Lack of communication in boundaries is a huge red flag and one of the most significant salon issues we see as coaches.

One of the main reasons is that we have never been truly taught how to communicate with emotional intelligence within a business. We are emotional beings at our core; this is what drives us as an artist in the industry, but this emotional rollercoaster can also create issues when it comes to the salon's dynamic.

Here are three ways to streamline communication and set boundaries proactively within your salon.

1: Create a safe space for communicating

It’s best to stop texting and using personal phone numbers. We suggest using apps like Slack or BAND to communicate with your teams. This creates a safe space that keeps work where it belongs, at work. No one should ever worry about receiving a text after their working hours or worse be left feeling like they need to respond. Using a third-party platform for communication is proactive and can lower everyone’s anxieties around communication.

2: Set boundaries

Do you know your team's working hours? Do they know yours? When work is done, it's done. Everything after that specific time is your time to rest, recoup and recover for another salon day. Make it very clear to your team that all communication will live in the app. No team member should ever text a personal number unless it is an absolute emergency in which case they should call. This way, you know if a call comes in after your working hours it's best to pick it up.

"What if my team member calls and it's not an emergency?"

Great question! Remind them of what an emergency is and remind them of your off-hours. Reassure them that this will be handled during the next working day. Repetition is the key to learning.

3: Pause, listen, and lead

As leaders, we naturally want to remove our staff's pain. This action of being the fixer can cause more issues than solutions. It's ok to pause in the middle of responding—practice listening without reacting.

What is your team member saying?

Without fixing the problem, how can we support and lead them to find the answer?

The goal as a leader is to guide your team to find their own solution.

Want to learn more about communication? Check out this week's episode of Destroy The Hairdresser The Podcast or follow us on IG for more communication advice.