plenty of opportunities to expand their skills and advance their roles. Unfortunately, this isn't always the case. Many hairdressers have limited access to opportunities for career growth, such as promotions or mentorship programs.
This lack of upward mobility can cause many talented and dedicated hairdressers to feel unfulfilled in their roles. A feeling that they are unable to grow professionally can lead some of them to abandon the industry entirely, leaving an increasing demand gap between qualified hairdressers and industry companies in search of new hires.
With more options available for professional advancement, hairdressers may stay motivated and feel more secure in their roles, thus helping the industry thrive.
Ways to Prevent Hairdressers From Quitting
A common perception is that achieving work/life balance is an elusive objective, deemed impossible by many, while some view an imbalance as a surefire route to burnout.
Providing Ongoing Education And Training
One way to prevent hairdressers from quitting is to provide ongoing education and training opportunities. This could include bringing in industry experts to provide training sessions, covering the cost for hairdressers to attend conferences or workshops, or providing in-house training programs.
By investing in the education and training of their hairdressers, salon owners and managers can help them to stay up-to-date on the latest techniques and trends in the industry. This not only helps to improve the skills and expertise of the hairdressers, but it can also increase their confidence and job satisfaction.
Creating a Positive Work Environment
Another way to prevent hairdressers from quitting is to create a positive work environment. This could involve providing a clean, comfortable, and well-equipped salon and fostering a culture of teamwork and collaboration.
Salon owners and managers can also promote a positive work environment by recognizing and rewarding their hairdressers' hard work and achievements. This could include offering incentives or bonuses or simply expressing appreciation and gratitude for their efforts.
Offering Competitive Pay And Benefits
In addition to a positive work environment, hairdressers are more likely to stay with a salon if they feel they are fairly compensated for their work. This means offering competitive pay and benefits, such as health insurance, paid time off, and retirement savings plans.
Hairdressers who feel that they are being fairly compensated are more likely to feel valued and appreciated, which can help to prevent them from quitting and looking for a new job.
Educate Staff on Diversity and Inclusion
Clearly outline a non-discrimination policy that explicitly includes hair texture and style. Ensure that all employees are aware of the policy and its implications. Offer training sessions that focus on cultural sensitivity, helping employees understand the diverse backgrounds and hair traditions of their clients.
Workplace hair discrimination has led black women to rely on chemical hair straighteners. Many of them, unaware that the use of this product can cause scalp damage, pain, and an increased risk of developing cancer, have filed lawsuits.
Encouraging Work-Life Balance
It's important for salon owners and managers to recognize that hairdressers are not just employees but individuals with personal lives and responsibilities outside of work. By encouraging work-life balance, salon owners and managers can help to prevent hairdressers from becoming burnt out and considering quitting.
This could involve offering flexible scheduling options, allowing hairdressers to take time off when needed, and promoting a healthy work-life balance within the salon culture.
Handling Difficult Clients Effectively
Dealing with difficult clients is a common challenge for hairdressers and can be a major source of stress and frustration. By providing training and support for hairdressers on handling difficult clients effectively, salon owners and managers can help reduce the risk of hairdressers quitting due to client-related issues.
This could include providing customer service training, implementing policies and procedures for handling difficult clients, and offering support and guidance to hairdressers when they encounter challenging situations.
Overall, by addressing these key areas, salon owners and managers can help to prevent hairdressers from quitting and create a supportive and successful work environment.
Conclusion
Hairdressing is a demanding profession with many challenges that can lead to burnout and hairdressers quitting. Among the issues causing high turnover rates among hair stylists are long working hours, low pay, lack of recognition, and the pressure to stay up-to-date on new skills and techniques.
To address these problems and alleviate stress, experts suggest providing more flexible working hours, increasing wages so hairdressers can earn enough to sustain their desired work/life balance, recognizing hard work with awards and incentives, and making continuing education in the field available at an affordable cost.
If implemented correctly, these changes could help provide hairdressers the means to be successful in their careers while also having a balanced life outside of the workplace.
We are here to support you! With these tips and some hard work, you will be on your way to a thriving career in this field where knowledge is always updated, and perfection does not exist.