Happy Domestic Staff: Create a winning team of household staff!                                                                               

While it is a well proven strategy for National & International companies to offer their customers such things as: gifts, discounts (on future purchases) and air-miles in an effort to maintain their customer’s loyalty, at GreenBaizeDoor.com we wonder if the leaders of those same companies do whatever they can to maintain the loyalty of their domestic staff?

During discussions with domestic staff and their employers, GreenBaizeDoor.com established that the staff who hold their employers in high esteem, are the same ones that work more effectively and are prepared to commit themselves to working for many years in the same household. What creates this high esteem? We discuss the information we gleaned from our discussions with domestic staff and employers, in the hope that it might help you achieve a harmonious working environment in your own private household…..

Good Household Staff Management: GreenBaizeDoor’s Ten Golden Rules

Behind the GreenBaizeDoor:             What are your staff complaining about?

• Religious Holidays or National Days of celebration are normally marked with cards and personalized gifts – don’t forget your household staff!

• Don’t forget the birthdays of your household staff. Perhaps a birthday card will suffice, although you might like to buy a small gift or ask chef to make a birthday cake (or something else) – the staff member will be touched by your thought.

• At other times, and for no particular reason, you could give your domestic staff complimentary cinema, theatre or opera tickets, treat the staff to lunch (tell the staff that it’s your favorite restaurant because of a certain dish, and that dish must be ordered by someone because “it’s a real treat”; and surreptitiously you have told your personal chef how you like that dish cooked and presented – you are but the winner [again!]), massage vouchers, gym membership, or even manicures for the maids – the financial outlay is insignificant – but the gains are incalculable.

• Offer to train your domestic staff in new skills, this is not just for your benefit but also for the benefit of the household staff too – by increasing their knowledge and skills, the domestic staff will have the satisfaction of knowing they are valued.

Ultimately, the aim is for your household employee(s) to be happy and feel appreciated – they will then work with enthusiasm, and hopefully will want to work in your home for a very long time.

A secondary benefit of having happy, long-term members of staff in your domestic team, is that they will have time to develop a rapport with your regular houseguests. Houseguests appreciate being looked after by the same person(s), and if your guests like your staff better than their own, you will have a certain satisfaction knowing that your home, and the service you offer your guests, is not only exceptional, but that it is envied by others.

1. Respect and Trust your staff
2. Never ‘accuse’ your staff unless you are 100% sure, and have proof, that the incident/problem was caused by their negligence or will
3. Never raise your voice, and NEVER reprimand staff in front of other domestic staff or anyone else…
4. Smile and show interest in your staff, their lives & family; take just a little time to get to know your staff and offer them assistance in times of need
5. Being mean, vulgar or grotesquely decadent in front of domestic staff will cause immediate problems, and can return to haunt even the thickest skinned person! Just think of that well known New York Socialite and the unfortunate comments made about 'tax' while the poorly paid maid spoon fed her employer copious amounts of caviar; then there is a well trodden story doing the rounds in London which describes the decadence attributed to a disgraced family who lived in a ‘fairy tale’ household in London; discuss the name of another well-healed family with your domestic staff, and you may hear of the way the gentlemen of that household poured half a bottle of Chateaux d'Yquem, 1896, down the kitchen sink (in-front of four members of staff who were eating their dinner!), it would have been seen as the most incredible gesture to offer that incredible vintage to the staff? Needless to say, this gentlemen’s mean-spirit precedes him, and he and his wife are forever trying to secure good staff
6. Be kind but firm, have a sense of humour and an occasional joke with your staff but keep your relationship on a professional level and never become too familiar
7. Check with other employers or staff placement agents that the level of pay and benefits are appropriate to the expectation you have from your household staff & occasionally review the accommodation you are providing your staff
8. Praise your staff from time to time to let them know how much you appreciate everything they do for you… Let them know that the small things they do, are noticed! For example: when you call for your breakfast tray, if your butler always greets you with a warm and joyful ‘Good morning Madam/ Sir’, then let him know that this makes you feel happy, it’s much better than a grumpy voice on the other end of the phone!!
9. If you are experiencing relationship or business problems, NEVER, EVER, ask your staff to take-sides, cover your back, or do anything that may compromise their neutrality
10. Remember that ‘perfection’ is the rarest commodity – be realistic, and don’t set standards for your domestic staff that are unobtainable

If you take on board any of these tried and tested suggestions, you could transform your household from one of constant change, disruption and unmotivated staff, to one where your domestic staff work well and thus contribute towards a harmonious working household that achieves great results.