Recruiting Gen Z; what every salon owner should know

Promotion – Phorest Salon Software

Looking to bring in the next generation of emerging talent? Here’s everything you need to know about recruiting Gen Z

Salon recruitment is a hot topic in the industry right now; and for good reason. In Dennis Van Lierop’s 2023 Phorest Salon Owners Summit workshop, the expert recruitment coach revealed that 70 per cent of Gen Z professionals said they were considering leaving their current employer in the next 12 months. This means there is huge potential for your salon business to cash in on these workers while they are looking for new positions. 

In this article, Avril from Phorest will explain how to understand what this new generation of hair professionals want and, more importantly, how your business can give it to them. 

Who Are Gen Z?

Generation Z is loosely defined as those born between the late ’90s and early ‘2000s. They are digital-savvy, value authenticity, prioritise work-life balance, and are very socially conscious. Unlike past generations, who often ‘lived to work’, Gen Z are looking for careers that match their lifestyle and where they can find meaning.

Digitalisation is everything

Digital skills come easy to this generation, with many nurturing relationships, and hobbies in the digital space, especially on social media platforms. If you want to recruit this generation, it’s time to get your business active on social media and start posting open listings in places where they’ll actually see them; the internet. 

Use social media to tell the story of your salon business by posting authentic influencer content, “day in the life” style videos, and featuring the professionals that currently work in the salon. Doing this will stir interest in your brand, making your business one that younger people actively want to work in.

Similarly, embracing technology in your salon by using a cloud-based appointment booking and POS system, professional digital marketing, and automated messaging all add to the appeal for this tech-first generation. They want to work in a salon that allows them to be creative and hone their hairdressing skills, not somewhere they have to spend hours manually booking appointments and contacting clients. 

With education comes empowerment. Help promote ongoing staff training via resources like Linkedin Learning and Phorest Academy and attend networking events, such as the Salon Owners Summit. All of this helps to give your team purpose in their careers, while regularly reigniting that passion that drove them to a job in the industry in the first place.

Gen Z want flexibility 

In our post-covid world, work-life balance is more important than ever. While salons aren’t conducive to work-from-home arrangements, that 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 no matter what position you’re advertising for. In the salon, allow your team flexible system access levels to show them that you trust and respect them as professionals. 

For Phorest salons, giving your team access to the newly launched PhorestGo 2.0 on their smartphones can help them organise their schedules from anywhere, leading to more autonomy, less admin, and a more streamlined experience for your visitors.

This responsibility and flexibility will attract more job applications while promoting a healthier work-life balance in the salon; minimising employee burnout, boosting staff retention, and increasing in-house satisfaction overall.

Interested in Learning More?

Phorest is more than just a software, it’s a business partner that offers a range of educational resources and industry insights on everything from recruitment and client retention to salon marketing and industry trends. Push your salon business ahead of the competition by booking a demo today.