Work Ethic
According to the Cambridge Dictionary, work ethic is described as ‘the belief that work is valuable as an activity and is morally good’
Work ethic is considered to be the number one trait that employers look for in their employees!
In the beauty industry, work ethic is a virtue highly regarded. Employers can teach you the treatment; the booking system and software; the protocols and signature treatments; however they cannot teach you the importance of showing up – day after day, through rain or shine – with a can-do attitude and the willingness to succeed.
We are not born with work ethic, we need to cultivate it and incorporate it into our daily schedules. Attributes like tenacity, purpose and consistency are skill sets that we can all work on. Like a finely tuned facial, if you begin to practise these attributes you will be rewarded with loyalty, trust and longevity in the industry.
Working for a living gives you purpose. The purpose that makes a difference in our client’s lives, creates beautiful down time for busy women, helps struggling teenagers gain much needed self esteem when struggling with acne. It provides you with a solid routine, camaraderie with team members, interaction with your community, not to mention the ability to budget and save your pennies for all of your future dreams!
Establishing that repeat clientele makes you feel sought-after and highly regarded – giving you the validation that you excel in your chosen career. These are emotions that feed into the happiness of humankind, filling up your cup with a ‘job well done’ feeling.
The beauty industry is surprisingly tight knit. To enable a professional reputation and illustrious career you may need to take a long hard look at your work ethic and decide to change the way you operate. I do love a good quote and this sums up the beauty industry nicely:
“Be nice to people on your way up because you’ll meet them on your way down.”
— Wilson Mizner
Focus on very healthy business relationships. Always follow up; send thank you emails; pick up the phone and learn to be consistent.
How can you work on your work ethic? Here are 5 tips to ensure you are a leading therapist in your field.
- Choose your place of employment based on your interaction with the manager and team ethos. Try not to get ‘obsessed’ with a particular place where you want to work. The treatments and products on offer are lovely yes – but this will mean nothing if you do not have a fantastic manager that you can easily converse and communicate with, a group of friendly team players who have got your back when you are fully booked. By being selective and having a checklist of non negotiables eg: communication/honesty/one on ones/therapists that have stayed the distance etc you can make an informed decision on whether you believe you are a good fit for the business.
- Give yourself the gift of time! Commit to one year to really get a feel for your environment. Too many therapists move on at the mere mention of any difficulties in the workplace and this is not best practice. Practice your communication skills with your employer – ask for one on ones and feedback. Write down difficult conversations and really go out of your comfort zone to practice them. Good relationships take time – just like we can teach you how to do a wax this does not compare to the hours upon hours of treatment time that experience and practice brings in the industry!
- Consistency with attitude towards treatments and your clients. Follow through with your prescriptions, rebooking and follow ups. Treat each client like a star from the young teenager to the mature senior citizen. Part of what we do is connection – this is why we signed up for this industry – and really giving your clientele your full attention and time will bring rapport like no other. Always remember that your client has taken time out of their day to book in with you, perhaps saved up, taken a day off work, paid for parking – come in on a beloved partner’s gift voucher. No judgement is needed.
- Health/self care/body mechanics/routine/sleep – Invest in your health. As a therapist, your client feeds from your energy. Artificial Intelligence is at the forefront of technology these days but this cannot replace human touch. You must treat yourself like an expensive vehicle! Put in the good fuel, keep the car maintained and have regular checkups. Keep your late nights to a minimum because sleep is so important for your overall well being. Practise what you preach and make time for self care. Regular massage could be negotiated as a swap/target prize which can make all the difference in the health of your back. Use your body mechanics to avoid tight muscles.
- Morals – a sense of justice. Without the risk of sounding like a goody two shoes, having work ethic just makes you feel better. You feel like a better person, and that you have contributed to the overall running of a highly respected and established spa or salon. Having morals means doing the right thing – even when you want to curl back up in bed and watch Nefflix. We all have down days and struggle to front up – these days can be minimised if we stick to a routine – I love the 80/20 rule! During the week have your routine – let your hair down on the weekends!
Trudie
