Nanny Raise?

You appreciate the wonderful work your nanny does. Not only does she take terrific care of your child, but she also keeps your household organized and running smoothly. Plus, she’s always ready to pitch in and help whenever you need her to. She deserves a raise, but, unfortunately, it doesn’t fit into your family budget right now. So, what should you do? According to a Nanny Salary Guide, here are a few tips to help you work through this tough time with your nanny.

Be honest with her.

Because you’re not able to give her the raise you want to, your first instinct may be to not bring it up at all. However, it’s a good bet that if you’re thinking it’s time to give your nanny a raise, she’s thinking it too. When you avoid the conversation, chances are she’ll make the assumption that you don’t value her work or don’t feel she deserves an increase in pay. By being honest about your feelings and your inability to afford a raise right now, you’ll avoid hurtful assumptions. Being honest with her also opens the door for you to work together to come up with alternative ways of rewarding her work and dedication.

Let her know how much you appreciate her.

Even if you can’t afford a raise, you can afford a handwritten card and a small thank you gift. Being appreciated is at the top of every nanny’s wish list. A heartfelt thank you will go a long way with your caregiver.

While you should make a special effort to thank your nanny during the raise conversation, don’t only save saying thank you for special occasions. Remember to say thank you along the way too. Any time you notice your nanny going above and beyond the call of duty, let her know how much you appreciate the extra effort. When you’re reminded of how happy your kids are being in her care, let her know that the work she does truly makes a difference to your family. Every day you’re presented with lots of specific examples of why your nanny is so amazing. Use those examples to point out what you appreciate about her. Nannies that feel appreciated on the job are much happier in their positions and are much more likely to stay long term.

Run the numbers and see if any raise is possible.

Even if you can’t give your nanny the raise she asked for or that the agency recommended, give her what you can. Explain that you’d like it to be more, but this is what you can afford at this time. Nannies understand that employers have financial restraints like everyone else. Any raise, even a small one, makes a difference.

Think outside the box to see if you can offer her an added benefit.

There are a lot of things you can offer your nanny besides a monetary raise to her hourly rate. Some employers offer additional paid time off, frequent flier miles for the nanny’s next visit home, use of the family’s vacation home, use of the nanny car during personal time, adding the nanny to the family’s cell phone plan, and other benefits that are free or low cost to the family but still valuable to the nanny. If you’re stumped for ideas, ask your nanny. She may ask for something that never crossed your mind, but that you’re willing and able to offer.

Come up with a plan for raising her rate in the future.

Even if you can’t afford to give your nanny a raise now, figure out when you’ll be able to afford one in the future. Let your nanny know what the timetable for her next raise is. Remember that you don’t have to give the raise in one instance. You can stagger the raise over a period of a few months or build in other long term financial incentives.

Rather than tell your nanny what your plans are, engage her in a conversation. Give her the opportunity to share her thoughts and feelings. By having an honest and open conversation, you’ll both have a clear understanding of the other’s perspective and be on the same page moving forward. Knowing that you’ve thought it through and have promised a raise in the near future will go a long way in reassuring your nanny that your employment relationship is on the right track.

You’re lucky to have a wonderful nanny working with your family. Even though you’re not able to give her a raise right now, there are other ways to say thank you to her for all her hard work and devotion.

More Austin Childcare Resources

How Much Is Fair for Living and Performance Raises?

When you find a nanny who fits in perfectly with your family and adores and cares for your children in the same way that a parent would, you want to keep them as long as possible!

Most parents have no idea where to begin when it comes to fairly compensating their nannies and offering other benefits that lead to retention. Some parents may be surprised to learn about their nannies’ ongoing training, bonuses, and cost-of-living salary adjustments. In this post, we’ll go over the HR-related tasks you should be assigning to one’s nanny in order to keep them happy in the long run.

Although your nanny may feel like a member of your family, they still are employed. It is critical to respect that. Make your nanny feel like a valued member of your family by expressing your gratitude both personally and financially and you will have a happy nanny for many years to come! At the end of the day, a small investment in your partnership with your nanny will be completely worth it.