Almost every salon owner builds their operations, marketing, and finance systems before they ever build a real hiring or exit process — then a stylist walks in for a trial shift with no structure to judge her by, or walks out after two years with a final settlement calculated on the back of an envelope. Anya holds an HR qualification and runs payroll and staffing across three salon and barber brands and five Dubai locations — she has personally recalculated final settlements after getting the basic salary component wrong.
Six sections, hire to settlement: hiring & the interview process, UAE employment contracts & visa sponsorship, onboarding from first week to first 90 days, performance reviews & managing underperformance, end-of-service & gratuity settlement (the full formula, worked through), and a one-page final settlement checklist built to use in the moment a contract ends.
Educational, not legal advice — UAE labour law changes over time and varies by contract and free zone; always confirm specifics with a licensed UAE employment lawyer before finalising a contract or settlement.
The flagship staffing playbook from Anya Johnson.
Instant digital download (PDF). By Anya Johnson.
Work through it at your own pace.
Ready for more than the book can give you?
Follow along on Instagram — @theanyajohnson (personal) and @freedombyanyajohnson (Freedom by Anya Johnson).
And when you want real accountability, not just a plan on paper, book your 1:1 call with Anya and take this to the next stage.
— The two-question filter for choosing what's actually worth building in it.
— Turn your windows into an actual weekly plan, with the scripts to protect them when someone tries to take them back.