Blog
Hiring Your First Groomer: Choosing a Pay Plan
Going from solo to employer changes your business. The pay plan you offer shapes who applies, who stays and what you keep.
Many salon owners start alone. At some point the book fills up, the waitlist grows and the owner's back starts to complain. Hiring a second groomer or a bather is the natural next step, and one of the first decisions is how to pay them. The plan you choose affects your costs, the kind of groomer you attract and how busy days feel for everyone.
The common pay plans
- Hourly. Predictable for the employee and simple to run. You carry the risk on slow days, because you pay the same whether the table is full or empty.
- Commission. A percentage of each groom. Your labor cost rises and falls with sales, which protects you in slow weeks. Experienced groomers with a following often prefer it.
- Commission with an hourly guarantee. The groomer earns commission, but never less than a set hourly amount for the pay period. This can attract newer groomers who are still building speed.
- Booth rental. The groomer pays you rent and runs their own book. This is a different relationship, often closer to having a tenant than an employee. The guide on booth rental vs. commission covers the trade offs from the groomer's side.
The guide to hourly vs. commission pay explains how each plan behaves when volume changes, which is just as useful to an owner as to a groomer.
Test the plan against your own prices
Before you offer a number, work through a typical week. How many dogs will the new hire realistically groom per day at first, and what do those services cost? Under commission, what is your share of each groom after their pay, and does it cover your other costs for that dog: shampoo, blades, water, towels, card fees and the share of rent and utilities their table uses? Under hourly, how many dogs do they need to groom each day just to cover their wage?
The commission break even guide shows the point where commission and hourly pay come out the same. That point matters to you as well: it tells you where your costs shift from one plan to the other. If your prices leave little room after labor, it may be time to revisit them before you hire. See how grooming prices are set.
Think about who you want to attract
A skilled groomer with a client following may be drawn by a strong commission rate. A newer groomer or a bather may value the security of hourly pay or a guarantee while they learn your salon's routines. Be honest about what your book can support. A generous commission rate on an empty schedule is not much of an offer.
Put it in writing
Whatever plan you choose, write it down clearly: the rate, how commission is calculated (on the service price, before or after discounts, and whether add ons count), how tips are handled, the schedule, and what happens during training. Clear terms prevent the pay disputes that drive good groomers away. If you plan to promote someone later, moving into salon management looks at the same questions from the other side of the table.
Learn the employer side
Becoming an employer usually brings new duties, such as payroll taxes, insurance and following wage and hour rules. Whether a worker counts as an employee or an independent contractor depends on how the work is actually set up, not just on what the agreement calls it. Talk to an accountant or employment professional before your first hire.
This is general information, not legal or tax advice. For your own situation, talk to a qualified professional.