Requesting or offering a raise is a topic you want to handle delicately. It’s important to be assertive, realistic, organized and professional. A few thoughts to consider:
- Conducting a nanny review.
This is imperative before you can move on to point number 2. A nanny review is something employers will conduct. A nanny can perform a family review as the employee. The nanny review should cover the following big topics:
- Childcare tasks. Is attention to safety a daily focus? Are age appropriate activities offered along with encouraging development? Successful with daily tasks- feedings, meal prep, attention to hygiene? Following parents wishes, parenting style and discipline methods?
- Work environment. Is a positive, enthusiastic work environment being implemented?
- Work habits. Arriving to work on time ready to work? Reliable and dependable? How are the communication skills?
- Job performance. Are the daily responsibilities being completed? Taking initiative, going above and beyond or completing just what’s requested by the family?
- Areas of excellence. This topic is going to be something you’ll want to focus on when making your points for why you deserve a raise.
- Areas of improvements. Ask the family for feedback and constructive criticism.
- How much and why.
Realistically, what would you like to offer/ask for and why? Typical raises are 50 cents to a dollar more per hour annually. If the expectations of the job have changed (I.E. more tasks, increased hours, etc.) it’s appropriate to request a raise sooner than the year anniversary. If the nanny review is positive, it provides evidence a raise is appropriate. If expectations are not being met, reevaluate if a raise is suitable. Be clear about what the request is or what’s being offered. Save the guessing game and be precise! This will make it much easier for everyone!
- How and when.
In my opinion, you don’t have to start off with a formal sit down. I think people get nervous or talk too much (🙋♀️) resulting in the wrong impression. There is nothing wrong with clearly and thoughtfully outlining thoughts in an email. Give the other party time to consider and process the request/offer. Then set a day and time to discuss it in more detail. Setting a timeline will also give a nanny and a family the opportunity to conduct the appropriate reviews. Don’t spring a raise request on a parent at 5:15 pm when they walk through the door. Don’t expect an answer right away. An answer within a few days- yes, but not on the spot. Don’t ask for a raise every few months. A family is likely to feel burned out at that point and possibly even nervous the requests will keep coming.
- Remember this:
- Keep it short and sweet. Don’t let the focus get lost in specifics of the reviews. Instead, let the review speak for itself.
- Avoid mentioning life circumstances. Adding emotion will take away from the professionalism and often be viewed negatively. No one wants to hear the “whoa-is-me,” my car needs new tires, they raised my rent, my kid’s baseball costs increased, blah, blah, blah. We all have expenses, and I’m sure we can all justify why we think we should have more money in our pockets. Talk about those things with a friend, not your employer or employee.
