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Keeping The Nanny You Find I surveyed several nannies who have been at their current jobs for more than 2 years. I wanted to know what these nannies attribute to their long lasting positions. The years served by these nannies range from 2 to 7 years. All had long term work experiences prior to the position they're in now. Which is a good indicator to parents obviously, if they've shown commitment in the past, its a better chance that they will show the same with you.
When asked "What is it about your current
work environment that makes it enjoyable?" The top response from everyone
was "respect." These nannies feel that their employers respect them as
professionals. Their employers ask advice from their nannies, they listen
to their nannies suggestions, and they acknowledge the important role
nanny plays in their child's life. The biggest tip our nannies offer on how to have a good working relationship is to communicate. If there is a problem do not let it smolder below the surface until it erupts into a fire that can't be extinguished. Sit down, away from the children, and talk. Have a professional meeting. Talk about your goals for the family and how your nanny can play a big part in them. If you have problems with the way things are being handled, discuss them. You may discover as one nanny said, "Sometimes I find that my employer and I are disagreeing about something, and then we sit down and talk it out, and I realize that we are just miscommunicating." Another nanny commented "We work as a team and we talk things out. We never leave things to notes or voicemail." There are two feelings our nannies say are very important for job satisfaction. One is the feeling that they are part of the family not hired help. The other is the feeling that they are trusted. One nanny stated, "I am trusted implicitly with the children and not questioned if I want to take them somewhere or buy them something." This trust comes with time obviously, but all of our nannies mention in one way or another that feeling trusted is imperative to a happy work environment. And finally, our panel of nannies also advises other nannies to respect the family's privacy and beliefs. Keep a log of the hours worked and what you do during the day so your employers are more aware of all you do. And act like the professional you are. Keep furthering your education in early childhood, read books, attend seminars, and network with other nannies. I think the most interesting point about this whole survey was that not one nanny mentioned money as her motivation for staying with a family. Of course, fair compensation is a part of feeling valued as a professional, but the emotional components contribute to their happiness. |
