Being an employer
Do you employ staff in your dog grooming business?
The Fairwork website has an incredible amount of helpful information and templates for you to use when you employ people in your dog grooming business to ensure your business is compliant. Below, we list the main things you need to consider when employing people in the grooming industry. For further, personalised, in depth help, reach out to our HR partner, Strawberry Seed (and you will also get a discount if you are an igh member!)
Do you have the following?
1. Job Descriptions
A job description is a document that provides job applicants with an outline of the main duties and responsibilities of the position. It is an essential part of the job application.
A job description should follow a simple layout that clearly defines employees’ roles.
Job Title
Location
Reports to
Job Purpose – brief
Responsibilities and duties – detailed information
Essential and desirable criteria
Company overview
Application information
What are the main uses of a job description?
There are many benefits of a job description. They can provide the expectations within the role of the employee. They help employers determine if the candidate is appropriate for the position and can assist in the formulation of interview questions. They help form a legally binding contract of employment, aid in goal and target setting as well as the evaluation of the employee’s job performance and the development of further training.
Some key points that may be included in a job description are:
- Title and summary of the role
- List of duties
- Desired professional experience
- Qualifications and education level.
- Certificates and license
- Core skills required for the position
- Physical requirements
- Work environment
- Employee conditions
For more about creating job descriptions and some blank templates (towards the bottom), see here:
Here are some jumping off point examples of Job Descriptions for a grooming business:
2. Policies and Procedures, what are they?
Company policies and procedures state what tasks are to be completed by employees in a broad sense. For example, a groomer may have to clean the floor at the end of the day, an SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) will tell them how to specifically complete the task. SOPs work to fulfill policy and procedures. SOPs are drawn up after a company has first determined their policies and procedures.
Policies and procedures also help team members become aware of what the company stands for and how the individual must work within these guidelines. Such policies might include Anti Bullying, Drug and Alcohol or other codes of conduct.
3. What is an SOP?
An SOP is a Standard Operating Procedure.
An SOP helps the person that is performing a task to do so in a timely, safe and effective manner. SOPs for dog groomers take out any troubleshooting from a task and keep staff members accountable to their job descriptions.
Let’s look at an SOP broken down. Take for example a simple task such as mopping the floor at the end of the day.
Locate and bring the mop and bucket to the water source.
Fill bucket with hot water to the marker indicated inside the bucket.
Place half a cup of disinfectant in the bucket
Place ‘Caution - slippery when wet’ sign in the middle of the room.
Place mop in the bucket and ring out thoroughly.
Start mopping at the front of the shop and continue to the end of the shop.
Empty the bucket outside on the lawn or a designated area.
Fill bucket with fresh hot water to the marked line and place the mop in to clean it.
Ring out mop, place mop and bucket in appropriate area and remove sign when the floor is dry.
This simple SOP leaves very little room for error. Any new employee who reads this SOP will know exactly what to do. SOPs also complete your job description.
igroomhub suggests you have SOPs in place for the following:
Front of House
Opening and closing the salon
Placement of water bowl and signs
Opening and closing procedures of cash register
Ordering of stationary
Manning the phones
Taking bookings
Admitting and discharging pets
Cleaning
Customer service
Stock control
Social media maintenance
Groomers
Bathing a dog
Drying a dog
Clipping a dog – order of routine
Dealing with customers
Cleaning
Maintenance of equipment
Bathers
Bathing and drying a puppy
Bathing and drying a senior dog
Bathing and drying a double coat
Bathing
Drying
Maintenance of bath and dryers
Cleaning equipment
Cleaning spaces
There are many others that you can add to this or get your staff to add as things come up. Generally, if a task is not being performed correctly, introduce an SOP to standardise the way the whole team works.
4. Letter of Engagement
Once you have found the right employee, you will need a letter of engagement. This formalises the conditions and start date. It is a government requirement. Find out more here:
https://www.fairwork.gov.au/how-we-will-help/templates-and-guides
5. What is a KPI?
A Key Performance Indicator (KPI) indicates a type of performance measure. KPI’s evaluate the success of a company or an activity. KPI’s are often used as tools for employers to measure staff performance, however they can be completed by the employee or the employer. For example, a groomer might have a KPI that stipulates how many dogs per day they need to complete.
For more information on how to use KPI’s, go to:
http://www.business.vic.gov.au/hiring-and-managing-staff/staff-management/review-staff-performance
6. WORKPLACE POLICIES
It is best practice to gather and define as may workplace policies as you see fit and relevant and pop them into a staff handbook. Keeping this digitally can mean it can be easily updated and redistributed as necessary. While workplace policies like anti-discrimination may seem like common sense, it is crucial to have a written record of them for employees to sign off on, ensuring their understanding and commitment to upholding these principles within the organization, and the organization’s committment to upholding them too. Here are some policies to lean on in our industry:
Workplace Bullying Policy
Australian States and Territories have WPB policies that you can use in your dog grooming business.
Go to: https://www.education.vic.gov.au/hrweb/safetyhw/Pages/workplacebullying.aspx
Alcohol and Drug Policy
Alcohol and drug policies are available to you in each state or territory.
Here is an example of a Victorian D and A policy: https://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/resources/guide-developing-workplace-alcohol-and-other-drugs-policy
Equal Opportunity Act for Employees
Anti-discrimination and equal employment acts are also important policies and documents for you to lean on in the dog grooming or pet styling workplace.
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