Salon HR Essentials: Employment Contracts & Staff Policies for Salon Owners
Hiring the right team is one thing - keeping them on-side and compliant is another. In her October column for Salonpreneur Magazine, HR specialist Rebecca Day breaks down everything salon owners need to know about employment contracts and people policies.
Rebecca explains the difference between employee, worker and contractor status, and why getting that classification right matters. She walks through the must-have clauses for any salon contract (probation, notice, holiday, sick pay, confidentiality, and flexibility), and flags common pitfalls - from casual “verbal agreements” to unclear commission structures.
Practical, accessible, and written for busy business owners, the article also covers basic processes for recruitment checks (right-to-work, references), disciplinary and grievance steps, and how to handle holiday and absence fairly. Rebecca finishes with an easy-to-follow checklist to help you audit your current contracts and a reminder to get legal sign-off on any template you use.
If you’re a salon owner or manager who wants to protect your business and build a professional, fair workplace, this is the HR primer you can’t afford to skip.
