When it comes to hiring staff for your home, it’s critical to determine that they are a good match for your family. You can get a good glimpse into each candidate’s work history, expertise, and personality through a robust interview process, but one of the best ways to really see them in action is through an employment trial.
This is also beneficial for the candidate. In essence, you’re evaluating each other to see if it’s a good long-term fit.
A Trial for Your Household Employee Is Part of Our Hiring Process
Once you’ve selected a good candidate, discuss a trial period in the home. At Household Staffing, we recommend a paid 5-day trial – at the same wage you would pay them as an employee. This usually gives you a good glimpse into how the person can blend into your day-to-day life and allows you to see how they interact with other staff or family members, how reliable they are, and how they put their skills and training into practice.
The main thing to keep in mind: the trial should be what their real job will entail. In other words, don’t expect them to do things that they wouldn’t otherwise do as part of their job description. Do your best to mimic actual home life and what things will look like should you both choose to proceed with their onboarding.
Be sure to allow some time to observe and reflect on staff and family interactions and take notes on how the prospective employee takes direction or shows initiative. There should be chemistry, a sense of respect, and a willingness to learn. Hiring someone to work in your home is personal and requires that you both feel comfortable with the arrangement.
If you decide it’s not a great fit for the long term, it’s okay. Be honest about why you don’t want to move forward and share any observations you have that could be constructive. Be sure to be courteous and wish them the best in their search for a job.
It will save you time and stress by providing a trial period, rather than discovering that it’s not a good fit, which would require you to start back at square one.
Moving Ahead with Onboarding
If you decide to move ahead with hiring after the trial period is complete, it’s important to discuss the job in further detail, to ensure all expectations are clear for both parties.
We recommend having a written work agreement that describes those details. This is a living document that outlines the various parts of your employee’s position with you, including their job duties and any rules of the home that you wish to include. Wages, benefits, and other job specific or household policies should also be included here.
If there are parts of the role that need to be changed at any time during their employment, set aside some time to have an open conversation with the staff member. This ensures everyone is on the same page and questions can be asked. Then, adjust the work agreement/employment contract accordingly and make sure everyone signs it.
We’re Here For You
Ready to grow your household staff? Whether it’s a companion to work alongside an aging loved one, a caring and creative nanny to care for your children in your absence, a personal chef to craft healthy menus each night, or an estate manager to oversee the various details of your home or multiple residences, we can help place qualified and experience employees in your home.
Call us today to learn how we can help develop your team of household staff. Our commitment to learning about each client’s unique household needs ensures finding the right match the first time. We look forward to helping you!
