Tips to enhance wellbeing in the workplace

Your role involves supporting the self-care needs of others, but how often do you consider your own wellbeing? While it may be the last thing on your mind during a busy day at the nail desk, it’s crucial – as Elissa Newton, Lecenté educator for Northern Ireland, notes: “If even one salon team member is not on a positive frequency, it can throw the entire running and growth of the business off course.”

Elissa Newton

Let’s not forget the importance of self-care as a solo worker. A survey of UK self-employed workers* revealed that 71.9% of the demographic felt isolated ‘sometimes’ or ‘frequently’ in 2024, and 31% were unable to work for three or more days during the year due to poor mental health. So, what changes can be made in the workplace to boost wellbeing? Let’s explore...

*Mental health in freelancing during 2024 report by Leapers, www.leapers.co

Isabelle Pattissier

1. Set & stick to boundaries

“To ensure a healthy work-life balance, it’s essential to set boundaries with clients,” details Isabelle Pattissier, owner of Staffordshire home salon, Drop Dead Beauty. “Make no exceptions for the rules you set regarding when you are available to clients. I designate times for contact, and do not respond outside of these. Your work should fit around your personal commitments.”

Marie-Louise Coster

Session nail stylist & Scratch online columnist, Marie-Louise Coster, explains: “If a client contacts you outside of your working hours, they must wait until you reopen for a reply, and the brand’s owners aren’t worried sbecause they are confident that their customers are loyal – and you should be too. You could state on your automatic replies or answerphone message that queries will be responded to within a specific time bracket.”

Cathy Lansbury-Palmer

Halo VIP, Cathy Lansbury-Palmer, tells Scratch that we are in a ‘live to work culture’ due to rising living costs. “This makes it tempting to say ‘yes’ to every appointment or client request, even if it eats into time you should be using to switch off from work,” she comments. “I’ve stopped always saying ‘yes’ to clients; I was working so many evenings and weekends that I realised something had to give.”

2. Take breaks

“Time away from the nail desk is important to recharge batteries and boost performance,” notes Elissa Newton. According to The Wellbeing Thesis, an online resource for postgraduate students, micro, lunchtime and longer breaks enhance wellbeing and productivity, and reduce stress. Social breaks, such as chatting with peers, have also been shown to have a positive impact.

The resource offers tips for ensuring you take time for yourself during the working day:

• Agree break times with peers, to help each other stick to them.

• Set an alarm on your phone for time away from work.

• Plan something fun for breaks, to encourage you to take them.

• Focus on the benefits you feel after a break, to motivate you to do this in future.

3. Know your team

“If working with colleagues, getting to know your team members both individually and as a collective, builds a solid foundation for a positive workplace,” says Elissa Newton. “Take time to understand and discuss your business goals and progress as a group. This aids bonding: not just at team-building events, but on a daily basis. Gatherings at the beginning of the working day can be effective, and rituals, such as imagining how the day is going to flow in a positive manner, meditations and sharing staff success stories, can give team members a boost.”

Charli Jepson, head of education at Glitterbels, shared how the brand’s education team stays united in its application for Scratch Stars Nail Team of the Year 2024: “We communicate regularly via WhatsApp and Facebook groups. We often host Zoom meetings to catch up on not just work, but life in general. It’s great to know what’s happening outside of work to better understand the team’s other commitments.”

The Glitterbels Education Team in 2024.

“Model the healthy behaviour that you want to promote to others.”

Georgie Muscio

4. Lead by example

“When you’re in a good place mentally and physically, you can show up to work with your optimal energy, creativity and focus, in turn looking after the wellbeing of your team and clients,” details Georgie Muscio, founder of brow brand, Buff Browz & co-founder of PMU product supplier, Cosmedic Supplies. “Employees and clients can tell when you’re drained or burnt out, and it can impact their experiences.”

“Model the healthy behaviour that you want to promote to others,” adds the team at employee benefit app, GoJoe. “For example, ensure your team switches off at the end of the working day by letting them know that you’re logging off as well. This also applies to weekends and annual leave: turn on out-of-office auto-replies.”

Leading by example means being open with employees, creating a culture of trust. The GoJoe team continues: “A workplace with a high level of trust will have employees who are happier, more productive and more confident in their decision making. To develop trust, be vulnerable with the team. Share your mistakes, ask for feedback and be open to criticism.”

5. Switch off after each workday

“Being a nail tech can be emotionally draining, as it can feel like offering therapy to clients,” says Cathy Lansbury-Palmer. “While it’s important to listen to clients, it’s even more important to leave their issues at work – otherwise your mood and mental health can be impacted.”

Kay Kirsop

Kay Kirsop, Artistic Nail Design and Famous Names brand ambassador, agrees. “Nail professionals are often clients’ sounding boards, so it is imperative that we don’t carry that into our personal lives,” she shares. “I always take a moment once a client leaves to carry out some breathing exercises, and brush off what they’ve told me, leaving it in the past.”

Wellness blog, The Mindful Stoic, offers techniques to switch off from the working day:

• Journaling: Research has shown the benefits of putting thoughts down on paper. The blog suggests writing down three things that have gone well, and three things that can be improved at the end of each day.

• Landmarking: This technique helps to create mental separation from the workplace, and involves identifying a physical landmark at a point beyond which you cannot see your place of work. Once you reach this at the end of the day, look at your workplace and acknowledge that you’re leaving it behind.

6. Think about your financial wellbeing

In a video from 2023, UK financial support provider, Money and Pensions Service, reveals: “Financial stress and its knock-on effects for mental and physical health can have severe consequences for individuals, organisations and communities. An estimated 13 million worker days are lost due to financial worries, and 59% of employees say that these concerns prevent them from performing at their best.”

Beauty business and mindset coach & Scratch columnist, Zaara King, stresses the importance of financial wellbeing for overall wellness. “Charge your worth for your services, so you are able to take time to practice self-care,” she comments. “My Four Figure Focus membership is designed to help you boost earnings and achieve greater freedom.”

Zaara King

Scan to sign up and use code SCRATCH for 50% off your first month’s membership.

7. Consider physical health

“Spending a huge portion of the day sitting can cause back problems and slow the body’s metabolism,” shares the GoJoe team. “To combat this, invest in ergonomic chairs to encourage better posture. Rather than sitting down for meetings, you could host stand-up or walking meetings.

Stand-up meetings are designed to be quick – as standing for too long would be uncomfortable, and walking meetings allow you to take a break from the workspace.

“Consider offering healthy snacks and drinks to staff,” adds the app team. “Fruit, smoothies, yoghurts and energy bars are great, healthy alternatives to tea, coffee and biscuits. Also, encourage team members to eat away from their desks.”

Glitterbels Pink & Gold Salon Chair www.glitterbels.com

“I try to follow a wellness routine, which includes prioritising my physical health,” says Kay Kirsop. “I stretch each morning and between each appointment, then after work, I lay on a heated pad to relax my muscles and I take a warm shower. I also meal prep so that during busy days, I £96 inc VAT have healthy food ready to eat.”