what do nannies want most from employers??

One of my main ones would being on time as many have said. In one of my jobs the dad came back over two hours late no phone call and his phone was switched of. Sticking of booze it had been very clear where he had been. And I didn't even get a sorry, that didn't last very long me being there. If parents think they may be running late if say a meetings looking like its going to run over etc it takes two mins to send a quick text, and not ringing saying your going to be late when you should of been back by then. Giving me the freedom to choose suitable activities and having 100%trust in the fact I know what I am doing. For me the two main things would be time keeping which I know you can't always relie on london transport, but just keeping the nanny aware. And paying on time..we all have stuff to pay for. Hope that helps a little.

Imo, a "proper" payroll company would not just calculate the wages and generate the payslip, but would move the money on the specified day for you and debit your account.

I believe that there is a least one company that will do this, but it adds a substantial cost to the process and a time delay, so I don't think there is much take-up. I may be interested in canvassing opinion on this...

MrAnchovy - thanks for giving me a kick up the arse inspiring me to contact my CCV providers. Got an apology and a guarantee that funds will be with my nanny for her payday.

Backing the nanny up in front of the children. My boss did this she then phoned me later to talk about it as she didn't agree with what I had done.

Result was I went home happy she called me later when the kids were in bed. I don't remember what the issue was except I was happy to do it her way next time. The other thing was she liked the children's clothes folded like in gap, I wasn't very good at it we turned it into a little joke. Funny thing is she was right they do fit in draws better and guess what that how I fold my kids cloths.

The job I hated come the end (when I left to have a baby) had wanted to reduce my hours so they could employ a second nanny so that when I had a baby they could then just increase her hours. I was only part time (I had 2 Jobs) and it was my first day back after a miscarriage. Thought less

Parents coming home on time, giving the nanny time off (if they are home then either letting the nanny go home early or letting them have a day off) being thankful, being fair but i think the main one is if they come home on time to let the nanny go home rather then shopping or doing whatever just to make the most of what they are paying for not to be burdened with alot of chores for example a nannies responsibilities are not the same as a cleaner. .If you want a nanny to keep her/his job then she needs perks in her/his job.

Hmmm, voucher companies aren't generally permitted to do this. Are you sure it is not your employer that is putting back the date they hand over the money to the voucher provider? Either way, you should raise this with your employer.

Yes, I agree MrAnchovy, and that's what I've always done in the past - but the CCV provider has moved the payment date by more than 3 weeks over the past 6 months. I'm on maternity leave at the moment and it will hurt if I have to defer a month of CCVs in the future (and we've gone into debt to keep our nanny enployed while I'm off work). But as you say, it's my problem not her's. I don't think she's even aware that the CCV provider has been playing silly beggars.

I turned down a nanny job as the list of non-childcare related jobs got longer each time I spoke to potential MB (shopping, laundry & ironing, taking in dry cleaning, cooking lunch for working from home DB etc) and it dawned on me that I would be hard pushed to find any time to play with the children or take them anywhere. So for me the important thing is that if the job is described as childcare, that is what it is, not PA cum dogsbody.

Don't overstretch. You can give a pay increase at end of probation, end of year, that sort of thing. Your nanny won't thank you if you initially offer a salary which in 3-6 months time you realise you can't afford.

As has been said on this thread many times, it's not all about the money. Though until you come up with a starting salary figure, in my view the job does not exist and people can't really apply for it as it may not pay them what they NEED to earn.

CinnabarRed if you want to take advantage of the tax relief, it is up to YOU to make sure your nanny is not out of pocket. Most people using vouchers effectively hold them a month in arrears.

Oh I would just like to add with regards to as high a salary as possible

One nanny friend of mine earns £70 pw nett more than me for half the work load.

You know what? I wouldn't swap jobs under any circumstances.

I earn a good wage, it pays the bills and leaves a bit left over for treats and a small amount is saved each week too.

Money isn't everything. As long as I have enough to get by and some, then being with great employers who treat you right means the world to me.

As an employer, I'm getting increasingly annoyed by the company that administer my childcare vouchers. I make sure our nanny receives the cash element of her pay like clockwork; it's taking longer and longer for the CCVs to reach her and I have to keep moving the payment date forward so the company has time to process them. I actually can't move the CCV payment date forward any further because now the same day as the CCV comes in from my employer, and I can't change provider because my employer only uses one firm.

Our nanny is wonderful. I happily bend over backwards to meet her requests, not least because I know she wouldn't ask if it wasn't important to her.

Novice - the issue is if you are using a gross pay contract, and especially if the Inland Revenue dick about with the Nanny's tax code. Then the net pay amount can be different every month and you can't set it up on Standing Order, you have to do it manually every time. If you key it in before the end of the month, it can come out at surprisingly random times (especially if the month end falls on a weekend) If it comes out early the money may not be there, if it comes out late it may end up being the start of the next month. So you have to remember to key it in on the day you want the money to move. It's a bugger (pardon my French). Imo, a "proper" payroll company would not just calculate the wages and generate the payslip, but would move the money on the specified day for you and debit your account. As it stands, there's always the risk the employer will have a brain fart and forget. Genuinely forget, but that's no help to the Nanny if their mortgage is due.

I think the thing to remember (I'm an employer, not a Nanny, but have stayed friends with past Nannies so have some idea what bugs them) is that it's not just an employer-employee relationship, it's also a jobshare. Nannies that come in on Monday to find the house like a bombsite, no food in the fridge, heaps of washing and the kids spoiled rotten because the parents have been underminding agreed discipline rules all weekend - get incredibly narked. You'd be the same if you were doing a jobshare and you came in on Monday with deadlines to beat and found your email was all to cock and you couldn't find anything in your files. If the person you were jobsharing with was also your boss and clearly thought they were paying you enough to clean up after them, that wouldn't make you feel any happier about it.

Mind you, there may be good reasons that the house is a disaster on Monday mornings. If you have an incredibly hyper job you may have to fit the whole of the rest of your life into the weekend and just not have the time or energy to eg clean the kitchen. But in that case get the cleaner to come Monday mornings. Or at the very least, apologise.

Ah, thanks Nick. Being paid weekly was probably the only thing my nanny asked for so was happy to accomodate it. I pay exactly the same amount each week, out of my bank account on Wednesday (like Magic's employer) which arrives in her bank account on a Friday. I true up when I pay the tax to hmrc on a quarterly basis. Nannytax charge the same whether they do weekly or monthly payslips. In this day and age, I am genuinely shocked that people would be so rude as to forget to pay on time!!

Novice, that's what I wondered too.

Although, when I started the job, I was being paid on a friday, but, due to delays in bank transfers I wouldn't see it in my account till monday or tues. That's no ones fault though I guess. My employers kindly set up the transfer on the wednesday so it appeared in my account on the friday.

I would have thought that monthly payment would be more then norm, as payroll companies can charge more for doing weekly payslips rather than monthly.
Pay can vary month to month (or pay period to pay period) so standing order may not be suitable. Thus I suspect a lot of employers wait for the payslip to come through and then aim to remember to transfer the money to the nannies bank account before the end of the month.

Sorry to hi jack but I have to ask.....I often see the comment about employers not paying on time. How??!! I pay my nanny on a weekly basis by standing order. Isn't that the norm?

Fairness.

Agree with all of the above, but, would also like to add

Compassion if sudden bereavement occurs especially a close family member. Don't expect to be given prior warning, sometimes there is no warning. If they need time off pls be considerate. (bitter experience talking here)

It's hard to explain, but, the job I am in at the moment don't need to buy me flowers/chocs/wine etc I just know I am appreciated. I'm fortunate enough to have employers that back me up, pay me on time, leave a generous kitty, leave the house in the same state they expect to find it (ie a place for everything and everything in it's place, not expecting me to be running at the back of them). They always text if they are running late as well.

It's the little things that count.

very true timetosmile

basically treat your nanny as you would like your employer to treat you

Not a nanny but an employer who pays on time!

I think my nanny appreciates...

A kitty is a must to allow her to be independant... to go off for the afternoon / potter down the High street and go for coffee and a cake with DC.

Being employed until 6..as I usually am home by 5.30 it gives us both a bit of flexibility.

Me coming down like a ton of bricks if I hear DC being a bit cheeky to her and backing her up discipline-wise.

Accommodating her preferred leave dates by planning (often several months ahead) where possible.

Remembering Birthdays, Easter etc with presents and card..DCs made her a birthday cake and they all had party food with her for tea though whether she wanted cocktail sausages and crisps for her evening meal is debatable

I think most of it boils down to a little thoughtfulness and good manners!

very true nick - thats what i meant but you said it much better

Stella - has your nanny said they will take the job at this stage? Your nanny will have a salary they NEED to earn, if you can't meet that, then no amount of perks will make them work for you.

I went for an interview once where the family would not permit the nanny to leave the home/garden during their working day (yes, the agency didn't mention that prior to interview).

So giving your nanny some freedom, not micromanage them. Start off as you mean to go on... if it becomes clear more management is needed, then do so but don't start off that way.

obv a nice salary helps as much as i love children i also do this as a job as have bills etc to pay - so yes being paid ON TIME is essential- it is amazing how many of my friends dont get paid on time :(

being home on time is also important, obv trains are delayed/meetings over run etc, but if you are meant to be at home by 6.30 so need to leave the office by 5, you ring at 5pm NOT at 5.30/6 saying you will be late

NEVER undermind - always back up, just as us nannies will back up the parents

if you come home early then either keep out of the way and let the nanny do their job, or let them go early and you finish off tea/bath - dont get in the way as tbh many children play up when their parents come home and what was a peaceful household comes manic

and a thank you/odd bunch of flowers wine if your my employer goes a long way