Maintaining that Nanny/employer relationship is one of the most difficult relationships to manage. It is easy to blur together the professional and personal boundaries, causing emotions to often run high. While everyone’s best interest is in the child/children, differing viewpoints on how to achieve a goal can cause underlying tension in the relationship. However everyone needs to remember that they are a TEAM and everyone is working equally as hard to make sure that the child has the best balance and start in life.
Keeping that balance is key to having a healthy relationship and I find that when these 5 tips are followed your Nanny/employee relationship is successful.
Be respectful
Respecting each other goes a long way in this relationship, if you have this, then your relationship will work. For example, respecting each other’s space, working and living in a private household is a challenge due to the intimacy you have when it comes to drawing that line of ‘off duty’ and ‘on duty’. It is difficult to do this sometimes particularly when younger children are in the house, when the Nanny lives in the family home, young children will never understand when their Nanny is off and on. So it is easy for them to be calling the Nanny’s name on weekends around the house or coming into their bedroom asking questions or even just wanting their company. Families need to be mindful of the Nannies privacy so they feel like they have had a break, but of course Nannies do have to be flexible with this and understand that this will happen – anyway to be loved so much by someone so little isn’t such a bad thing is it.
Another way to be respectful is respecting your contract/work agreement, make sure you are turning up to work on time just as the employers should be returning home from work on time.
Be flexible, when possible
We all realize that not everyone’s plan/schedule will run smoothly every week and so both parties need to be flexible. As part of a Nannies job a lot of the time families will specify at interview or in the contract that they need flexibility as routines can quite often change especially if they travel a great deal etc. Nannies and employers often work general business hours which leaves little time for other personal matters, for example doctors/dentist appointment’s. Making time for these things in each other’s schedule’s will help Nannies/employers feel supported in taking care of themselves and their personal business.
Show appreciation
Showing appreciation is so important and doing this action can go a long way. It can be as little as writing a note, or giving a bunch of flowers. These unexpected things can make someone feel valued.
Give incentive
It is always nice to give incentives to Nannies to allow them to feel appreciated and give them a desire to continue their great work and to always go above and beyond. A good way to do this could be, salary increases, bonuses, gym membership, days off, reward cards to their favorite coffee shop/food or retail outlet.
Be committed
Investing time in finding the right Nanny for your family takes time and chances are you want the relationship to work just as much as the Nanny wants the employment. There will be high and low points as always in any relationship but knowing you are both committed makes those small hiccups easier to overcome. The Nanny/employer relationship is a rewarding one and so putting in that effort will make a difference, at the end of the day everyone just wants what is best for the child/children.
