Guide to Hiring a Nanny During The COVID-19 Pandemic
What do you need to know in hiring a nanny during the coronavirus pandemic?
“We’ve been very careful about COVID exposure and expect the person we hire to be as well,” Becky McCabe wrote in a Facebook babysitters’ group.
Hiring a nanny takes a lot of time and is quite tough. Thankfully, the advancement of technology helps us to reach the applicants looking for the job position. Since you may get many options or candidates by posting jobs online, the next question here is, which among them is the most trusted and reliable one?
Hiring a Trusted Nanny During a Pandemic, Is it Possible?
When the pandemic has been lifted, the manpower of every industry became slower due to the restrictions. Some companies have been able to find a way to innovate, while some struggled and decided to shut down the businesses.
Outsourcing skilled workers becomes tougher, especially in finding trusted nannies. This is the main concern of the parents, although they are working from home. Thankfully, with the advancement of technology, it is easier to let nanny applicants know that you need a service. You can post a job on social media platforms like Facebook or known websites known for providing childcare and senior care like.
Some parents are now working from home. They tried to juggle work and family responsibilities. Indeed it is possible to work while taking care of the kids. However, it is exhausting--sometimes you have no "me time" anymore, and you experienced burnout due to exhausting duties.
Before minor issues become major, you should admit to yourselves that you need help. Now considering hiring a trusted nanny.
Fortunately, hiring a nanny in Chicago will never be an issue as there are tons of reputable agencies here--one of them is Karen's Nanny Agency.
So is it possible to hire a nanny amid the pandemic? YES! It is
Why is it hard to find a nanny during a pandemic?
Last year, researchers saw a growing number of child care crisis, forcing other moms to resign from work to focus on their kids. (Schochet, "The Child Care Crisis,” 2019)
The issue with child care continued to grow as a new policy ordered some daycares closed, and caretakers such as nannies, babysitters, and even grandparents were advised to stay at home. (Courage "Day Care, Grandparent,” 2020)
Although some companies consider a work-from-home set-up so moms won't need to go to the offices, there are still problems. For parents, this set-up could mean extra effort and juggling responsibilities as an employee and parents.
Imagine this situation. You are working with your reports or having a meeting, but you need to do morning household chores. Besides, there are distractions like the noises of your kids.
So even if you are working from home, you still need the help of a nanny... and you need to make sure to hire a trusted nanny for the safety of your home and family.
The Challenges of working-from-home among parents
Work-from-home was not common until this pandemic came. Not all people know the situation of employees who have been working remotely. Many have finally realized that working remotely had no differences from working at offices--sometimes are tougher because you are managing household chores and your job at the same time.
Although not ready, some companies and professionals around the world explore work-from-home setup due to the pandemic. Thus, many employees created home offices to continue working despite the situation. (Fabiano, "Working from home," 2020)
Schools and daycare closed their doors. With that, all members of the families are in their homes following the pandemic policy.
Working from home may sound awesome! Imagine no more worrying about waking up early to avoid traffic. You can wake up less than 30 minutes before your shift, and more traveling is required to start working. However, this setup did not change your regular household chores. If you are a parent who has been working remotely, you know the challenges and benefits of WFH.
Below are the usual challenges when you are working from home.
Multitasking is tougher
Managing household chores like cooking meals, cleaning the house, teaching lessons to keep up with online learning, and managing your job schedules are among the tasks that most parents are juggling every day. You are not superhuman. It is better to hire someone to do household chores and watch your kids while you are busy.
Interruptions
Expect random interruption when you are working from home. Children may also interrupt you while you are in a meeting because of some house concerns. If you want to avoid this problem, better have a room that will be your office. Besides, if random noise is normal in your place, especially if you have kids, this is enough reason to hire a nanny now.
Anxiety due to stress
Daily multitasking jobs are exhausting, thus may affect your physical and mental health.
Feeling being overwhelmed, leading to burnout
There is no boundary between work and personal life as you already establish an office in your home.
No Boundaries: Work-Life vs. Family Life
According to a survey, 15,000 people were asked what distracts them often when working from home--62% of the respondents answered that children or family demanding attention were number one. (Get A Desk, 2019)
In this case, it is better to inform your family what time is crucial that requires no distractions. However, if you have kids and your partner also has a job, you may consider hiring a part-time nanny to take care of the kids while you are unavailable.
Benefits of hiring a trusted nanny
Why do we need a trusted and reliable nanny in this current situation? Since many of us are now working remotely and can't escape the adulting responsibilities, especially for children, it will be difficult for you to juggle all the jobs--as a mom or dad and as an employee.
Admit it! You're not a superhero! You can't do all the things at once. To provide for the needs of your family, you need to take some rest as well. You can only do it if someone will help you with some household chores and watch over and take care of your kids.
If you think you need to hire a nanny legally, don't hesitate to do it, as it is now easier to find a reputable nanny agency in Chicago.
Whether you hire a full-time nanny or part-time nanny, she will make sure you have privacy while on a meeting or working. Having a professional nanny in your home gives you peace of mind as you know someone is taking care of your child.
Guide in finding a nanny 2021
Finding candidates for a nanny position is easy once you post a job hiring online. If you really want to get the best one, invest time, patience, and budget. For sure, there are plenty of candidates who will submit their applications once you post a job hiring on social media platforms. However, the most challenging part of hiring a nanny is background checking.
If you have enough time to background check screen the applicants, that will be great. But if you have a job, it is an issue.
Ask yourself what you need
Full-time nanny vs. part-time nanny? The answer is depending on your needs and situation. If you have a full-time job, hiring a full-time nanny will benefit you as she is available anytime, and you can depend on any time.
Hiring a part-time nanny is also good. However, you need to budget your time wisely, as since she's a part-time nanny, she needs to leave the house once her time is up.
Know your budget
If you want to good service, you must be prepared for the payment. Besides, it is also important to hire someone who can establish loyalty--of course, and you need to pay her fairly. You also need to factor in additional expenses for activities, annual raises, and bonuses.
To give you an idea about the expenses of hiring a nanny, consider asking an agency.
Post a job online
You can post a job opening online--it could be on Facebook or Twitter. But the easiest way is to call a nanny agency and ask if they have some referrals.
Consult professional nanny agent
No doubt our friends and family are always there to help us. Certainly, these are the people you will think of when you decide to hire a nanny. If a referral came from them, you are confident that this person will provide a good service.
However, in the nanny industry, hiring a professional requires a sanity check. To ensure to hire a nanny that can meet your expectation, it is better to consult a nanny agency.
Interview: Prepare your questions
Well, your questions are basic. However, it is better you jot them before meeting the candidates. Your questions will be based on your needs. Here's the list of basic questions.
Never skip background checking and references
Background checking is very important in hiring as you need to know this person's previous jobs and her previous employers' impression--so ask some references as well. You can only establish trust in a person if you know some details about her.
Screening Time
Background checking usually takes 2-3 days. If you don't take the time to check your candidate's history, issues may occur in the future. As mentioned earlier, it is better to file a leave as background checking and screening time will eat up your time.
You may consider consulting a nanny agency in screening services as they may have networks that will be useful for background checking.
Remember, you are hiring a person who will take care of your kids and ensuring the safety of your family.
Document every detail
A work agreement is important for both employees and employers, and all of them should sign. This paper is proof of what you had agreed upon and the expectations during the employment.
The document should contain the start date, hourly pay rate, the schedule, benefits offered, the expectation for child care, and other additional duties. Paperwork may sometimes be confusing and tiring as you have to detail everything. But working with a nanny agency, you are worry-free as the agent will guide you with how to start with it and might give you a sample nanny work agreement.
Karen’s Nanny Agency offers premium nanny services. Choosing a candidate is actually tricky. To help you choose, a nanny agency will outsource candidates and screen the perfect candidate for your kids.
Finding a Reliable Nanny in Chicago
The benefits of a nanny agency
Although it is pandemic, finding candidates for nanny positions is not an issue in Chicago. However, when it comes to hiring, whether a full-time, part-time, live-in nanny or live-out nanny, you deserve to get a suitable one that can provide your family's needs.
You need to invest time, effort, and budget to hire a nanny. Since many parents are busy and need a helping hand in hiring, a nanny agency like Karen Nanny Agency helps lessen the burden.
Other benefits of working with a nanny agency are the following:
Ensure to hire a nanny legally
Has access to professional nanny networks
Help and guide you on the interview process
Offers your family support and guidance during the nanny interview process
They screen the candidates
Why trust Karen’s Nanny Agency?
Karen’s Nanny Agency is one of the credible nanny agencies in Chicago. Karen understands the parents' needs. With that, they developed extensive methods in recruiting, interviewing, and screening applicants to ensure you can choose the perfect nanny for your kids
They offer two hiring options, full-time and part-time.
Full-time nanny
Hiring full-time is the best choice if you have a full-time job. Karen’s Nanny Agency's full-time nanny works 35+ hours per week. Suppose you need an extra pair of hands to help you around daily family and childcare life. Most young children need someone to watch over them. With a full-time nanny, she can establish a daily routine with your kids to make them feel calm, secure, and loved. So even if you are not available, your kids are safe and get all their needs.
Part-time Nanny
Unlike a full-time nanny, a part-time nanny works less than 35 hours. So if you don't need a nanny the whole day, this is the best option. Maybe those who work from home may consider this option.
Reference(s):
“Get a Desk for a Day!” Magazine US, 25 Nov. 2019, www.regus.com/work-us/en-us/get-a-desk-for-a-day/.
Katherine Harmon Courage "Day Care, Grandparent, Pod Or Nanny? How To Manage The Risks Of Pandemic Child Care" NPR 21 August 2020
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/08/21/902613282/daycare-grandparent-pod-or-nanny-how-to-manage-the-risks-of-pandemic-child-care
Jennifer Fabiano, "Working from home is hardest for this specific group of people" Ladders, Ladders, 14 July 2020
https://www.theladders.com/career-advice/working-from-home-parents-coronavirus
Leila Schochet, "The Child Care Crisis Is Keeping Women Out of the Workforce" Center for American Progress," Center for American Progress, 09 April 2019
https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/early-childhood/reports/2019/03/28/467488/child-care-crisis-keeping-women-workforce/