A good culture in your workplace is as essential as your business goals or strategy because it strengthens your business objectives. Workplace culture plays a vital role in the overall performance and satisfaction of employees in an organisation. Investing in an organisations culture makes employees proud of their work, and these employees are more likely to invest their careers in it.
This blog covers:
- What is workplace culture
- Why workplace culture is important
- Workplace happiness survey
- Better client experience
- How to develop a positive workplace culture?
- Members benefits
What is workplace culture?
Workplace culture is the character and personality of your organisation. It is the things that make your business unique. It is made up of your shared values, business goals, leadership structure, behaviours and attitudes, and many other attributes. A healthy workplace culture aligns the company policies and employee behaviours with the company's goals while focusing on the well-being of individuals.
Why workplace culture is important
A positive workplace culture improves teamwork, increases employee engagement, raises staff morale, increases productivity and efficiency, and attracts and enhances workforce retention. A positive workplace environment reduces stress in employees. A positive culture in the workplace is essential for fostering a sense of pride and ownership amongst the employees.
Workplace happiness survey
Hair, beauty and barbering regularly come top in workplace happiness surveys, and an NHBF poll of 150 Members carried out was no exception.
In fact, nearly nine out of ten Members (87%) described themselves as being either happy or very happy in their work.
On the flip side, the survey found stress was the thing that made Members unhappiest (35%), followed by (perhaps unsurprisingly) not making enough money (28%).
So what is it about hair and beauty that makes it so happy? The survey suggests there is a clear link between positive workplace culture and a successful salon.
Research by Deloitte has shown that 94% of executives and 88% of employees believe a distinct corporate culture is important to a business's success. Deloitte's survey also found that 76% of these employees thought that a "clearly defined business strategy" helped create a positive culture.
Better client experience
Positive attitudes and positive actions make for positive workplace culture. Happy, engaged employees will translate into excellent customer service, a relaxed, pleasant work environment, and better client experiences. If your clients are more satisfied, then the salon is more successful. And that, in turn, makes the team happier. NHBF Members can download our Client Experience Guide on how to deliver an outstanding client experience.
How to develop a positive workplace culture?
When looking to create a good work place culture, think about the type of work culture you want to create. Take into account everything from the physical layout of the salon to the frequency of employee interaction. A good workplace looks at the wellbeing of its employees as it is crucial for the growth of an organisation. Below are a few suggestions you may want to consider.
Identity - It is important to have a set of clear organisational core values that make your business unique and give everyone within it a sense of identity. Ensure that your identity is communicated effectively and makes people feel part of the organisation.
Communication – How communication occurs in a workplace is vital. Honest communication is essential to creating a positive feeling in the workplace. Open and honest communication also means that regular audits are conducted to evaluate how people interact, feedback is welcomed and taken into account, and opportunities for social interaction are provided. Transparent, open and honest communication can be done via various means including, coffee mornings, team day/night outs and family weekends. These moments give an opportunity for team members to nurture and foster connections outside of work.
Encourage development - Is training an ongoing priority in your beauty salon? If not, it should be. It's bad for business if your employees are stuck in a rut and don't keep up with the latest trends, treatments, and working methods. But you also need to control costs and ensure the training you provide suits with the needs of your business and your employees.
By investing in your salon staff, you are investing in the continued success of your hair and beauty business. Your employees are your greatest asset, and a commitment to their ongoing training and development will encourage staff loyalty, help retain key talent, and boost staff engagement in your business. Your employees will be better equipped to help you stay ahead of the competition.
Continuing Professional Development (CPD) refers to the skills, knowledge and experience that staff gain through learning and development activities beyond their initial training. You can read more about staff development in our training blog.
Setting goals - Set attainable goals, then clearly communicate to the team exactly what needs to happen on an individual and team level to achieve them. Everyone should know their targets, their skill levels and when and how to discuss current and future performance. The team should also be consistently encouraged to be accountable for their own destiny and understand how positive outcomes will benefit themselves and the business. There's never a better time to complete staff appraisals than the start of the year. NHBF Members can download our form that gives employers the structure they need to conduct an appraisal.
Members benefits
NHBF is here to support business owners in developing a positive workplace. From industry standard employee contracts to how to manage staff handbooks are available to free to download.
Specialist business coaching from an industry expert can make a huge difference to the success of your business. Our Members can request a free 15-minute business coaching phone call every year and can also take advantage of special fixed-rate coaching support on an ongoing basis.
Our coaching specialists can identify your strengths and weaknesses, help with team building and motivation, target potential growth opportunities, and achieve greater productivity and better time management. Read more here about Members benefits.