Corporate Burnout Is Just The Start for Many Workers

It wasn’t until recently that we’ve been able to talk openly about corporate burnout. In the past, workers were made to feel it was a normal and expected part of the job to put in long hours, endure constant stress, and never be able to put work away. Many workers were even reluctant to question these supposed norms, fearing there would always be someone else willing to take their place. Behind the scenes, however, corporate burnout took many forms: chronic depression, feelings of emptiness, weight gain, substance abuse, physical exhaustion, irritable outbursts, mental fatigue – just to name a few of the many associated symptoms.

Many factors may contribute to corporate burnout, too – heavy workloads, long hours, unhealthy work-life balance, or feeling like you have no control over your work. Indeed, research suggests many workers feel this is a result of unclear job expectations, dysfunctional workplaces, lack of support, and feelings of isolation at work. The Mayo Clinic put together a list to ask yourself if you think you are experiencing corporate burnout: Have you become cynical at work? Do you have trouble finding the motivation to get started for the day? Is it hard to concentrate? Are you dissatisfied with your achievements? Have you become irritable with co-workers and clients? Any of these can be a sign you are suffering from burnout.

Fortunately, corporate burnout is now being talked about in the mainstream. In 2019, the World Health Organization recognized the affliction in the “International Classification of Diseases.” And that was before the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, workers have left their previous jobs in record numbers, in favor of new employment opportunities with healthier work-life balances. More than ever before, American workers are fed up with the unnecessary and unrewarding demands of corporate jobs, and are seeking out more meaningful, rewarding, and downright fun career paths.

The Great Resignation

While corporate burnout isn’t new, the events of the past two years have led us to what’s known as “The Great Resignation.” In 2021 alone, about 47.5 million people voluntarily quit their job – an unprecedented record amount – looking for better work during the pandemic. Even now, this trend shows no signs of slowing down: currently, about 40 percent of employees are considering leaving their job, according to a report in Fortune magazine.

So why are workers quitting their jobs? A Pew Research Center study found most workers cited low pay, a lack of opportunities for advancement, and feeling disrespected at work as the top reasons why they left their places of employment. Respondents in the survey listed they were looking for a better work-life balance and more flexibility. If we’ve learned anything the past two years, it’s that long-standing issues with corporate workplaces were exacerbated, and came to a boiling point, during the pandemic, leading to record shifts in the American workforce.

Franchising Is The Answer

Leaving the corporate world behind, American workers are increasingly choosing to realize their dreams of small business ownership and be their own boss through the benefits of franchising. Case in point: over 17,000 new franchise locations were added in the US in the past year, according to the International Franchise Association.

“Overall, it has been a long and difficult time, but the franchise industry has made it through to the other side,” Forbes magazine wrote. “Now, as more and more people look to take control of their destiny through entrepreneurship, and customers return to their pre-pandemic habits, it is an incredibly exciting time to be a part of the franchise industry.”

Let’s look at why franchising is the preferred choice for aspiring entrepreneurs. For one, franchise owners have all the freedoms of making judgment calls and decisions that are right for their business, while at the same time, having the backing support of a franchise network. To that end, franchisees truly have unlimited profit potential. With a proven strategy and solid business plan in place, franchise owners are provided the groundwork for their investment. With unlimited training and support on operational aspects like technology and marketing, franchise owners have the capacity to focus on growth.

Sport Clips Haircuts is the Perfect Franchise to Fight Corporate Burnout

Sport Clips Haircuts has a long and proven track record of helping entrepreneurs seek greater freedom, a more flexible lifestyle, and a solid foundational future. It’s why so many aspiring entrepreneurs have abandoned the corporate world and chose to invest in Sport Clips as a path to business ownership.

How do we do it? Sport Clips’ business model is manager-style, meaning you work on – and not in – the business, hiring store managers who oversee day-to-day operations. As a result, you have the freedom and flexibility to grow your business, develop and implement marketing strategies, and take care of administrative duties on the back end. Team Leaders are expected to spend only 10-15 hours on their stores per week, which allows for the opportunity for multi-unit ownership.

“Sport Clips was designed from day one to be a multi-unit opportunity,” says Jim Atkinson, vice president of franchise development. “This was never set up to an individual unit where someone buys a job for the rest of their lives. Our business model is very simple: we cut hair. We built our business model to scale, and we have all the resources to scale quickly and effectively. We know when you should add resources and when to build additional infrastructure. Whether you want to scale up to three stores, five stores, 10 stores, or beyond, we have a plan that can help you get there.”

Own A Sport Clips Franchise Today!

If you’re burned out in the corporate world and want all the freedoms of owning your own business, Sport Clips is the best bet investment for you. American workers are demanding more out of their careers, and Sport Clips offers a flexible, rewarding, and healthy work-life balance with the opportunity to earn big. To learn more, visit our research pages here or request more information by filling out our form here.

A Strong Franchise Culture Means Strong Franchisees

A franchise’s culture is, at its core, the ethical codes and values a company lives by. Just as important, it’s how potential franchisees know whether they are a right fit when deciding which brand to invest in. When defining a franchise culture, many factors are at play – brand values, policies, procedures, ethics, goals, and attitudes. At the end of the day, these operating principals make up a company’s character and work environment. Increasingly, a strong culture is important not only for the success of the business, but also for the strength of the franchisee. According to a study by Deloitte, 94 percent of executives and 88 percent of employees believe a distinct workplace culture is important to a business’s success.

In practice, a strong franchise culture goes beyond just a mission statement or employee manual. According to Forbes magazine, “It’s those things and more. It’s a set of very often at least partially unwritten rules about how the franchisor and franchisee work together as a whole to deliver what’s written down, how they communicate with each other, how they support each other, interrelate and behave with each other, and what’s expected of them individually and overall. The culture of the franchise is what should keep the franchise team together as just that – a team.”

A clear culture is a win-win. For the franchisee, they know from the outset whether they are a match for a particular company and its business style. For the franchisor, defined expectations and leadership goals help steer the company in the right direction. That’s why Sport Clips Haircuts has spent years meticulously building its franchise culture, by setting out clear expectations, policies, and values. For nearly three decades, Sport Clips has followed a well-defined mission statement and clear vision, and makes sure its executive team and franchisees exemplify it. As a result, Sport Clips has earned one of the best brand reputations in the country and continues to be a highly sought-after investment for aspiring entrepreneurs.

The Sport Clips Franchise Story

Sport Clips was founded on a bright idea in a landscape of opportunity. In 1993, Gordon Logan, an industry veteran who had been in the salon industry for years, saw a gap in the hair care service market: no one was catering to specifically men and boys’ haircuts. One location in Austin, Texas methodically grew into a nationally recognized brand, which now boasts nearly 1,900 locations open in every U.S. state, as well as in Canada. Through it all, Sport Clips’ growth is due to the company’s values: do  what’s right, do your best, and treat others the way they want to be treated.

“Our values aren’t just words on the wall,” says Allyson Young, chief people officer. “We live these values every day – and they’re true, timeless values. It’s so important that everyone in our organization aligns with our culture, because we only win with everyone on board. Everyone in this organization has an essential role to play, and we’re accountable to each other. If we’re successful at the store level, the entire brand is successful.”

To maintain a strong culture, Sport Clips is highly selective in making sure franchisees are a good fit and will ensure the integrity of the brand. Every year, franchisees come together at a “National Huddle” to work as one team with a shared goal: to make Sport Clips the strongest, most exciting franchise in the industry. The 2022 huddle theme “Dare to Be” challenged Team Leaders to enhance training programs for stylists, advance technology for the franchise and clients, and to also think of ways to renew their commitment to philanthropy. Giving back has been key to Sport Clips, and its “Haircuts with Heart” program focuses on national philanthropic partnerships, while encouraging franchisees to take on charity efforts of their own.

“In any business, the competitive advantage is the people who make up the organization,” says Gordon Logan, Sport Clips founder and chairman. “We’re looking for people with passion and people who love people. We’re looking for people who want to build teams and see their teams succeed. If we can attract the Team Leaders that focus on their teams, that’s the right fit. We believe success flows up.”

Invest In A Sport Clips Franchise Today!

Sport Clips boasts one of the most renowned franchise stories in the nation, with a strong culture that has defined its growth. As a result, our franchisee satisfaction rate is at an all-time high due to a clear and well-defined franchise culture that gives our Team Leaders a voice and and allows them to feel heard.

To learn more about Sport Clips’ franchise culture, visit our research pages here. If you’re ready to start a conversation with our franchise team, fill out our form here. One of our team members will be in touch with a copy of our Franchise Information Report.