FIVE-STAR AND FABULOUS

It’s the ultimate luxury experience at the Paul Edmonds salon at the vibrant Battersea Power Station development in London – and clients have high expectations. But with the help of Head Up from L’Oréal Professionnel Paris, the team is empowered to handle it all

As a young hairdresser, did anyone ever talk about mental health in the salon?

No, it was never looked at as being anything important. You just kept going. If someone had a wobble, it was seen as weakness. Back then, clients were much more simplistic in their needs and requirements – you told them what they were going to have! Now it’s all about trying to keep that client happy. There’s a lot in the Head Up programme about that, because the client can put a lot of pressure on the stylist, and expectations are really high – now people want transformation. They want you to make their life complete.

How do you ensure your staff are happy and healthy mentally?

We have regular team meetings, so everyone can go through any issues that are coming up. Hairdressers are people pleasers, we want to make clients happy. So, it makes you very unhappy when you don’t fulfil a client’s needs. And it doesn’t matter how many clients who go out happy, you just need one… and it stays with you for months.

Is it hard as a salon owner to take on the concerns and worries of your staff?

It used to be far worse. Years ago, I saw a psychologist, and received one of the best pieces of advice. I was a plate spinner, with loads of my own plates plus I would take on other people’s plates. You end up not achieving anything. He said to work out which plates are yours, which plates are relevant, and which plates you need to hand back. You need to know what to say when someone presents you with a plate: ‘That’s really interesting. How are you going to deal with it? Let me know and I’ll see if I can help with that once you’ve sorted out what you’re going to do…’. I also do meditation, and breathing exercises, which calm me down quickly.

What has been the reaction to Head Up in the salon?

It’s a good reminder, there are loads of tips. I was pleased it made me see the elements that we’ve put in place already. It’s been a funny couple of years. There have been lots of problems with mental health generally post-lockdown; we’ve had that within the salon. And L’Oréal Professionnel Paris has this fantastic programme now in place to help salons because it has also recognised that it’s become such an issue.

A successful business and a happy team starts with better mental health. With the four-part Head Up Keys courses, it’s never been easier to begin.

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