Self-employed vs payroll staff – the pros and cons

You’re teetering on the edge of expansion in your salon. You’ve worked your backside off putting in endless hours treating clients and more than likely missed out on some family events because you’ve been trying to build up your dream. Now you’re left facing the question: do I take on payroll or self-employed staff?

Firstly, take some time to give yourself a pat on the back. This is a fantastic issue to have. It recognises all the hard work and graft you’ve been putting in. However, there are many pros and cons for payroll and self-employed. Here’s my advice having experienced both sides.

Payroll staff pros:

Payroll staff cons:

Self-employed staff pros:

Self-employed cons:

What I recommend to my coaching clients is to have a long think about both sides. Write down all the pros and cons that are specific to your salon and your personality (that matters a lot).

In my salons I opted for employed staff. I tried self-employed at the very beginning and it just didn’t work. I wanted to grow the brand and make more revenue to re-invest in a bigger, better brand, so employed works way better for me. 

Kerri-Ann Angusis director of Peaches Wax Bar in Glasgow, which won the 2018 Scotland Large Salon of the Year Professional Beauty Regional Award. She is also director of The Beauty Boss UK, co-owner of Light Up Coaching, a yoga instructor, and health and wellness coach. 

Read fellow Professional Beauty Regional Awards 2018 winner Karen Shirlaw’s blog on whether you can eat your way to better skin