The Australian Hairdressing Council has released the results of an industry Q&A speaking to the impact of COVID on business, staff and mental health. 

Intrinsically connected to the health and wealth of the Australian hairdressing industry, the Australian Hairdressing Council has released the results of a recent survey, getting inside the minds and businesses of the local industry as they navigate through what for many has been their most challenging 15 months yet.

“There were a number of standout points in this survey. As an industry association, we found that non-members of the AHC were less confident about their business future, whereas AHC members were feeling more positive. Much information during the pandemic was sought via Facebook, and much information on some pages was incorrect. The AHC had direct links from the Government and so the information we shared became trusted,” says AHC PR and Marketing Manager, Jenny Burns.

Further interesting facts include:

• 75% of businesses closed due to COVID-19
• 20.4% of salons were required to terminate staff during the pandemic
• 77.6% of salon businesses were not eligible for the JobKeeper extension
• 79.4% of business owners experienced stress due to uncertainty during 2020 while 36.5% suffered mental health issues and 23.1% from depression
• 54% of business owners engaged with staff via text message while closed versus 24.3% via Zoom
• 46.2% have employed a new apprentice in the last 12 months, while 40.3% have not
• 31.9% discovered employees were not willing to work on JobKeeper
• 22.5% found staff to be servicing clients outside of the salon

Some of the main industry concerns listed included the volume of hairdressers working from home since COVID, End of Lease Agreement leading to rent hikes, hairdressers leaving the industry for better paying jobs and the 1.5 metre rule’s impact on business.

For the full list of statistics and concerns visit the AHC, here.