Nalini Naegamvala, Founder, Nalini of Nalini and Yasmin Salon, discusses the important issue of mental health for hair and beauty professionals on the occasion of World Mental Health Day.
The salon industry or the beauty business is a great career if you have a passion for it. You need to be a people’s person and have a friendly disposition, too. Patience is an important virtue as clients can be demanding!
When I started my training in London, I did not know much about this industry. While I was in hairdressing school, I was quite unaware of how the business operates. I discovered the pros and cons about the job along the way. Ultimately, it worked out and turned out to be a good decision. I earned well enough and enjoyed the job as well as looking after my clients.
We have been fortunate to have great clients. Clients with whom we have built a good relationship over the years, some of them even became friends. However, there were, and still are, an odd few that are demanding and difficult. When clients are unreasonable, it becomes tough for young professionals to handle them. You need the maturity and skills of a therapist to manage such a client.
Unreasonable clients are a rare sight at our salon. But, many years ago we did have a client who refused to pay because she wasn’t satisfied with the colour even though we re-did the service for her. Fortunately for us, her husband was with her. He understood that his wife was being unreasonable and that the salon staff had tried their best. He calmed her down, told her the hair looked good and asked her to pay.
Incidents like these can be nerve-wracking. They take a toll on the mental health of the hair or beauty professional. Adding embarrassment to the misery is the fact that other clients are also witnessing these unpleasant situations. In a way, the image of your salon is getting affected. The stylists and other staff find it difficult to work under such stressful situations. As owners or managers, it is the job of the senior members to step in and manage the irate client.
Mental health takes top priority
Every job has its ups and downs, there is stress involved, more so in the salon industry as it is service-oriented and we have to be in contact with the client directly every single day. In recent times, people are more open to recognising and acknowledging the importance of their mental health. It is no longer a taboo.
As a team, we also strongly believe in creating open channels of communication and a cohesive and sensitised team.
The support of the team and a senior to whom you can turn to can lessen the mental burden, stress and feelings of isolation. While our job may aggravate it, a supportive environment can mitigate it as well.
We have a team member, who suffered from depression and anxiety. It’s very heartening to hear her say that she feels safe, supported, nurtured and the joy of coming to work is slowly overtaking her anxiety. What she used to dread earlier is now what she looks forward to!
We believe in creating a safe space for our employees and clients alike. This is by being sensitive to their triggers and discomfort and giving them the support they need.
A big part of our job is understanding human behaviour as well as making people feel good about themselves internally and externally. If the salon team is happy, safe and cared for, it will naturally translate into satisfied clients.
