Here are some trends in household employment that offer insights for families to make smarter hiring decisions and develop strong relationships with their nannies:
1. Significant pay increases for nannies
It’s no secret that the demand for nannies has skyrocketed due to a number of factors like a preference for in-home care after the pandemic and limited availability in daycare facilities. This has led to some significant pay increases for nannies and for families seeking to keep their current caregivers.
In fact, 30 percent of families say that they have increased their nanny’s hourly rate by $4 or more in the last three years.
Takeaway: Families should evaluate their nanny’s pay rate – at the very least on an annual basis – to make sure it’s still competitive in the marketplace.
2. Important of vaccination status for nannies
Last year families rated “vaccinated for COVID-19” as 7.5 on a scale of 1-10 for important qualities when hiring a nanny. As COVID-19 lingers with new variants still causing health concerns, that jumped to an 8.6 in this year’s survey. It’s now the fourth most important quality a family is seeking in a nanny behind “demonstrated responsibility and trustworthiness,” “personality fit,” and “passion for childcare,” which remain the top three from last year. In addition, only 16 percent of families said they would hire a nanny who was not vaccinated for COVID-19.
Also, 82 percent of families said they have required their nanny to be vaccinated for COVID-19 as a condition of employment, making it one of the new household employment trends this year. In 2021, that number was just 36 percent.
Takeaway: Even in a tight job market, families still prefer – and may require – nannies who are vaccinated against COVID-19.
3. More nannies receiving health care benefits
In 2022, 26 percent of nannies are receiving some type of health care benefits (health insurance, health reimbursement account, or virtual medicine) from their employers. In 2021, just 16 percent of nannies had health benefits through their jobs. As we continue to deal with the current health crisis, nannies are likely now more aware of the importance of receiving health care.
Takeaway: Offering health care benefits can elevate a family as they compete for their most desirable nanny candidates or retain their top employees.
4. More families using agencies to hire nannies
Half of the household employers surveyed said they used an agency to find their current nanny up from 35 percent in 2021. Those using a paid nanny search website remained relatively flat at 24 percent.
Ninety-three percent of families said that “security/screening of candidates” was a top three reason (along with “time savings and hassle-free process” and “quality of candidates”) to work with an agency.
It’s also worth noting that nannies found through social media (like a Facebook group) increased to seven percent in 2022 (from just two percent last year).
Takeaway: Using an agency can provide peace of mind (and time savings) when searching for someone to care for your child in your home.
SOURCE: A New England Nanny
