We have been receiving a slue of customers coming to us in search of Nannies and Housekeepers in Los Angeles. However, having multiple personnel coming in and out of your house during the week can be very unappealing for households so why not hire one person to do both jobs? While this is a totally attainable undertaking, there are some essential pointers to note if that is something you’re looking for.
1) Be realistic. Sorry folks, no person is capable of fulfilling all their duties at the snap of a finger like Mary Poppins. Trust me, I wish it were possible. Unfortunately, no can do. SO, ensure your list of responsibilities is clearly laid out for your Nanny/Housekeeper. She’s going to need TIME to finish the entire list since her number one priority will always be caring for your little one.
2) Schedule properly. A great method for scheduling is to have their duties limited to strictly “Nanny” for some days as you require, after which her role shifts to “Housekeeper”. This way, all of her focus remains on the currently assigned role so she doesn’t get overwhelmed. For example, if she has her Nanny cap on in the morning and Housekeeper in the afternoon, she can attend to all your child’s needs first so during the afternoon she will have minimum distractions while tidying up.
3) Quality. Remember, hiring a Nanny/Housekeeper is a COMPROMISE. This dual-functioning role draws a specific sort of candidate. You will probably not get the same degree of schooling and certifications as you would in the case of a Nanny. You also won’t have the limitations on time of a traditional housekeeper. Keep this quality tradeoff in mind when deciding which set of skills to prioritize when making your hiring decisions.
4) Money. In the long run, you’ll be saving cash by hiring a Nanny/Housekeeper when compared to hiring a Nanny AND a Housekeeper separately. You pay slightly more for the combined responsibilities, but you’re combining two jobs into one paycheck! You should make sure to compensate them properly. The typical Nanny makes approximately 18-20 hourly as part of our agency, and the typical Housekeeper makes around 25 hourly. So you need to take those numbers into consideration whilst discussing cash. We have determined that paying around 25 hourly (net) appears to work out nicely for our households and our candidates depending, of course, on the specific situation.
Always, ALWAYS properly communicate with your help 🙂 You are hiring a person to be a part of your family circle. Be specific when asking interview questions and ensure you and your child feel safe and comfortable being around this new person.
Don’t forget that hiring different people might still be the best option for your own household. We can help with that too! Check out our services for helping you find the right Nanny, Housekeeper, Chef etc.
