Work begins, but salons struggle to make the cut

Severe staff shortage and additional expenditure to keep area disinfected is dealing a nasty blow to salon owners

Salons in the city have opened after a two-month lockdown, but salon owners’ struggle is far from over. Their new challenges include, a lack of manpower and additional expenditure. All salons are required to stock up on sanitisers, disinfectants and disposable items such as masks, gloves, and hair cutting sheets.

“Most of the salon owners are not collecting more money from customers. It has been difficult for them to make ends meet due to other expenses like rent, investment for renovation of salon, and wages for workers. Now, they are compelled to spend more due to Covid-19,’’ said Savitha Samaja president Sampath Kumar.

According to him, even the number of customers has come down drastically due to lack of space inside the salon to maintain physical distance. Most of the salons have two to four work stations. As of now, salons can accept only two customers at a time.

“I have been trying to visit a salon to get a haircut but have not managed to get one yet. Every time I went, there were people inside. I don’t want to wait outside, so I have to return home each time,” said Bharath (name changed).

MRS Maruthi Raj, secretary of Savitha Samaja, who owns RRK Hair Style at Yeshwanthpur, said shortage of manpower has also affected salons’ work.

“Hundreds of guest workers who used to work in salons in the city have left to their hometowns. Some salons are facing an acute shortage of manpower,” Maruthi Raj said.

He said that his salon has three working stations, but he has been working alone since the other employees were guest workers. “Most salons had employees from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Maharashtra. We are not sure when they can come back to Bengaluru,’’ said Maruthi Raj.

He said that many salon owners have been ensuring use of sanitizes and disposable hair cutting sheets. “We have to convince our customers on the need to pay extra since we are spending for these additional items,” he said. He said that most salon owners could not afford to buy thermometers as it costs a few thousands of rupees.

“Earlier, a thermometer was available for Rs 3,000 but now it costs around Rs 9,000. I appeal to the government to help salon owners by supplying them with thermometers free of cost,’’ he said.