Whether it’s a personal assistant, an estate manager, a housekeeper, nanny, or someone else to help oversee the innerworkings of your busy home, having a qualified household employee is a huge help. Unfortunately, if your employee gets sick and can’t work, it might feel like everything comes to a screeching halt. Here are some tips on how to best plan for sick days as a household employer.
Think about details.
If you rely on your household employee every day, it is good to have a back up plan for when they are unable to work. For example, if you have a full-time nanny and the nanny comes down with a virus, you should have some family members or friends on standby to step in with childcare at the last minute. Or perhaps you know of another nanny or daycare provider that may be available for drop-in childcare services. Thinking about the details ahead of time can help alleviate some pressure.
Don’t pressure your employee to work if they’re sick.
Your household employee recognizes that they are needed in your home and that you rely on their services. Chances are, they will only call in sick if they really need to. So, if they do end up giving notice that they are sick, don’t make them feel guilty or pressure them to come in anyway because you can’t find coverage. This does not build a positive working relationship and they could feel frustration or taken advantage of.
Cancel non-essentials.
If your employee calls in sick, review the day’s schedule and cancel everything that isn’t essential. This gives both you – and the person that is filling in – less pressure. Do whatever you can to make it easy for everyone in the household that is working to step in to fill your employee’s absence.
Did you know that our team at Household Staffing has placed experienced household employees in homes around the United States for more than 20 years? Whether you’re looking for an experienced estate manager to oversee your multiple properties around the country, or you need a live-in nanny to help with the children, we have qualified candidates for you to meet. Call us today to start the hiring process.
