Thousands of migrant workers employed at salons across the State are bracing for an uncertain future with the COVID-19 situation threatening the prospects of the beauty and wellness sector.
Salons were asked to totally shut down during the lockdown phase, them being part of the non-essential commercial sector. And now as the lockdown enters the last leg, even major chains, who had provided food and accommodation to their employees during the lockdown, feel they may not be able to retain the original staff strength when they resume services.
The salons, spas and parlours provide employment to lakhs, most of whom had migrated to Kerala years ago. Many among them are from the Northeast who fear they may have to return to their hometowns where jobs are scarce.
“In Kerala, we get a minimum pay of ₹12,000 per month and here the living conditions are much better compared to other places. But we have been out of work for the last two months. We got our last pay in March. Since the sector offers hands-on services, people will be hesitant to visit salons for a long time,” says Chaya from Darjeeling.
Uncertainty will stare at the industry hard in the post-lockdown scenario, according to salon owners. “In North India, they have opened salons in some places but the inflow of customers is much less compared to that in the pre-pandemic days. For many days, people will be coming for basic services like haircut and we will be forced to reduce staff strength. Some of our staff from the Northeast left for home in March but now they are desperate to come back since the situation there is too difficult,” says Karthik Sunil, joint secretary of Kerala Salon Owner’s Association.
“There will be a considerable dip in our revenue if there are no public events and marriages in the coming months. In the last two moths we had to cancel around 32 weddings and I think this trend will continue till the end of 2020,” celebrity make-up artist Renju Renjimar, who runs a salon in Angamaly, says.
Once the lockdown lifts, the sector may function with restrictions including disposable neck wraps and thermal screening for its employees and customers. But those in the mid-level and lower will have to face more challenges than the major players. They may not be able to afford single-use materials and maintain the right protocols. “Instead of five chairs, now we can only put two and it means a huge difference in the number of customers we can attend to in a day,” says a beautician.
