Would you expect your employer to purchase your scissors?

[ballyboo]

I have never EVER heard of any employer buying scissors for staff, it's just not the done thing in the hairdressing industry, maybe different for beauty but this is a thread on hairdressing scissors. To the OP, It was nice of you to offer to pay half, but if he can't afford scissors then that's his business - he may well be happy with what he's using at the moment. As for getting his priorities wrong, that's a very personal decision and different people see things differently. Maybe suggest that he let you know when he can afford a new pair, or ask him if he would like you to buy them and he pay you back a bit every week? My old boss let us do this with ghd's, we used to pay £10 a week until they was paid off (this was many years ago when i was on £50per week as an apprentice :green: )

 

[Tomme]

dont u have a scissor guy come around. when i worked in london a scissor guy would sell expensive quality scissors we could pay for monthly. alternatively you could pay over him and tell him you are docking his wages x amount per month. if anyone touches my scissors i go mad. my dad posted them for me once i left them in wales and had them posted to london i though they d got lost in post i went mental with royal mail cause they took ages to get to me. lol

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Unless he agreed to it I doubt it's legal to dock wages because a owner wants an employee to have new. A way I see it is,

If a owner wants an employee to have and use x y and z then it's their responsibility.

If your employed would you be happy being given a new tv by your employer and being told the cost will be docked when you are happy with your tv now? Same situation different item. Xoxo

 

[Penners]

to ssuk, scissors aren't like a stethoscope, you get used to them and I suspect if you swapped a pair like for like the stylist would know as the weight and balance is something you get used to. I doubt its a legal requirement for employers to buy scissors for stylists, they come to work as a stylist - scissors attached!:lol:
Hairdressing is a craft or an art if you like, a sculpter or carver would carry their own chisels and not let another use them!
to the OP if the scissors are blunt the customers sould be complaining as they 'pull' when the edge is gone - any complaints? if not leave well alone and trust your stylist to know when they need new ones.x

 

[ssuk]

i understand the difference, i understand why you like your own etc. I am all for that.

my point is they are a tool of the trade. Could the manager of tesco.insist that the checkout staff bring their own barcode scanner?

As far as I am aware the law does not make exception for hairdressers. If the employeer did not provide scissors then the hairdresser could, in theory refuse to cut hair, as the tools are not available.

And scissors are very like the steph i mentioned. You get used to working with your own, abd work better with your own. But there always provided aswell.

I want to be clear. Im not saying dont buy your own. Im saying ultimatly responsibility is that of employer.

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[Tomme]

i understand the difference, i understand why you like your own etc. I am all for that.

my point is they are a tool of the trade. Could the manager of tesco.insist that the checkout staff bring their own barcode scanner?

As far as I am aware the law does not make exception for hairdressers. If the employeer did not provide scissors then the hairdresser could, in theory refuse to cut hair, as the tools are not available.

And scissors are very like the steph i mentioned. You get used to working with your own, abd work better with your own. But there always provided aswell.

I want to be clear. Im not saying dont buy your own. Im saying ultimatly responsibility is that of employer.

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Ssuk, I'm sure you are a nice person, and good at what you do, but a keyboard and computer is a keyboard and computer... Not to be rude, but as you are not in this profession you just won't and clearly don't understand. Xoxo

 

[ssuk]

firstly you dont need to be a hairdresser to understand employement law, and the responsibilities of a manager.

secondly, probably best not to assume someones knowledge/experience. I work in IT, but also own a salon, beauty not hair but I work with hairdressers on a daily basis.

the issue is not trade specific, its a management issue.

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[ssuk]

seems very naieve (no offence to anyone) to assume scissors are not a tool of the trade. Or that employers dont have to provide tools.

in anycase, I do not wish to detract from the op, happy to continue the debate by pm tho if anyone has a view.



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[Natm]

Personally if you would like him to have new scissors you buy your stylist them and not expect any money towards them. Otherwise don't comment on his scissors. If he is happy with them and comfortable with them why would he buy a new pair! At the end of the day scissors aren't cheap and he may already be paying rent, bills, you don't know what he has to pay outside of work. Therefor scissors may not be is priority. To me, my scissors are everything so I pay for decent scissors but we are all different in this world x

 

[MTHair78]

There is one major lesson I have learned in my hair career. NEVER work for a salon owner who is not a Hairstylist themselves. Business professionals from a corporate world think they know how our business should be run. Non-Stylist owners have been the worst and most disrespectful to the trade. That sort of owner is simply looking to use a staff for their own financial benefit without realizing that there is NOT an excess of profit to be made once the bills and overhead are paid in a Salon. I stopped working for those types when I finally got sick of them thinking they deserved half my income because they sit in an office and write checks. The ones doing the work and handling client retention are the Stylists. Clients don't visit a Salon, they visit their stylist!

 

[ssuk]

or in my case the ones doing the work are my wife, and sister in law.
A true manager is just that- a manager. A manager doest need to be a trade expert, that expertise is brought in.

And us business types dont go into any business expecting massive profits and a life surrounded by gold.

we go in with a business plan, forcasts, a great accountant and a solicitor.

the result, a well run salon, meeting its legal obligations, and staff that are happy owing to investment in personal development, as per the forcast/business plan and competative pay.

not sure what the problem with that model is?

as for sat in the office writting cheques and taking half the money. who puts the money in.in the first place, takes the risk? who ultimatly is responsible legaly and criminaly for the actions of the staff?

I dont think your assasination is fair realy, and is steriotyping us all.

I only came in this post to give a different perspective. It seems tho that yhe hairdressing industry has its own rules/laws.
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[persianista]

hairdressing is NOT like any other business. It has protocols built up over many years. One such protocol is that the stylist themselves decide which scissors they like to use, nobody else.
Scissors are totally personal to the stylist, the size, shape, offset etc etc. No stylist should be dictated to as to what scissors to use. I use a particular scissor, and have several identical pairs so that I have a pair in each of my salons.

As a salon owner, I supply all hairdryers, brushes, ghd's etc. I do not, and have never supplied scissors.
Cheap pair of student AMA's for everyone? That would go down well!

As for refusing to work unless you have scissors bought, well byebye hairstylist, there is a queue of people behind you that want your job!

 

[KayaPapaya]

Just a quick question for OP - if you buy half of these scissors for him, who gets them when he leaves? You / the salon or the stylist?

The stylist will have bough a pair that absolutely suit him. As others have said scissors are SO personal and hairdressers will only have the ones that suit them (apart from us poor trainees!)

I think it's a nice idea, but I think you'd open yourself up to buying 50% of everything for *some* employees.

What about 50% of his car, so he can get to work everyday?! Or 50% of his nice holidays as he's stressed out using his "rubbish" old scissors! (joke!)

 

[danni1984]

i understand the difference, i understand why you like your own etc. I am all for that.

my point is they are a tool of the trade. Could the manager of tesco.insist that the checkout staff bring their own barcode scanner?

As far as I am aware the law does not make exception for hairdressers. If the employeer did not provide scissors then the hairdresser could, in theory refuse to cut hair, as the tools are not available.

And scissors are very like the steph i mentioned. You get used to working with your own, abd work better with your own. But there always provided aswell.

I want to be clear. Im not saying dont buy your own. Im saying ultimatly responsibility is that of employer.

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My boyfriend is an electrician and is employed by a big company all employees buy their own drills and and a few other certains tools can't remember the names of them but there are certain things they have to buy them selves, my brothers a plumber and he's employed he's got certain tools he supplies himself I know we're not plumbers or electricians but just an example xxx

 

[JoJo1980]

It would seem most people in the hairdressing industry are in agreement that a stylist should buy their own scissors.
I agree too.
Like Persianista I supply ALL other tools and products, but scissors - well thats like buying my staffs underwear and telling them they must wear it!
It's too personal.
If anyone uses my scissors, its like they have slept with my husband (yes I feel that strongly about it )
To the OP, It is very kind you have offered to pay half towards new scissors, but you cannot force your stylist to buy new scissors.
xx

 

[JuZz'<3]

I can't believe this I even being debated.
My scissors
My responsibilities
I couldn't have them brought for me, most managers I've had would of the wanted me to leave them at the salon every night. No way! My scissors travel most places with me
I have a sort of 'hygienic' thing with my scissors, I couldn't use them again knowing some body else could of used them.
Eeww. I just imagine leaving them at work, walking in the next morning to find another stylist in the mirror 'trimming' her fringe with MY scissors. Nonononono!

OP
Xmas is on its way honey, maybe See if any whole salers or scissor companies do gift vouchers? Top it up with a bit for him to give him a push in the right direction.
Although my scissors are very personal too me, and I would not allow some one else to Buy them, I do think scissors are the most important tool of the job, and you obviously have a concern since you've seen him swap back to his old pair. Maybe you've realised the cuts aren't top standards as they usually are, due to the scissors. It's good you've picked up this stuff, and tried to advice him and point him in the right direction, because reputation is everything, no body wants to be 'the stylist with the bad/blunt scissors' x

 

[Pinkbunny28]

Ok sorry I haven't read every post but actually it is his responsibility to pay for them no matter if he is employed or self employed.

You as an employer have a duty to provide him with a pair of scissors that belong to you and the salon and everyone has the right to use them. However, if he wants a pair if scissors for himself he should buy them.

My OH is a mechanic and he has spent THOUSANDS on tools because they allow him to do the best job possible and the workshop tools aren't that good. He leaves them there for ease but if he wants them he is within his rights to take everything he has bought and walk out of there.

Personally, as a beauty therapist, I have to use my own tweezers and my own mani tools else I can't work efficiently and effectively. x

 

[nicolaluise]

an old boss of mine once purchased scissors for me but we agreed a monthly amount to be deducted out of my wages to pay the cost back, if i left befor ei had paid the full amount would be taken out of my last wage. I had cheap scissors which fell apart so i was desperate for new ones and didnt have the cash at that point.

 

[kaye74]

Of course he should buy his own scissors. He could probably just have his current pair sharpened properly to buy him some more time to afford a new pair. I have to say I don't understand why you would be commenting on his tools? If he is happy with their performance than that is what matters.

i totally agree with you, i think its upto the individual to decide whether they need new tools or not ;-)

 

[Murfles]

I'm not a hair geek, but my sister is and I know how personal scissors are to a hairdresser. I liken it to a nail tech and their acrylic brush, or an eyelash extension technician and their tweezers. I personally couldn't work with just any old tweezers for lashes, like scissors I get used to "my" pair. If there is nothing wrong with his scissors, don't try to fix what isn't broken. If he wants new ones, he will get them. It's lovely that you've offered to pay half, but not necessary.

 

[user 67568]

Yes an employer should always provide any and all equipment for their staff!! You cannot expect an employee to pay for things you have a responsibility to buy, although anyone serious about hair should really have their own sissors, but if your demanding they get another pair you should pay and claim it back on your tax return!

Would an employer expect someone working in a coffee shop to pay for the cups? NO!!

Stop being so tight, at the end of the day as I say you can claim it back off your tax returns, your employee can't!