Having a nanny in your home means you are an employer and she is an employee. Regardless of your nanny working in your home, you still need to actively manage your nanny in order to bring out the best in her. Discussing aspects of her work role in advance can help you and your nanny manage existing expectations and allow for better communication in your working relationship.
Here are ten steps to help you achieve this:
- Review how your nanny travels to work on a daily basis.
What is her route, what is her mode of transport? What is the current cost? What is her back up plan if her primary mode of transport fails? What is your backup plan if her transport fails and she is unable to get to work? How will you as an employer tackle transport costing going up in the year? - Diarise any visits to the clinic or hospital should she need to pick up her medication be it on a regular monthly or weekly basis. It is important to sit down with your nanny and work this out so that it can be included into your family schedule and her working schedule.
- Diarise any visits to home affairs. Foreign nannies that do not have valid work permits in their passports, are required to renew their permits regularly. This also includes asylum permit holders.
- Once you know your child’s school schedule and extra mural activities, it is helpful to put up the time schedule so that your nanny can see what is going on especially if she needs to pick up your children from school or take them to any extra mural activities. We recommend that you review it with her as well.
- Work with your child and your nanny to set up rules of behaviour that are acceptable and unacceptable in your family home.
- Review her working hours, time schedule, overtime etc. This may change from year to year as family dynamics and circumstances change, children move into new grades, you move house, husband has to commute, new job etc
- Review her salary, salary increase, bonus, etc. If she does receive an increase, let her know when it will happen and how much. Also if she gets a bonus or 13thcheque and it is performance based, let her know what is important to you. E.g. a good attitude, getting to work on time. Be specific here.
- Review your and her holiday schedule so she is aware well in advance when she can expect a break. Foreign nannies especially need to know so that they can make the necessary plans to visit their families.
- Review how sick leave works, what she is entitled to, when she needs a doctor’s note etc.
- Make the time to discuss important issues with your nanny just like one would have a meeting at work. It is helpful to have a set time to discuss and review ordinary tasks, and changes that may happen during the week. This builds the relationship, ongoing communication, creates the space for constructive criticism and positive reinforcement.
This regular time creates the space for the nanny to make contributions as well. Take time to listen to her too.
Remember to APPRECIATE your nanny. This could be a simple thank you or an acknowledgment of a task well done. Visit www.supernannies.co.zatoday to see how we can help you
Laurie Ann owner and manager of Super Nannies passionately believes that if you are an employer in a position to help and have the funds to make a difference, help your domestic worker or her child! By assisting her in breaking that chain of poverty that cripples her family, you can elevate her into a better earning bracket by giving her the opportunity to succeed. Imagine what a difference it could make to our new South Africa!
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