Part time workers have full time values and goals!
It would be wise for any leader to adopt this mantra, especially if you have part timers working in your salon or spa. If you a spa, odds are you do as the spa industry employs 50% of its staff on a part time basis.
Working with part time staff may pose a few hurdles for your business, mainly increased recruiting to staff the business full time. It can provide advantages, such as have more experience and perspective in your building due to having more people to work with.
What’s important is to make a part time worker feel like they have a full time home. Here are a few ways to help this along.
- Find their needs and fill them. What are their long term goals? Do they see themselves growing into full time in the industry? How can you help them achieve success?
- Make them a part of the team. Make it policy that they attend all training and meetings. Let them know that you count on their input, ideas and collaboration.
- Hire them based on common values and beliefs.
- Support their growth. If they want to grow into full time help them to set goals to make this happen. If it’s their goal to grow into something else full time, help them do that too. It’s ok if someone will be with you temporarily; help them get the best out of the experience. You never know if they may want to come back to you down the road. In essence, make it about helping people and you will greatly minimize staff issues.
- Schedule monthly one-on-one meetings with them to stay connected.
- Have them collaborate creatively with other team members. Assign projects for them that will help them play a larger part in the success of the business while building relationships with their team.
At the end of the day, the happier any team member is, part time or full time, the more productive they become. Help them be the best they can be and they will reward you with their performance, enthusiasm and their loyalty.
