Nail techs are the heartbeat of any salon. They create the nail art that make your salon so popular while bonding with customers. However, they may feel overworked if their daily environment doesn’t support them. Salon owners should keep a few tips in mind for improved nail tech employee satisfaction to make your business the best place to work long-term.
1. Exchange Feedback Regularly
Research shows that 80% of employees who receive meaningful feedback are more engaged at work. Feedback isn’t just negative. There should always be an equal balance of positive comments and constructive criticism. Encourage each nail tech while showing them how they can continue their incredible work in more effective ways.
Feedback also requires listening to their thoughts often. Ask your team about how they’re doing and what could improve in your workplace. You’ll get specific pain points to work on and earn improved nail tech employee satisfaction faster.
2. Create an Employee Recognition Program
Effective recognition is about more than a pat on the back. You should make sure to recognize each nail tech’s accomplishments with your whole team. Give them a shout-out while everyone’s at work or through a company email. If you add a reward—like a gift card or extra PTO—to your positive feedback, you’ll create a program that makes people want to stay on your team and outperform each other.
3. Offer an Internal Career Ladder
Professional organizations often create 12 months of actionable goals that build to a desired end result. You could do the same with your nail techs if they have big career dreams. Chart steps they can take throughout the next 12 months to get closer to their dream job. You could teach them how to use skills like customer service, office management or team leadership to build their resume.
If your team members want to remain in the nail business, draft a management training program. They can learn from how you operate your business by climbing a custom career ladder with actionable roles and responsibilities. Your team will have greater satisfaction because you’re preparing them for whatever makes them happy.
4. Schedule Team Activities
No one enjoys feeling like a cog in a business machine. Schedule team activities your nail techs can do while you’re in the salon one day. You’ll gain improved nail tech employee satisfaction with things like free lunches together, costume competitions or trivia on their lunch break. If you need help choosing activities, send everyone a poll to get their opinions on your various ideas.
5. Implement Wellness Strategies
Wellness programs in the workplace reduce absenteeism by 14%-19% because they make people happier where they work. You could do the same with wellness strategies that transform your salon into a better place for your employees. Consider adding ventilation with self-closing trash cans or providing instructions on safely disposing of chemicals. You can also add soothing background music and longer lunch breaks so everyone can work on reducing their stress.
6. Advertise Ways to Tip
Most nail techs live on hourly wages plus tips. They’ll likely get more income if your salon advertises multiple ways for customers to tip their nail artists. Add signs at each station and the front desk to show which apps they can use to tip their tech after their appointment. Setting up a sign where customers dry their nails will also help them remember to tip your employees without any awkward conversations.
7. Provide Employee Benefits
Benefits make every job better. Your W2 employees will be much happier if the hard work they do every day results in monthly wages plus health insurance, dental insurance and retirement plans.
If your nail techs are independent contractors, you could walk them through the health care application process that’s available to 1099 employees. Additionally, consider providing perks like monthly bonuses for promoting their work on social media and tagging your business, as well as quarterly giveaways for store merch or gift card prizes to local restaurants.
8. Help Everyone Find Their Path Forward
People will love working with you if you show them your full support. Get to know each nail tech to learn what they want to do with their life. You could connect them with local nail technician classes or beauty programs at local community colleges. Show them how they can turn their experience with your business into a great resume for their dream career. If you’re helping them in actionable ways, you’ll have happier employees that make your salon a greater success.
Improve Your Nail Tech Employee Satisfaction
Any salon owner can improve nail tech employee satisfaction with strategic ideas. Address your employees’ pain points, help them bond and put their dreams first. If they feel your support for their individuality, they’ll feel happier as long as they’re working with you.
