While is agreed that hiring a domestic work is different from filling a vacancy for a typical office role, this is actually the reason why it is important to take the hiring process even more seriously. It is very important that you take time and ensure you pay attention to all the little details.

Lets now talk about how you can avoid the most common mistakes you must avoid when trying to find a perfect help for your family and kids in Nairobi.

1. Doing only one interview

The most common mistake most people make is to do only one interview. Needless to say, one interview can never be enough to get to know about any potential employee. Plan to interview multiple candidates, and if possible more than once for each candidate.  You might want to do the initial interview over the phone to get a sense of the person’s personality, experience and child care skills. With this method, you don’t waste time meeting candidates in person whom you don’t want to interview further.

After the initial interview, you can then decide if it is worth making a one-on-one interview with some or one of them. Further, you may even conduct different interview with children being present and another with the rest of the family members. You also have time in between interviews to check references, too, which we talk about next.

2. Failing to check references

Even if a candidate seems perfect to you, still make it a point to call the references find out whatever they have to say about the potential house help. It is essential to call references and conduct a background check. Ask about their character, childcare skills, how they got along, discipline etc.

Ask if they were punctual coming back from their off days and if they had to ever deal with any emergency. The information you receive from a background check can vary, but it will be much help when picking the right person.

3. Settling for someone when you run out of time

So far, the mistakes I have mentioned are often made when you don’t give yourself enough time to find the right house help! Employers then resort to doing only one interview, skip the background check and references . Don’t settle for a house help that you’re not completely happy with because you’ve run out of time.

Start looking for a house help as soon as you know you’ll need one. For example, maybe you already employ a full-time house help who’s planning to leave. Begin your search for a replacement now. Prepare to read a lot of resumes and do a lot of reviews. When you start as soon as you can, you can mentally prepare yourself for the hiring process to come.

Of course this advice may not sound helpful when a house helps quits abruptly or fails to come back after taking some days off duty. In such case seek help for emergency care as you prepare to start the proper hiring process.

4. Not Paying Well Enough

Unfortunately, many families in Nairobi do not pay their house help the legally mandated wage – minimum wage. The current minimum wage in Kenya is Kes. 13,572/ per month. Be the one that pays your house help fairly. Besides ensuring that they are able to work for you satisfactorily, you will be avoiding any potential mess that might arise. It is not only necessary, but also good, to be a good employer.

5. Not Employing a trial period or working interview

In theory, a trial period or working interview lets a house help prove her childcare skills to her potential employer. However, some parents replace multiple interviews and reference checks with only these trial periods, judging a house help at face value rather than putting in the hiring work themselves. It’s not fair to a house help who doesn’t have time to get to know a potential employer, nor is it fair to the family who may not get the most accurate impression of a house help’s quality of care and personality.

A trial period works if you’ve already run through the interview process, and you’re almost sure that you want to hire a house help. Maybe you need a house help to spend longer periods of time with your child to be sure they’re the right fit, or if you’re hiring a live-in house help, everyone needs to feel comfortable with the decision. If you do decide to use a trial period, just make sure you’re not replacing any other part of the hiring process with it.

Now that you know the mistakes to avoid when hiring a house help, you might also consider getting help in the process.  The house help hiring process can be long and exhausting. Why not let an experienced house help agency work with you to find the right person for your family? Nairobi Nanny matches each house help according to a family’s needs to make sure both parties are happy. Contact us here for help with hiring house helps in Nairobi.

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.

This year, 2020,  has been an eventful and unique one. We have experienced another perspective of life no one had ever envisioned. With the coming of the pandemic, we have discovered alternative ways of living the day-to-day lives that we might have been oblivious to before. The year 2020 has also been one of the most challenging years for most people. This Coronavirus not only crippled our health systems, but it exposed the inefficiencies in both at official level and in our personal lives and has forced us to make adjustments for our good. Looking back at 2020, one can only give thanks for having made it safely through the year.

Christmas Festivities Like Never Before

The festive season is round the corner and this year will see festivities being done differently. Most people are accustomed to travelling upcountry and re-uniting with the extended family for the holidays because for most people, the festive season is about spending time with family. However, fears over spreading the covid 19 virus, and the harsh economic times have rendered our festive culture history as most people will now get together online. In fact, many families have adopted the mantra is: “If you love me, stay away from me!” to keep their beloved parents and grandparents safe. This group tends to be most vulnerable due to pre-existing conditions brought about by old age.

Usually, around this time of the year, many people would be granting their nannies leave to go and enjoy their holiday with their loved ones. However, this might not be a wise move to make this year because of the pandemic. Many would agree that releasing their nannies for the holidays could put them, their families, and your family at risk of infection during their travels and upon their return. Families that are planning to vacation in favourite spots such as Mombasa or Naivasha should equally bear the risk of infection in mind. Moreover, fears over a second lock-down have informed the mass exodus from the capital city. A potential lock-down would mean that January will see many parents stranded as their nannies would be stuck upcountry, thus making it difficult to resume both work and school. Additionally, there are also well-known fears of nannies not reporting to work come January.

In as much as employers have no control over whether their nannies will be back next year or not and could only pray and hope that they do, they could sensitize nannies, especially those who insist on travelling upcountry, on the need to contain the virus.

Employers need to remind their nannies to take precautions by following the Ministry of Health guidelines that are to wear masks properly, to ensure proper hand hygiene, and to observe physical and social distancing. Remind them not to let their guard down during this period and that they have to protect not only themselves but also both yours and their families. It is also important to point out that there is life to look forward to in the next year, hence the need to keep everyone safe.

Preparing For The New Year 2021

Speaking of next year, most of us are holding on to hope that 2021 will be kinder to us unlike 2020. As we hope for the best in the New Year, there are some things that we could do to prepare for 2021. The top priority would be to flatten the curve and hope to return to normalcy. Now, we are all well aware and grateful that there is a vaccine for the virus, however, we are not certain about when our country will receive it hence the need to continue observing the MoH guidelines until the vaccine is administered and the infections stopped.

Another thing to note is that schools are reopening in January 2021. Parents need to prepare early by getting the young ones school uniforms which will include face masks and hand sanitizers, learning materials, and most importantly by setting aside finances to cater for school fees. Early preparation will prevent last-minute rushes and will allow you ample time to do everything with precision.

Moreover, most offices have positively taken to the idea of working from home. This move may have been strange at first and may have taken time to adjust to. However, one could continue working from home and thus achieve a work-life balance. There is nothing that children appreciate most than finding their parents at home when they return from school. Despite the challenges working from home may pose, they can be overcome through resilience. After all, life must go on and adequate preparation will make the transition smoother.

We Thank You!

As the year comes to a close, we cannot fail to appreciate you for choosing us this year. Thank you for believing in our services and for trusting us to get you a suitable nanny. We appreciate every effort taken to understand our processes, especially in these times. For those who had reservations, we regret any inconveniences caused and we call for your understanding as we are doing our very best to ensure that we stop the spread of the novel Coronavirus. This is why we insist on conducting online interviews which ensure that we maintain social distance. Furthermore, the world is going digital and we are adapting to the changing times. We hope that we will get the opportunity to be at your service with more products in the coming year!

From all of us at Nairobinanny.com, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2021!

‘For better, for worse.’ These words are part of the vows couples make when entering into marriage – a simple phrase, yet so heavy and committal. Well, a wife would expect to be at her husband’s side during good times and during bad.  But what happens when a house-help makes this vow to her boss?

I know what you might be thinking, but trust me, it is nothing like that. The world is facing a pandemic that has brought everything to a standstill. Several people around the globe have lost their source of income, and the case is no different in Kenya. Covid – 19 has brought to light underlying issues that affect us daily, but we’ve been too busy to address. Also, it is during a crisis that you know a person’s true intentions and loyalty.

One such person’s loyalty has been put to the test during these trying times. When Mary* joined her current family, she had no idea that she would form such an attachment to her boss, much more so to consider her a sister and share in her joy and pain. Her employer, Linet*, had also not foreseen the coming storm that would leave her vulnerable.

When the Kenyan government issued a cessation of movement in and out of the capital city, Linet was okay with the situation, hoping, like most other families, that this would curb the spread of the virus. However, she had not given Mary leave as most employers did during this time because Mary herself opted to stay on and continue working during this period. Linet, seeing no problem with this as she had help in taking care of her young daughter, agreed to let Mary stay on.

Life is gradual, and some changes happen when we least expect it. Linet’s life took a whole different turn in the blink of an eye when suddenly, she and her husband were issued with an eviction notice because of failure to pay rent. Some people can be ruthless, but this is a story for another day. You see, Linet and her husband work in the travel and hotel industry respectively, and as you are aware, these are the industries worst hit by the pandemic. The couple had not received their salaries for two months, a factor that led to a strain on their finances, which resulted in a non-payment of rent for two months. The landlord, not seeming empathetic to their situation, could not care less whether there was a situation or not, evicted them, leaving them stranded.

I must admit that such situations take an emotional toll on someone, and Linet was no different. Her world turned upside down in a few moments, and soon she was looking for a place to lay her head, even if just for the night. Luckily, one of her friends who lived close by offered to accommodate her whole family as they sought an alternative.

All this while, Mary had the option of leaving Linet’s family and move in with a relative who lives within the city since things had hit the roof. Besides, that seemed like the only logical option as her job description did not entail ‘suffering with and for the family.’ However, she chose to stay on, took Linet’s hand, and reassured her that the storm would pass. She even saw the light at the end of the tunnel for the family.

As they moved to the friends’ house, Mary went about her duties as usual, not ever complaining. According to her, money would always come and go, but a stable relationship, like hers and Linet’s, was so hard to come by. She had found a home, and she chose to stand by her home and play her part in defending and protecting it. Amid the chaos, Mary’s and Linet’s relationship had been strengthened, hoping to grow even more post- corona. What Mary did was for better, for worse.

The most important aspect to look at when hiring a nanny is what qualities do you want from your nanny.  The best way of hiring a good care giver for your children is:

Get to know them well

Have face to face interviews with them. This enables the parent to know the care giver of your child/children on a personal basis, and also the facial expressions and body language are more clearly identified and understood.

Should be clean and healthy

Parents should be keen on cleanliness and good health with a caregiver. This is important because of handling small children and also teaching kids on how to maintain good hygiene. One can also have the caregiver to go for medical examinations to make sure they are safe

Have the ability to provide safe care

Discuss the importance of safety in your interview. Ask if a caregiver know first aid or how you or they have handled any situation that is an emergency.

Always clear and communicative

Consistent communication is key. Ensure the caregiver is free with you and can be able to communicate with you and your children.

Be warm and Responsive

Parents need to make sure your children are in a kind, loving environment and know that someone is dedicated to attending to your children’s need.

Appliances

If you have any appliances make sure if you have any appliances they knows how to use them or your house could end up in flames e.g dishwasher, baby food warmer, washing machine etc.

Have thorough research done on references

If the caregiver your hiring has worked before, it is proper to call the references and check if it’s true, reasons why they left and more importantly how their former employer would describe them.

When hiring a nanny, as a parents you may choose to invite perspective nannies over to your house and watch how your child and nanny interact with one another. This can be a very effective and safe way of having a general overview about how a particular nanny may work for your family. Some families may choose to have this incorporated into the interview process so that they can find the best nanny in the most time efficient way.

In case you hire a good caregiver, remember to treat her just like you would like to be treated. The way you treat a caregiver will determine how long she will stay and how you children will be treated.

NOTE: MAINTAIN A CLOSE, OPEN BUT WORKING RELATIONSHIP

Step 1: Doing a family needs assessment

Before embarking on your search for a nanny first look inwardly. The success of a nanny is dependent on you as a parent more than your child. Parents need to make time and figure out what or who they need. Have a list of the nanny you want, write down things that your nanny must be able to handle I she gets the job. What you right down will help throughout you search for a help and also remember to include your spouse in the writing also ask questions to the kids so that you can wholly decide on what you want.

Step 2: Decide on how and what to pay

After knowing what and the type of person you want, you need to decide on how much you want to pay the person. Always have a set figure of what you can afford even before you even look for a help. Have a look at your budget and what you are capable to pay according to your needs assessment. Remember to always have a clear financial strategy so that you are able to decline in case the help asks for more than what you budgeted for.

Step 3: Finding candidates

Here you outsource for possible suitable candidates for the job. Most parents opt for nanny agencies and bureaus. Most of this will give you their terms and conditions and charge you for the services. When calling such agencies always remember to give them the list of thing you had listed in your needs assessment. This step is to gather qualified candidates for the house help job.

Step 4: Interviews

Most agencies give up to three candidates to interview. Face to face interviews are always advisable for the client and the candidates. Ensure you interview the candidates one by one and get information that you need. Ask where they have worked and why they left, also check their references and ask if it is okay to get in touch with them. This will help you narrow down to the best candidate you would wish to choose.

Step 5: Background check

Once you choose the candidate that you wish to employ, it is advisable that you have a background check on them. Make sure you know their proper identity and any known criminal records before they resume work. Once they have a clear record then they can begin working.

Below are tips that will help in teaching patience

Start small, start short.

Start requiring small doses of patience from your child at an early age. You may only be asking them to calm down and wait quietly for 1-2 minutes before you’ll put more milk in their sippy cup, but it’s a start. As your child gets older, you can push them to show patience for longer periods of time until their desires are met.

Teach self-control.

Having patience in children is a matter of learning that they can and should control their emotions and actions, even when they are anxious, eager, or tired. Teach your child to regain some self-control before you fulfill their request. Doing so while they’re acting out will only instill the idea that acting out impatiently isn’t the way to get what you want.

Purposeful delays.

Parents need to purposefully delay some things for no other reason but to teach patience. If your CHILD wants something new, there may be no real reason for them not to have it at the time they request for it. But waiting for certain events (Christmas or their birthday) might teach them that they can wait for things that matter, and have it all turn out okay in the end.

Taking turns.

Nothing tests a child’s patience more than having to wait his or her turn for something to happen. The only way to get better at this is to practice. If your child struggles with waiting his turn for the swings, make more frequent trips mostly for outdoor activities to reinforce the need to be courteous and patient. The repetition will help him learn to cope with the wait.

Model patience

Being patient doesn’t mean just being able to wait; it means being able to wait calmly . It can be difficult to remain patient when trying to get the kids to school and no one has shoes on, or when late for an important appointment. This is exactly when you need to remain calm. Use humor and games to keep kids moving along, laugh when something doesn’t go according to plan and solve problems out loud when something becomes stressful. When you start verbalize your potential problem solving strategies, the kids start acting it just like you do. It works.

Most families want to enter into an employment relationship that will last for years. Have you ever asked yourself questions like “why do I keep employing new nannies?” “Do I really need a nanny” “Is my nanny okay” “Am I treating my nanny right?” etc. A long lasting relationship is best for the family but how can you make that happen. Here is a list of reasons why nannies stay long-term:

The family appreciates the nanny’s work.

Being grateful for what the nanny is doing goes a long way in creating a great relationship between the family and the nanny. We all know that taking care of house chores and children takes a lot of patience and hard work so, being truly thankful encourages the nanny to stay.

The nanny enjoys her day to day work.

Depending on the working hours of your nanny they really need to be able to enjoy their work. When they are happy and satisfied they provide the best care. Encourage her to make her own schedule or make it together to make sure she is comfortable. When a nanny gets what she feels is important from her job, it entices her to stay with that family.

The nanny loves the kids!

This covers the huge factor in the nanny job. If they builds a good relationship with the kids helps them build their motivation and work things out when it gets tough and also encourages her to stay year after year.

The family pays a competitive wage.

Money isn’t the most important thing in a nanny job, but it does matter. Every nanny wants to be paid a wage that allows her to meet her financial obligations and goals. When a family pays a competitive wage and offers regular raises, their nanny is much more likely to stay long-term.

The family respects the nanny’s time.

Most nannies generally work longer than average work weeks. So when a family is respectful of their nanny’s time off the clock, it means a lot. Making sure a nanny gets plenty of downtime to rest and relax is an investment that pays off for both the caregiver and the family.

The family respects the job description.

Every nanny job description is different. The one thing that’s the same is that it’s easy for the description to slowly expand over time without the parents even noticing. When a family is careful to stick to what was originally agreed to, the nanny doesn’t have to deal with job creep and doesn’t feel overworked or underappreciated. Of course, the family’s childcare needs will change over time and the job description will change too. Talking about these changes openly and making sure the nanny is on board is the best way to keep the relationship on the right track.

NOTE: MAINTAIN A GOOD BUT WORKING RELATIONSHIP

1. Tell her your expectations.

Your maid can’t read minds. Give her a list of the things you will expect her to maintain and to do. Every household has its rules. She may not be having an idea of your household unique rules. You have to set the rules. In this way, she can come back to the list if she forgets something. There would be less disappointments for you. Give her a proper training if you want to! The maid agency is a different place, and so is your house. You might have a different regulation in your place so it is better to train her personally.

2. Be considerate.

Let her get enough hours of sleep. A person obviously works well if they have adequate amount of energy. Just as much as you need food and proper diet, also provide for her enough food so she can be healthy and perform her tasks well. You can also give her a schedule that includes the chores she must do. Include there the times she could rest, eat or sleep.

3. Set boundaries.

People can be insensitive at times or it could just be because of cultural differences and there are unfavorable practices she doesn’t limit. She might be using the home fixed line for too long every day or she might be entering your room to clean without your permission. Whatever it is, make sure to clarify to her the boundaries she must be careful about.

4. Tell her your personal preference.

Two people can have two different ways of handling and carrying out chores. If she does a certain chore in a different way, tell her frankly how you would want things to be done. Don’t be angry, using ‘common sense’ as an excuse to yell at your maid! She came from a different background so it could happen that her ways are just different.

5. Stay consistent.

Give consistent feedback’s. Tell her if she needs to improve or if she’s doing things just fine. If you keep changing your opinion, she might get confused and everything may turn out worse than you expected.

6. Reward her.

Maids can be more motivated to work hard if she sees that you are happy with her job by rewarding her. Rewards can come in different types including extra day off, a small amount of cash or anything she likes. You’ll see her become more productive and that’s the most important thing.

7. Do things you can do.

Don’t be too dependent on your maid. There are things you still can do by yourself: carrying your small bag, tying your shoes and other things. Such work doesn’t require a maid! Your maid can do more things if you do the small stuff yourself.

8. Never abuse her.

Abuse can happen physically, verbally or even in the form of cyber bullying. Don not do any of this thing. Correct her properly by talking to her privately. Badmouthing will not improve her performance and will only damage her emotionally.

The moment you begin to question the trust you have with your help, it may be time to change to a new person. Trust should not be compromised otherwise thing start to become quite difficult. It is always good to maintain a professional yet friendly work relationship.

Some of the signs that could signal that you’re help isn’t the right feet for your family

• Your child seems regularly unhappy, despite an adequate amount of time to adjust to the help.
• Friends tell you that the help is distracted or doing something other than paying attention to your child when seen.
• Your help’s behavior changes. For instance she starts showing up late for work and seems disinterested in her work.
• You find that your life is becoming more inconvenienced due to a change in the relationship.

Should I include my children in the decision to replace their nanny?

This should be a decision solely made by you and not the children. However consider your children’s feedback. We should always take cues from our children. If a baby is normally happy and seems distraught to be left with a care provider (even after a fair adjustment time) that could be a sign. With older children you can usually ask them about how they spent their day and listen to feedback they are giving you about the care provider.

To help your kids adjust from losing a helper and transitioning to a new one give them time but not so much time so that they don’t get confused. If you have older kids you have to explain to them but for the younger infants and toddlers it will be easier for them since they often adjust to new providers more smoothly.

If you have to make the difficult decision to move on and find a new help, do a thorough search to find one that’s right for the job and your family. You can look for a house help through agencies that you can trust. Regardless of how you find a nanny candidate, be vigilant about background searches, screenings, and reference checks, and spend as much time gauging the rapport you have or don’t have with a candidate. It’s vital that both you and your children feel comfortable in her presence, since how you feel is just as important as what you see on paper.