3 tips for recruiting Gen Z nail & beauty employees
By Guest Writer | 20 February 2024 | Business, Expert Advice, Feature, Technology
Avril Kealy, digital marketing expert at Phorest salon software, shares advice on recruiting Generation Z into your salon…
Avril Kealy, digital marketing expert at Salon recruitment is a hot topic right now, and for good reason. In Dennis Van Lierop’s 2023 Phorest Salon Owners Summit workshop, the recruitment coach revealed that 70% of Gen Z professionals were considering leaving their employer in the next 12 months. This means there is huge potential for your salon to cash in on these workers while they are looking for new positions.
1. Digitalisation is everything.
Digital skills come easy to Generation Z, with many nurturing relationships and hobbies in the digital space. If you want to recruit this generation, it’s time to get your business active on social media and post listings in places they’ll see them. Use social media to tell the story of your salon by posting authentic influencer content, ‘day in the life’ videos, and featuring staff. Doing this will stir interest in your brand, making your business one that young people want to work at.
Similarly, embracing technology by using a cloud-based appointment booking and POS (point of sale) system like Phorest, professional digital marketing and automated messaging adds to the appeal for this tech-first generation. They want to work in a salon that allows them to be creative and hone their nail skills, not where they’ll be manually carrying out admin.
2. Career growth is essential.
Generation Z workers are eager to grow and learn in their careers. In a world that often feels chaotic, these professionals are searching for safety, security and purpose. When recruiting for your salon, highlight training and development opportunities, such as workshops, certifications, networking and mentorship programmes. Additionally, investing in a salon software system like Phorest, where the reporting suite means staff goals can be recorded, key performance indicators (KPIs) tracked, staff performance seen and commission earned, shows team members that you care about their progress and value their hard work.
With education comes empowerment. Help promote ongoing staff training via resources like Linkedin Learning or Phorest Academy, plus attend networking events such as the Phorest Salon Owners Summit and The Scratch Stars Party. All of this helps to give your team purpose in their careers, while reigniting the passion that first drove them to a job in the industry.
3. Gen Z want flexibility.
In a post-Covid world, work-life balance is more important than ever. While salons aren’t conducive to work-from-home arrangements, this doesn’t mean you can’t offer some level of flexibility to your team. Make your salon stand out by advertising part-time roles, shift-swapping opportunities and generous holiday packages. In the salon, allow your team flexible system access levels to show that you trust and respect them.
For Phorest salons, owners can give their team access to PhorestGo on their smartphones, which can help them organise their schedules from anywhere, leading to more autonomy, less admin and a streamlined experience for clients. This responsibility and flexibility will attract more job applications, while promoting a healthier work-life balance; minimising employee burnout, boosting staff retention and increasing in-house satisfaction.