How to Hire a Dream Team

1. Organize Your Training Materials

First, get clear on your vision, mission, business culture, and core values so you can effectively communicate them to your team and set a solid foundation for your business.

Then get organized and document all your processes.

Before bringing anyone on board, you should put together an employee handbook for training your new hires.

Write out operational procedures for each position, such as the front desk/guest services, hair stylist, esthetician, and massage therapist, etc.

These procedures are step-by-step instructions on how you do things at your spa. They should reflect your unique approach and branding so everyone on your team is empowered to deliver a consistent client experience.

In addition, clearly communicate HR policies and expectations, employee benefits, and legal policies in the employee handbook so new hires can feel confident and at ease because they know what to expect and how to behave.

Design your employee handbook such that it communicates not only “how” things should be done, but also what your company stands for. It should embody your brand essence and get your team excited about being part of the company.

2. Hire the Right Team

Bring the right people into your business by hiring team members who believe in what you do and align with the mission and philosophy of your company, and aspire to become the most sought-after spa to work for in your community.

Hiring an employee is similar to finding your ideal client – a client who believes in what you do will keep coming back for treatments and products, while an employee drawn to your philosophy will be excited to work for you and contribute to the success of your business.

A team member who believes in your mission will go above and beyond to help your business succeed. This mentality is very different from someone who doesn’t care about what you stand for and is just working to get a paycheck.

Hiring an outstanding team member starts with an ad. However, most people make the mistake of posting a laundry list of duties and responsibilities instead of focusing on whether a potential hire aligns with their mission and vision.

Be honest with your expectations and about what it’s like to work for you when you post your ad. For example, if you’re hiring another esthetician, you may want to make clear that first and foremost this person loves to help others look and feel beautiful, is confident in recommending homecare, and understands that there will be slow days.

Most people focus on writing out the job title and job description, yet gloss over the details of what they truly stand for and what it’s like to be working for them. But I promise if you take the time to write out those details, the right people will be attracted to you and you’ll have a much easier time building your dream team.

3. Design Your Onboarding Process

Many businesses fall short when it comes to onboarding new employees. It’s not enough just to hire the right people – you also need to make sure you have an effective onboarding process to train your team properly.

Here are some key elements you should incorporate into the onboarding process for new team members:

• Show that you’re excited to have them onboard, such as taking them out for lunch on their first day or gifting them something relevant to their position.

• Include a checklist in the onboarding package, such as agenda for the first week (or even first month) to ensure that new hires get all the tools and information they need to do their jobs.

• Make proper introductions and ensure that your new team members have the chance to meet all their co-workers. Making them feel at home and being part of the team can improve communication and collaboration.

• Create accountability by clearly setting expectations, such as performance metrics, to ensure that new hires understand what’s expected of them and how they should perform.

Implementing a system and taking the time to train your new hires will allow you to spend less time managing your team in the long run. Take the time to design a system and revisit it periodically so you can tweak it as necessary.

4. Mentor Your Team and Provide Ongoing Training

The onboarding process is just the start of your relationship with each team member. In fact, the training never ends!

You need to train, coach, and mentor each team member for the continued success of your business and your employees’ professional development. Schedule regular meetings with your team and don’t forget to give kudos when they do well in their jobs.

As a leader, you should also help your team realize their potential by stretching them whenever it’s appropriate and helping them when they need guidance. Remember, a fulfilled employee is a happy employee. When an employee feels appreciated, they’ll go above and beyond to do what it takes to help you grow your business.

In addition, you should provide ongoing training to your employees. Depending on the subject matter, the training can be conducted by your leading team members, vendors, or industry leaders.

You should also support your team leader(s) to attend workshops and conferences so they can bring the information back and set up in-house training for the rest of the team.

Become the Leader Of Your Spa Business

When you expand your beauty business, it’s not just about hiring a person or two to help out with the various tasks.

You need to get clear on what your business stands for – your vision, mission, and unique selling proposition, as well as how you deliver your services and design the client experience so that you can attract the right candidates and provide effective training for your new hires.

Building a dream team requires you to step up and become a leader in your business. You’re no longer simply providing treatments to your clients. Instead, you’re turning your vision into reality and growing others who aspire to contribute to your mission and the beauty industry.