1. Search for suitable Candidate

2. Set up Face to Face interviews

3. Conduct a Background Check

4. Do a Trial Run

Let us delve deeper into each step to learn more.

Step 1: The Search for A Suitable Candidate

This being the first step, it is important to get it right. Still, there are a few options when it comes to conducting the initial search of the potential employees – DIY, Friends and Relatives and agencies.

Option 1: DIY – Search For A House Help
There are many house help bureaus in Nairobi. Some are good and some not so good. However, if you do not want to use the services of a house-help agency to find one, you could search for a house help on your own. It is doable. But how do you find a good nanny by yourself?

The internet is the best place to begin. With so many digital platforms and social media forums, you will easily get help. You could join some of the face-book groups that are related to house help or nanny issues and post your needs. You are likely to get people that are interested making contact and from there you can create a list of candidates to interview. That is just one way. However, with online space, anybody could be anyone.

Option 2: Circle of Friends, Relatives, Neighbourhood
The other place to go looking for a house-help is your circle, your network and your neigbourhood. Your church members, your phone contact list, and the local preschool can also be great resources of trustworthy house helps. You could also ask your family members real-life friends and social media friends for referrals. You may find that you can trust their recommendations better than anyone else.

Option 3: Engage a House Help Bureau
The other option of getting someone is by contact a bureau or agency. A good agency. One very important advantage of working with a bureau to get a house help, is that you might be able to get pre-screened applicants. You would simply have to discuss your house help job description and specific needs and requirements with the bureau, and let them match you with someone. A good agency will normally take care of the initial formalities that go a long way to find a good house help safely and efficiently.

Step 2: Setting Up Face to Face Interviews

This is the second step of finding a good person to help you at home. Once you start receiving applications, immediately read the applications and start identifying potential candidates. Eliminate resumes that reveal negative distinctions about the person. Once you have done that you may want to schedule separate interviews with at least two to three candidates. Do not hesitate to ask as many questions as time allows. The interview will help you decide whether the applicant is likely to be a good person to work for you and get along with your children.

Step 3: Run Background Check

Generally, the process of getting a good house help must always INCLUDE a careful and thorough background check. If you start this process right, then it would not matter which method you employ in the process of getting a domestic help.

If you go with the option of looking for the candidates by yourself, some of the places you might get help when it comes to running the background check would be contacting the previous employers, or the friends or relatives who may have referred the candidate. In some cases, this might be just good enough.

A good nanny agency will also usually perform some basic background checks on the candidates. However, proper background checks and screening calls for checking police records for any history of criminal offenses.

The best background check is the one undertaken by licensed professional agencies like Darubini or by the relevant government department. In Kenya, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations office, is a semi-autonomous directorate of the National Police Service provides a more extensive access to criminal record information through the issuance of the Certificate of Good conduct.

At the end of the day, while one can always rely on friends’ recommendation, contacting a house help bureau like Nairobinanny, that can facilitate deeper screening (at a fee), is probably the safer way to find a good reliable house maid.

Step 4. Do a Trial Run

The final stage. A trial run gives you time to consider hiring the house help for long-term employment. It should be agreed during the interview stage. Some potential employees may not be agreeable to that. The trial period gives both of you the chance to become familiar with each other and decide whether you are a good fit. You will never uncover someone’s true identity until you live with them. More than appraising the chemistry, the trial period gives you the opportunity to assess the employee character and level of expertise – according to your expectations. If you are comfortable with the candidate, make sure to draft a work agreement before hiring them, and list the terms of your agreement in detail.

Now that you know how to go about finding a good nanny, you can productively focus on your work whilst having peace of mind knowing that you have a reliable person taking good care of your children back home.

If you decide to go about searching of the house help by engaging an agency, please feel free to contact us – Nairobinanny. Our agency keeps a database of highly-qualified, experienced house helps that can provide full-time or part-time care to your family. A placement specialist can be reached at 0708518470 or 0733801766 or email us at info[@]nairobinanny.com to share more information about our services. You can also complete a contact us submission form for someone to reach out to you directly.

Make expectations clear.

Never make assumptions when it comes to your nanny and the duties you would like her to perform in her role. If you want her to do all house chores or just take care of your kids, tell her from the very beginning. If you add more new duties to her job after that, she may feel like you’re taking advantage of her or that you don’t appreciate her time. Make sure that your expectations are made clear from day one and that she agrees to them. If there are other duties that will come along , communicate clearly to her and be open to discussion so your nanny feels like she is part of the process as well.

Treat your nanny well.

In addition to a good salary package and time off, it’s nice to pamper her at times. Let your help not feel out of place in your family. Buy her a gift or do some shopping for her over the holidays or you can simply give her a couple of unexpected hours off during the week. All of these things show that you appreciate and are happy with her, that you thank her for the time and commitment to your family, and that you want her to be happy and enjoy herself.

Don’t get in the way of her job.

Don’t always get in the way of your help’s routine, this could cause frustration on her end and throw off her work day. For work-at-home parents that have a nanny to care for the children in the home during this time, let the children know that their nanny is in charge as this is particularly important. Children find it hard when there is more than one adult to answer to, and this could create an uncomfortable situation between you and your nanny. Create a system and stick to it so things can go as smoothly as possible.

N.B Parents and nannies can truly be on each other’s team! Creating a work environment that includes respect, fun, and healthy communication will give your nanny peace of mind and the ability to adapt to her new role in your family.

Most employers will tell you the biggest challenge they have with their house helps is low productivity, ineffectiveness and lack of trust. In today’s set up where mothers are also bread winners in their respective homes, more Kenyan mothers work longer hours, resulting in increased demand for house-helps who can take on more responsibilities. What initiative are you taking with your help to ensure you don’t end up hiring dozens of house help by the close of the year? Investing in your househelp or nanny is probably the best thing you will ever do. If she is happy, you will be happier. You will have peace of mind and will not have to invest in a nanny camera to monitor what goes in your home when you are away. Finding the most productive, effective and trustworthy house help is not easy. Below find ways you can make your relationship with your house help more professional.

1. Give them a contract

This has works perfectly from the beginning of employment. Treating a house help just like any other employee is one of the things you need to do. A house help should be given a contract where the two of you will agree on expectations to avoid future problems. When writing a contract indicate what you would want clearly and also allow your help to read before signing .

2. Training 

There are certain areas which your househelp will need training e.g. time management, safety and first aid, cleanliness and personal grooming, general housekeeping, resource management and personal development. Training in these aspects is pretty important because it will help your house help know what to do, how to manage your property and house, what to cook, how to handle everything at your place.

3. Close supervision

Close supervision is also important when dealing with a house help. It is necessary because it helps you to know if the house help is doing things right, the way you want. It also keeps her in check of the things she is supposed to do and how she is supposed to do them.

4. Clear communication

Good communication is paramount in almost all aspects of life. Teach your house helps how to communicate effectively with you, your children and even your visitors and everybody they come across. This will help them provide good services and save you the embarrassment that comes with poor communication.

5.Attractive reward system  

Everybody wants to be rewarded for a good job they have done. Employers should too reward their house helps when they do commendable jobs. So house helps will be thought on how to improve their performances, and impress their bosses for good rewards.