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Get your grooming business organised with the right systems, documents, and expectations in place - before you hire.
Running a salon without structure feels chaotic fast. This page is your go-to for getting your ducks (and dogs) in a row - covering everything from job descriptions and workplace policies to staff handbooks and KPIs.
Whether you're just starting to grow a team or cleaning up the back end of an established salon, these tools will help you get organised and stay compliant.
The Fairwork website has an incredible amount of helpful information and templates for you to use when you employ people in your dog grooming business to ensure your business is compliant. Below, we list the main things you need to consider when employing people in the grooming industry. For further, personalised, in depth help, reach out to our HR partner, Strawberry Seed (and you will also get a discount if you are an igh member!)
Job Descriptions
A clear job description outlines the main duties and expectations of a role. It's essential for recruitment, performance review, and training. A well-structured job description helps you:
Set expectations
Draft interview questions
Establish performance benchmarks
Create legally binding employment contracts
Key elements to include:
Job Title
Location
Reports to
Job Purpose (brief)
Responsibilities and Duties (detailed)
Essential and Desirable Criteria
Company Overview
Application Information
Optional additions:
Certificates or licences required
Physical requirements
Workplace environment
Employment conditions
🔗 For templates and a helpful guide:
Job description and advertisement template – Business Victoria
Here are some jumping off point examples of Job Descriptions for a grooming business:
Hiring soon?
Download our guide to finding the right staff-practical tips to help you hire with confidence.
Setting Out the Terms of Employment
Under Australian workplace law, employers must provide written notice of key employment terms before or on an employee’s first day. This includes their employment type, pay rate, award coverage, and entitlements.
A Letter of Engagement is one simple and effective way to meet this legal requirement.
While there’s no official template from Fair Work, the letter must include key details such as:
Start date
Job title and duties
Employment type (casual, part-time, full-time)
Pay rate and entitlements
Probation period (if applicable)
Reference to key workplace policies
This document should be provided before or on the employee’s first day, alongside the Fair Work Information Statement.
🔗 You can download our editable Letter of Engagement template for grooming salons here
Policies, Procedures & SOPs
What are Policies and SOPs?
Company policies and procedures state what tasks are to be completed by employees in a broad sense. For example, a groomer may have to clean the floor at the end of the day, an SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) will tell them how to specifically complete the task. SOPs work to fulfill policy and procedures. SOPs are drawn up after a company has first determined their policies and procedures.
An SOP helps the person that is performing a task to do so in a timely, safe and effective manner. SOPs for dog groomers take out any troubleshooting from a task and keep staff members accountable to their job descriptions.
Let’s look at an SOP broken down. Take for example a simple task such as mopping the floor at the end of the day.
Locate and bring the mop and bucket to the water source.
Fill bucket with hot water to the marker indicated inside the bucket.
Place half a cup of disinfectant in the bucket
Place ‘Caution - Wet Floor’ sign in the middle of the room.
Place mop in the bucket and ring out thoroughly.
Start mopping at the front of the shop and continue to the end of the shop.
Empty the bucket outside on the lawn or a designated area.
Fill bucket with fresh hot water to the marked line and place the mop in to clean it.
Ring out mop, place mop and bucket in appropriate area and remove sign when the floor is dry.
This simple SOP leaves very little room for error. Any new employee who reads this SOP will know exactly what to do. SOPs also complete your job description.
We suggests you have SOPs in place for the following:
Front of House
Opening and closing the salon
Phone, bookings and walk-ins
Admitting and discharging pets
Customer service standards
Cash register use and EFTPOS
Social media management
Cleaning routines and towel handling
Stock control and ordering
Groomers
Bathing and drying dogs
Clipping workflow and prep
Dealing with customers
Maintaining equipment
Cleaning tools and grooming areas
Bathers
Bathing/drying puppies, seniors, double coats
Product use and coat assessment
Cleaning the bath and dryers
Towel protocols
Disinfecting common areas
If a task is often misunderstood or inconsistently performed, that’s your cue to write an SOP for it. You can create these as needed, or even involve your staff in drafting them.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) help you measure whether a staff member is meeting expectations. They’re especially useful during probation periods, reviews, or training.
Examples of KPIs for grooming roles:
Number of grooms completed per day
Rebooking or upselling rates
Client satisfaction or feedback
Time management (on-time finishing, punctuality)
Tool hygiene and workstation upkeep
Here’s a rough guide to how many full grooms a groomer might reasonably complete in a day:
Senior Groomer
Without a bather: 4 to 6 dogs
With a bather: 6 to 8 dogs (up to 10 with simple coats and strong systems)
Junior or Developing Groomer
Without a bather: 3 to 4 dogs
With a bather: 4 to 6 dogs
These numbers will vary depending on coat type, behaviour, grooming style, and how your salon operates, but they give you a realistic baseline.
KPIs don’t need to feel corporate. Think of them as practical benchmarks that make performance measurable.
🔗 Learn more here:
Review Staff Performance – Business Victoria
Our B2B Smart Subscription can help close knowledge gaps within your team. With online courses across five levels - from bather/brusher through to senior dog groomer - it’s designed to fit into your existing operations and can be accessed on any device (yep, there’s an app). Sometimes, it’s easier to upskill someone already on the team than hire someone new. Check it out here.
Culture, Conduct & Compliance
These are the policies that shape how people treat each other at work, and how your business shows it takes workplace rights seriously. They're not about mopping floors or folding towels. They sit alongside your operational policies and should be clearly communicated during induction.
We recommend storing these in a Staff Handbook and reviewing them with all new team members. Staff should sign off to acknowledge they've received and understood them.
Important policies to include:
Workplace Bullying
🔗 Victoria’s workplace bullying policy and resources
Alcohol & Drug Policy
🔗 WorkSafe VIC – Guide to Developing an Alcohol & Other Drugs Policy
Equal Opportunity and Anti-Discrimination
🔗 Equal Opportunity Act for Employers – Business Victoria
These aren’t just about compliance, they reflect the values and boundaries of your business. Make them visible, enforceable, and part of how you run your team.
Forms & Mandatory Documents
These are the essential forms every new hire must complete during onboarding. Make sure they’re completed before or on the employee’s first day.
🔗 Tax File Number Declaration Form
Download from ATO🔗 Superannuation Standard Choice Form
Download from ATO🔗 Fair Work Information Statement
Download from Fair Work
Encourage staff to return these quickly so you can stay compliant and set up payroll without delays.
Make onboarding smooth and stress-free.
Use our Staff Induction Checklist to stay on top of everything from day one.
Hiring Groomers from Overseas
Watch this webinar with Vet Visa and igroomhub
Struggling to find skilled staff locally? You may be able to sponsor or train overseas candidates to fill key roles in your grooming business. In this webinar, Vet Visa explains the main visa pathways and how igroomhub’s training programs can support your application.
Key options covered:
Working Holiday Visa (417): Short-term, up to 3 years for UK citizens.
Training Visa (407): 1–2 years with a structured training plan (igroomhub can help).
Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (494): 5 years in regional areas with a pathway to permanent residency.
Temporary Skill Shortage (482): 2–4 years in eligible occupations, also leading to permanent residency.
This content is for general information only and does not constitute legal or migration advice.
You’ll learn:
Which visas suit grooming roles
How sponsorship works and what it costs
How training plans strengthen applications
Why regional businesses have more options right now
Note: Dog groomer is not currently listed for 482 sponsorship in metro areas, but the list is reviewed regularly.
Watch the video to see how overseas hiring could work for your salon.
Need help? Contact Vet Visa at infovetvisa.com
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