Irish hair and beauty industry programme launched

Image Skillnet and the Hair and Beauty Industry Confederation (Habic) have launched a programme to help salon and spa owners/managers as they get back to business following the enforced closure during the Covid-19 pandemic.

From 29 June, the Irish hair and beauty and spa industry is scheduled to begin reopening, as it has been included in the Government’s Phase 3 of the road map to reopen the country. It has been shut for over three months.

The new ReBound, Recover and Beyond initiative consists of free specialist webinar training, e-learning, virtual classrooms and one-to-one support sessions. According to Habic, this sector-specific programme will help businesses navigate the practical application of the Government’s Return to Work Safely protocol, and the guidance given by the HSA, HSE and beyond.

Registration is now open through imageskillnet.ie. Beginning with a focus on health and safety, the programme aims to provide a tool kit and templates to participants as it guides them in how to practically apply, manage and lead their teams as the industry moves forward into the ‘new normal’.

It will cover areas of content such as risk assessment and method statements; standard operational procedures (SOPs); managing the client journey, including vulnerable and elderly clients; new salon environment; response planning for Covid-19 outbreak; financial planning and forecasting, KPIs and ratios; building a continuity plan; and understanding potential scenarios that may happen and actions required – for example, if there was to be a second wave of the virus, or if there was a confirmed case of Covid-19 among staff. 

Industry experts who will deliver the ReBound, Recover and Beyond programme include Carmel Connaire, Glantar; The HR Suite; and Alan Austin-Smith, The Fantastic Hairdresser. It will roll out until September.