How do I maintain a strong working relationship with my domestic staff?
After finding and hiring a high-quality domestic staff member, it would be easy to make the mistake of thinking your role as an employer is done. If they’re a highly valued member of staff that you want to keep on long-term, it’s important to maintain this relationship. This is a vital, and often overlooked, part of being an employer.
Not only does having a strong professional relationship with your employees lower the risk of them leaving and finding employment elsewhere, but it’s also been shown in studies by both the University of Oxford and Warwick that stronger working relationships and happier employees boost productivity.
We understand that if you’re hiring domestic staff it’s likely due to other responsibilities and time constraints, and so subsequently won’t want to be worrying about these relationships. Below we’ve listed some of the simple ways in which you can keep a strong and professional relationship with your employees, without putting additional pressure on yourself.
Communicate
It’s important to keep an open line of communication with your employee. If you don’t address concerns at the time- there is a risk that the same issues will persist, causing the relationship to deteriorate.
By occasionally ‘touching base’, your employee will feel more comfortable coming to you with questions regarding their role and the tasks they complete- and in addition, you will also find it easier to mention it if things need to be done differently.
Be appreciative
Acknowledging your employee’s achievements when they do a good job- or exceed your expectations- can make them feel appreciated in the workplace which as a result will make them more likely to want to work harder. You can express this appreciation verbally, or, at your discretion, provide small perks or larger bonuses where you think suitable.
Establish professional boundaries
Similarly, it is important to keep your relationship with your domestic worker professional at all times. This doesn’t mean being cold- being friendly and exchanging pleasantries is encouraged!
However, it is vital that you establish clear boundaries that remind your employee that you are their employer. If these boundaries become blurred, it can cause things to become challenging in the workplace as you may be met with compromised work ethic and professionalism.
Meet your responsibilities as an employer
The most important way to maintain a strong working relationship with your staff is to adhere to employment law. This includes but isn’t limited to: contracts, payroll, pensions and HR. It’s important to familiarise yourself with the standards set by the UK government to ensure a fair working environment, in order to avoid facing legal or financial penalties. Not adhering to these laws will cause issues for both you and your employees.
Stafftax are committed to covering all your compliance needs including pensions, Contract of Employment and HR advice. With over 15 years of experience and a reputation for excellence, we offer an award-winning service that makes employing domestic staff easy and keeps you legally compliant as an employer.
