Written by: Prem Anand, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
The household staff will be a part of your life daily; they must bring value into your life.
You should feel well having them around you. They must be responsible and care for your belongings and your family. Recruiting staff often, apart from being expensive, is frustrating to keep looking, finding, and training. To retain your staff, it is vital that you get to know them and care towards their well-being. It would be best to recognise that Household staff are unique in their offering as they have your wellbeing at their heart.
Losing staff
Before I tell you how to recruit and retain, you should concur with me on the four leading causes they leave.
Lack of adequate Compensation
Poor work-life balance
Lack of recognition and appreciation
Limited career growth.
Household staff members value career growth and development opportunities like employees in other fields. If there are no prospects for advancement, lack of training opportunities, or insufficient support for professional growth, they may feel stagnant and choose to explore other options.
The recruitment
Here are some steps that we advise our clients could help to attract and retain quality staff.
Define your expectation: Clearly define the roles, responsibilities, and values you expect from your household staff. This will help you communicate your expectations effectively during the recruitment process.
Develop a comprehensive job description: Use the above attitudes, skills and knowledge template in writing a job description. Craft a detailed job description that outlines the duties, qualifications, and values you seek in potential candidates. Be specific about the desired qualities, such as honesty, trustworthiness, and professionalism.
Create a competitive compensation package: Offer a competitive salary and benefits package that aligns with the skills and experience required for the position. Recognise the importance of fair wages in attracting and retaining quality staff members.
Seek referrals and recommendations: Ask for recommendations from trusted friends, family, or colleagues who have hired household staff with values and integrity. Referrals can often lead to finding reliable candidates already vouched for by someone you trust.
Advertise strategically: Post your job openings on reputable job boards, online platforms, or local community forums. Emphasise the importance of values and integrity in your job postings to attract like-minded candidates.
Conduct thorough interviews: During the interview process, ask questions that assess a candidate's values, integrity, and work ethic. Inquire about their past experiences and how they handled challenging situations that required moral judgment.
Perform background checks: Conduct comprehensive background checks on potential candidates to verify their qualifications, employment history, and criminal records. This step is crucial to ensure the trustworthiness and integrity of your household staff.
Check references: Reach out to the references provided by the candidates to gain insights into their character, reliability, and values. Interviewing previous employers can help gauge the candidate's work ethic.
Alternatively, you may hire a responsible agency or a recruiter, who can comprehend your requirement
Consider having a minimum of a two-week non-obligatory paid trial period to see if you feel well around the staff and for them to see if this is something they wish to consider.
Retaining your staff
Please be sure to constantly communicate with your staff (a weekly meeting on a specific day), being interested in their lives, social activities etc.
Offer ongoing training and professional development: Show your commitment to your household staff's personal and professional growth. Provide opportunities for training and workshops that enhance their skills and encourage their ethical development.
Create a positive work environment: Foster a positive and respectful environment where staff members feel valued, appreciated, and heard. Encourage open communication, offer recognition for a well-done job, and promptly address concerns.
Provide incentives and benefits: Besides competitive compensation, consider offering additional benefits and incentives such as paid time off, healthcare coverage, performance bonuses, or flexible work schedules. These perks can contribute to staff satisfaction and retention.
Demonstrate appreciation: Regularly express gratitude for your household staff's hard work and dedication. Acknowledge their contributions. When things go wrong or not to your taste, provide constructive feedback, you intend to help them grow and see the benefits, it is crucial that you make it non personal.
Find out what excites them; for some, it is money; for others, it is holidays, and so on. What is their “why.”
Remember that attracting and retaining quality household staff requires ongoing effort and attention. Investing in the existing good team often makes sense rather than getting a new staff.
By prioritising values and integrity in your recruitment process and maintaining a positive work environment, you can increase the chances of finding and keeping exceptional staff members.
Butler coach® Prem helps celebrities, high-net-worth families, and family offices.
Prem runs a company Aubrei Elite GmbH- in Zurich, Switzerland, with his partner Erica Keimer
The three primary services they offer are.
a. Training Household staff:
b. Recruit Quality Butlers’ Household Managers for selected clients.
c. Execute the complete household management system and staffing for new and existing properties.
Prem is launching a community of Butlers and Private Service Personnel in July 2023, which offers education for private service professionals.
Prem’s objective is Joyful living for both the clients and the candidates. He is committed to providing value and integrity in every transaction.
Some of his current clients are.
Five-star Hotels, Royal Protocol from the Middle East, and High net-families in Europe.
Prem Anand, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Prem Anand is a Butler coach® creates leaders, Butlers, and Private service personnel with integrity, values and the required skills. These pupils work in the homes of celebrities, High net-worth families, Royals, hotels and resorts. He matches appropriate Butlers and House Managers to Homeowners. He believes “if we want the best, we must give our best.” After decades of successfully serving ultra-high-net-worth celebrities and British Aristocratic families, he created The London Butler Academy®. His training and mentoring methodology is pragmatic, with emotional intelligence, bespoke to his Pupils and clients. His mission is to transform and empower service personnel into extraordinaire.
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