The traditional office environment has changed over the years and today there are a lot of different companies that allow their employees to work off-site from home. Working from home has a variety of benefits, but if you have children home during the day, it can be a bit challenging.
Working from home comes with a different set of rules and guidelines, so communicating with your nanny about those is important. Here are some tips on how to best navigate a work-at-home situation with your nanny.
Tip #1: Establish clear boundaries.
Your work requires concentration and minimal interruption, so, it’s important to talk immediately with your nanny about proximity to the rest of the family during the day. Do you plan on being in your home office for most of your day or do you plan on moving around the home? Talk about specifics, agreeing to boundaries and ground rules that will need to be upheld through the day. Not everybody’s work-from-home job looks the same, so it’s important to establish guidelines that are specific to you and your family.
Tip #2: Limit trips in and out of the office.
If your child keeps seeing you come in and out of the office, but they know they aren’t allowed to talk to you or interrupt, this can be confusing. Set guidelines on how many trips you take in and out. Then, institute a specific time of day that you will come out and be able to interact with your child. This gives them something to look forward to and it can be helping in minimize any sadness they feel in being away from you all day.
Tip #3: Institute a system.
If you have calls to make or important paperwork to fill out and simply cannot be disturbed for a set time during the day, use a “do not disturb” sign. This simple line of communication tells the nanny that she needs to keep the kids quiet and entertained so you can finish what you need.
Communicating with your family and nanny about boundaries while working from home is critical in helping things run smoothly. It could take a little bit of flexibility, patience, and a little trial-and-error at first, but soon, there will be a system in place that flows well. No matter what your work-from-home situation looks like, your goal should be to make things as easy on your child as possible. We can help with that! We have a variety of experienced nannies looking for a family to work for and become a part of. Contact us today for details!
