Employer Blog - July 17th 2021
For Employers: Good Household Staff Management
GreenBaizeDoor’s Ten Golden Rules
- Respect and Trust your staff
- Never ‘accuse’ your staff unless you are 100% sure, and have proof, that the incident/problem was caused by their negligence or will
- Never raise your voice, and NEVER reprimand staff in front of other domestic staff or anyone else…
- 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 great need
- Being mean, vulgar or grotesquely decadent in front of domestic staff will cause immediate problems, and is the one sure way to guarantee you will be forever trying to secure good staff!
- 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
- 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 staff accommodation you are providing
- 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!!
- 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
- 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.
