In an industry fuelled by creativity and passion, conflict within the salon is often inevitable, whether it’s between the salon owner and some of their employees, or a few stylists. John Cutrone, director of business development at Eufora shares some helpful tips for salon owners on how to handle messy employee situations when they arise.

Address the challenge in private, not public

If there’s a problem that needs to be addressed, as a salon owner, the last thing you want to do is deal with it in front of clients or other employees. This just makes everyone feel awkward and uncomfortable and your employee embarrassed for being scolded in front of other people. Cutrone’s advice: “celebrate in public, coach in private.”

Check emotions at the door

While you want what’s best for your salon and your employees, business is business and often situations escalate when emotions are brought into the mix. Cutrone recommends, “take 24 hours to process the information, seek counsel and think about the situation when you are not emotionally charged,” then you can sit down and have a rational conversation with your employee without anyone getting overwhelmed.

Listen to both sides of the story

It’s important to be open-minded when dealing with a situation between employees and listen to all of the facts before making any decisions or blaming anyone. By taking in all of the information, you’re eliminating having a rash emotional response or making your employees feel like you’re playing favourites.

End on a positive note

When you talk with an employee about a problem, it’s important to make sure they don’t feel like they’re being attacked and the best way to do that is “sandwich the information.” Cutrone suggests, “saying the good news first, touch on the challenge in the middle and then finish with something positive,” so your employee knows that even if there has been a problem, you have faith that you can all work past it as a team.