Recruiting these freelancers into your salons can be challenging for a number of reasons; freelancing especially in 2022 can seem a more attractive prospect. 

Worries around companies going out of business again and a lack of benefits that come with working for a company rather than for yourself, are some of the challenges that come with recruiting freelancers in the beauty industry. 

Freelancing can be more attractive 

The main reason that it can be hard to recruit freelancers in the beauty industry is because often freelancing can seem like a much more attractive prospect. 

The ability to work on your own terms, with the customers you choose in the hours that you choose is something that many beauty stylists and workers are looking for. 

Moreover, when you are freelance you have the ability to hone your specific skill whereas in a salon you may be asked to do lots of different things, something that some beauty workers do not want to do. 

Lastly, freelancing may be more attractive because you get to keep all of the profits to yourself whereas you are paid a salary just with tips in a salon. 

The attractiveness of freelancing is a challenge and something that employers must overcome with benefits and a stable income and job.

Some freelancers may struggle to get a lot of customers and working in a salon which has a stable income might be a better option.

Zero Hour Contracts

A big problem that many in the beauty industry face is the increase in zero hour contracts. 

Many therapists and stylists are being contracted under these contracts which means they are typically out of work at off peak times. Furthermore, with many freelancers in the industry working under these terms, it is not unheard of for some freelancers to work very long hours to pay off debts such as payday loans (Kallyss), credit cards and other debts that are often the case when freelancing.

This is not an attractive prospect for many potential employees; employers realised that they did not need to carry high staff levels throughout quieter times. 

This however provides a challenge when trying to recruit freelance beauty workers because they want to have a stable and constant income and these contracts do not provide that. 

For that reason it is important to offer freelance employees a full-time contract when looking into recruiting them for your beauty salon or clinic.

Pandemic Fears

The COVID-19 pandemic and the shutting down of many beauty businesses has scared many freelance workers to going back into the workplace. 

Freelance will continue to happen despite the worries around in-person beauty treatments and therefore it might be hard to recruit freelancers who are worried that working for an employer does not have security if things were to happen like they did in 2020 again.

Not just about the money 

It is important to realise that it is not always about the money. Stylists and beauty workers do not only consider money when they are looking for their next role. 

Many freelance workers are looking for a package deal that a salon or clinic can offer them in the long term. 

There might not be many long term benefits to working freelance but as an employer you can offer these benefits to people that might not be eager for the role otherwise. 

Some of these include: defining a clear career path for your recruits, providing extra training in roles they want to learn or did not previously know and the opportunity for paid time off or a flexible schedule. 

Having these benefits set out might help you attract the right people who care about a long term career in your workplace.