Nanny seems to have lost attention to detail

[SuiGeneris]

Our nanny of three years is about to go on mat leave (a few weeks to go) and seems to have lost all attention to detail. I have come home multiple times to find the potty not emptied, clothes crumpled rather than folded, nanny diary unwritten (important to us as we do not often overlap for long), even the front door unlocked with everybody upstairs. Other times I have come home early to find her shouting at the toddler. Very often I get home at 6.30 with both kids in PJs in bed, which seems too early to me. Last night there was a little overtime (just under an hour), I came home to find her texting on the sofa. The house was superficially tidy but I have found this morning clothes unwearable because they were crumpled on a chair and had been sat upon, plastic bibs greasy from last night, washed pants left soaking wet by the sink... Each in itself a little thing (though not the unlocked door and the shouting) but together v irritating, esp as we are paying a good salary, good benefits and are going out of our way to make life easy for her (eg very long overlap period with maternity cover so that she does not get overtired in the last month). I have mentioned these things as they happened in a low key way but now I feel it is the time for a sterner chat (verbal warning.?). How would you approach it?

She doesn't care cos she's not coming back....that's what it would say to me. You need to tell her she will eventually need a reference from you, and you will only be able to say the truth, so she should make sure their are only good things to say. She could be feeling really tired though, so you could cut her a little slack, tricky I know, when she is looking after your dc.

How has her pregnancy been?

By this point in all my pregnancies I have been ready to drop, especially looking after the smaller ones. She's not exactly the worst worker in the world is she?

Good point re the reference. And no, of course she has been very good in the past, but even allowing for the pregnancy I think standards have dropped too much. We have made many adjustments to make her life easier while pregnant and DCs are having much quieter days than before (and than we and they would like), so it is not like we are expecting everything to be the same. But even at 39 weeks I managed to lock the door and clean up after myself. And mine were difficult pregnancies...

Maybe just have a chat to her, have you made arrangements for when she returns to work?
I've found that some days I really loose my mind! I'm 19+5 so still relatively early in pregnancy, but my brain does feel like it has turned to mush every now and then.
At 37 weeks to still be nannying and occassionally working later, that sounds pretty hard going to me, it's not an easy job at the best of times. Aside from security issues, they need addressing immediately, do you not think you could cut her some slack?

You may have found late pregnancy ok and busied yourself cleaning and tidying. I didn't!!! I found late pregnancy very difficult. I was in constant pain and discomfort and was exhausted through lack of sleep.
I think your being harsh and should really cut your nanny some slack. She's been a good nanny for a long time; any future reference should reflect this obviously.
Previous poster suggesting she's leaving so doesn't care any more is very mean IMO. We have no idea if this is the case. She should be given the benefit if the doubt.
Your nanny might be struggling with late pregnancy, instead of being critical why don't you ask her if she's struggling? Maybe help her out, reduce her workload a little. Be kind....

Oh and can't believe verbal warnings and such are even being considered really.

Just to be clear, we are talking second trimester, not 37 weeks. And I have no intention of giving a bad reference but all people worth their salt ask about niggles, things that could have gone better, times when chats were needed to raise standards, deal with motivation issues etc and when asked about that I would have to be truthful (not answering is even worse).

Could you simply tell her that the standards have slipped beyond what is acceptable. Even with giving some slack for her being pregnant, the standard has slipped too low.

Perhaps ask her if there is anything that would make things easier, such as having a very regimented routine for late afternoon, so children don't end in in bed too early.

Prioritise the key things, like safety. Other things may be key to you, such as what they ate, slept, places been. Other things may not be quite so important, like doing the laundry. Discuss what you feel are the key important things, find a workable solution for the less important stuff.

So she's second trimester but about to go on maternity leave? Have I misunderstood or is that quite early to start maternity leave?

Maybe there is something going on you don't know about. She might be finding working as a nanny through her pregnancy very tiring. She might be hormonally forgetful.

If she's been a good nanny, maybe you could cut her some slack. And as she's about to go on maternity leave, is it even worth having the chat? Might you just overlook the domestic slackness (obv shouting issue is different) if it's related to her pregnancy?

Read the OP's posts! She's said there's a long overlap with mat leave.

I think it sounds like you're being fair and considerate. She's paid to do a job and if she feels she can't do it properly, she needs to discuss it with you. It does sound like she's not planning on coming back and is coasting in her last few weeks (as we all probably do a bit at work, but not so much that it's noticeable). The problem is that it's all very noticeable in her line of work.

Apologies, I thought she was at 37weeks- this is my baby brain effect!

If it's second trimester, she could still be affected by hormones, as I clearly am, however, as I said in my pp security issues must be dealt with immediately.

Opposed to a written warning, can you just not talk to her. See if there is a bigger problem. I wouldn't at all suggest she is thinking of leaving you, that's a huge assumption to make, based on very little from your OP.

What are your plans when she is away? What are your plans when she returns from maternity leave? If she has always been a good nanny, and it's suddenly taken a turn, then there will be a reason, and it may be greater than just being pregnant.

I bath and have kids in pjs by 6.30. What time ru home?

Maybe say to nanny you will bath.

Duties like diary filled in and general tidying up should be done so have a gentle word and say you have noticed not everything is done and is she ok?

I get home around 6,30 and kids in PJs are fine, it's being in bed reading that seems too early. I could understand it at 7, but 6.30 is too early.

Am finding this difficult because we do like her and she has been a good nanny: our plan has always been to try and arrange things to make sure she would be able to come back (we even considered quite carefully how a nwoc arrangement could work) but the last few weeks make us wonder whether we should, and I am sad it should come to this. I know the only way to avoid it is to tackle the lower standards (as I would with any of my direct reports at work) but am not sure how, esp as she has never been managed properly before by her other employers.

then just say to nanny that its great she baths them etc but can she keep them up so you can see them, unless you are home after 7pm and in which case can she put them to bed

I would just sit her down and have a talk with her. Don't make it formal but make it clear that you want to address some concerns you have. If you've previously made comments do her casually, while she's doing other tasks, she may well a) not have heard or understood properly or b) thought they were minor and has forgotten you even said anything.

You could give her a handwritten list so she doesn't forget, and also ask her for feedback as well. And encourage her to talk about any health issues she's having and if certain things are more stressful now she's pregnant.

Was that to me, loveisagirlnameddaisy, the 'read the OP's posts' comment?

SuiGeneris I think judging how she might be back at work with her baby based on how she is in pregnancy might not be reflective of her abilities as a nwoc. In what ways has she never been properly managed before?

I think a conversation might be in order but I also think the issues that have recently come up have changed the way you think of her as an employee. Is she likely to want to return to work without her baby?

I guess it depends what you'd agreed in her contract. Washed pans beside the sink not dry would not bother me at all (sometimes our nanny leaves stuff dirty and that annoys me but not much if they are at least stacked neatly). Ditto the door - would never occur to me to lock door unless I was asleep or had gone out (but we do live somewhere rural down a long drive so maybe that's a biggie where you live)

Sleepless: washed pans would be fine, washed but soaking wet crumpled pants less so. As for locking the door it is an absolute must as we live an in urban area with daytime crime.

Contract specifies all nursery duties plus leaving house clean and tidy (I expect people to leave it as I would after a day with the kids), so none of the below is out of scope.

In any event, I approached it softly as suggested, mentioning the biggies only for the moment (door, mostly) and it seems to have worked. Thank you for the perspectives.

Glad she's pulled her socks up a bit.

I know the only way to avoid it is to tackle the lower standards (as I would with any of my direct reports at work) but am not sure how, esp as she has never been managed properly before by her other employers.
She's been your nanny for 3 yrs? I don't think you can blame her previous employers to be fair

I am guessing that there has been no need as she has previously been excellent in every respect. I appreciate how irritating it is, but I would approach it gently as good childcare is very hard to find. Everyone has a bad day now and then, never mind when pregnant.
Two kids in bed by 6.30 reading. I don't know how old they are but I'd view that as super nanny territory. I would assume that they'd had a strenous day and a shorted nap than usual. If I found my nanny was shunting my kids off to bed early for a quiet life and shouting at them I'd take a dim view though.