Tracey Lee

Cutting it: Learning and Work performance in Hairdressing Salons

Project in progress so preliminary findings so far will be presented.

industry profile - smaller businesses, some larger salons who tend to have their own training schools.
Entry to industry - similar to Australia, but some non apprentice entry to industry through on campus offering of courses. Changes in tedchnology and styles, and increasing customer service demands.

in talk focussed on franschised salons which had their own training school for apprentices and also for qualified stylists to continue development. Mid to upper end of the market and employees get paid on commission basis.

training within the first case study HHC focussed on business service and process norms as part of the franschise package. SOPs set and adhered to globally within the chain.

mix of both training and OTJ learning. Apprentices recognised the value of informal, OTJ learning in the workplace. Work was organised around a rotating buddy system within the workplace which exposed apprentices to a range of expertise, varied contexts of hairdressing.

For more experienced stylists, learning opportunities also provided through seminars, sesions, exhibitions, competitions etc, formed groups to demonstrate to other staff. Also manufacturers showcasing and training about new products coming onto the market. Sometimes the trainees had an informal role as a teacher as they were learning at the college and bringing things back to the salons.

Performance management in aspectgs such as repeat business, upselling and so on. Goal to convert transient clients to regulars, and to convert cut and blow dry into a colour.

Further research - relationship between organisational control and availability of learning opportunities, also will be looking at independent salons and a comparitive study between independent and franschised salons.