Ward’s world

Code of conduct

With aggressive recruitment tactics on the rise, Hellen Ward argues that salon owners should never lose sight of the professional values that underpin a healthy, sustainable industry

There’s a quaint English expression; “It’s just not cricket” – which, despite its sporting connotations, implies a dishonourable action – to do something underhand. It’s similar to how my daughter and her friends talk about “girl code”, the unspoken, unwritten etiquette governing female friendships (e.g., if you go out together you leave together, you don’t go there with your friend’s ex, you notify each other of wardrobe malfunctions etc). Breaking girl code is just not cricket.

There are rules regarding business etiquette too. Never bad-mouth a previous employer in an interview, for example. I never like to hear how awful an ex-boss was, particularly when someone’s CV shows they’ve flitted about all over the place and had more jobs than I’ve had hot dinners. But sometimes, businesses don’t behave as they should. I know one competitor salon that was deducting the PAYE and NI from the payslips but “forgetting” to pay it over to HMRC… until one of their young staff got a call from the tax man asking where their contributions were. Despicable behaviour and worthy of losing a loyal workforce.

Warning signs

When it comes to interviewing, I have plenty of little foibles that tell me everything I need to know. Lateness is an obvious one. But I also remember interviewing a superstar hairdresser back in the day who arrived 30 minutes early for the meeting. I was running five minutes late but by the time I came to greet him he’d already flounced out in a huff!

I later heard why he was in such a bad mood and just why he was so keen to leave (shocking antics with his ex-employers on his part) but his behaviour only served to show me that his ego was way too big to be housed in our salon, despite its square footage!

I was watching a CEO on social media recently who said that his “acid test” when it came to recruitment was simple. He offered the interviewee a drink and at the end, if they didn’t pick up their glass or cup and offer to return it to the staff room, there was no job offer coming their way. Simple, but very indicative of whether someone is a team player.

On the whole, it’s the little things that are a real giveaway. I have a particular pet hate about how people speak to waiting staff. If they don’t engage or treat them with due care and attention, I think it speaks volumes about their personality. People who work in our sector normally treat other service industry workers with the respect they often wish they were afforded themselves and ensure they make eye contact with anybody who looks after them, from a loo attendant to a waitress, so I always watch how people treat strangers.

The poaching dilemma

Recently a friend who owns a fabulous competitor salon messaged me about another business that could do with complying with a bit of business code themselves. This salon is well known for its – shall we say aggressive – recruitment techniques, AKA poaching.

Poaching sucks. It’s wrong on every level and can never be a good way to get new team members. I’m proud of the fact that I’ve never had the need to poach anyone in the years we’ve been in business. But even if I was desperate for staff, I don’t think I would ever try and entice someone away from their employer. It’s very different, of course, if people are telling you they are unhappy and looking for a new role. Or if ex-employees get back in touch telling you the grass wasn’t as green as they thought and they’d like to return. Much depends on why they left. But on the whole, I don’t think you can ever really go back – in relationships, in situations, in jobs… you just have to move forward.

But outright poaching is different. This particular unscrupulous salon owner is running a hybrid model and willing to take only a smidgeon of commission themselves, so the deal seems too good to be true –largely because it is. Their underhand methods are becoming something of an issue for their competitors, who are trying to run their businesses correctly and ensure their employees are making informed decisions around their employment status.

Too good to be true?

The offer of 10% or even 20% more commission might sound enticing but weighing up the peace of mind and protection of being a PAYE employee with paid holiday as well as other benefits, not to mention the security of tenure that comes from years of employment, is a lot to sacrifice. And invariably, they won’t be better off, as sexy as these people are trying to make it sound. Quite how they are managing to convince the tax man that they are a merely a landlord renting chairs when they are clearly operating a disguised employment model, I don’t know. As tempting as it would be to shop them to HMRC, karma will out.

If somebody naturally approaches you, even if it’s a bit of a sideways move, it’s probably because they feel they’re a good fit for your business. They’ve no doubt taken the time to consider a move with all it’s implications, especially if they have clients to bring with them (incidentally, I live by the rule of thumb that whatever they think they might bring, halve it). But nicking people with a load of empty promises from somebody who’s trained and developed them is just not cricket.

As I’ve got older and longer in the tooth when it comes to running a business, I’ve learned that karma never forgets an address. I’ve had people leave and not only attempt to steal clients but actually walk out with bags full of my stock. My team have wondered, at the time, why I’ve not done anything about it. Years ago, I might have done. But now, I am experienced enough to know that if you leave under a cloud, that cloud will follow you around. So, if you are enticed into a workplace from somebody who’s just wanting your business, and not solely you, it’s unlikely to end well.

The person who stole from me? Not busy. Clients voted with their feet after their umpteenth salon move and came back to us. The salons trying to steal staff? Those tempted to go won’t feel any of the love when things go sour. In short, I didn’t need to seek revenge – the universe takes care of it. We need to remember that what goes around comes around, and there's always a price to pay.

Hellen Ward is managing director of Richard Ward Hair & Metrospa in London, vice president of The Hair & Beauty Charity and co-founder of Salon Employers Association (SEA).