Domestic Staff Retention Advice

Elite domestic staff agency and housekeeper agency Bespoke Bureau discuss domestic staff retention advice for those wanting their team to stay on long term. Call us today for more information on: +442032900142 or email: info@bespokebureau.com

domestic staff

Happy Domestic Staff: Create a winning team

Create the right balance

Domestic Bliss has never been harder to achieve, as the employer of domestic staff you will know it is hard to find good domestic staff for your household; domestic staff that anticipate your every need are very rare, combined with this reality, household staff are moving from job-to-job more frequently than they use to. Why?

While it is a well proven strategy for companies to offer their customers such things as: gifts, discounts etc in an effort to maintain their customer’s loyalty, we wonder if the leaders of those same companies do whatever they can to maintain the loyalty of their domestic staff?

Employers and Domestic staff retention advice

Years of discussions with domestic staff and their employers, we have established that the staff that hold their employers in high esteem are the same ones that work more effectively. Similarly, such staff are prepared to commit themselves to working for many years in the same household.

What creates this high esteem? We discuss the information we gleaned from our discussions with domestic staff and employers. This, in the hope that it might help you achieve a harmonious working environment in your own private household.

Improve the relationship and retention with your domestic staff

Here are a few ‘little’ things that you can do for your domestic staff that needn’t cause you inconvenience, or cost you the earth.

Invest in Communication & Clear Expectations

One of the biggest contributors to staff turnover in private households is unclear expectations. Many disputes and disappointments can be avoided with regular, transparent communication. Consider:

• Clear job descriptions – Review them annually and adjust as the household’s needs evolve.

• Regular one-to-one check-ins – A short weekly or monthly meeting to give feedback and listen to your staff’s concerns goes a long way.

• Written guidelines & standards – Especially important in large households where multiple staff work together.

When staff feel informed, they feel empowered – and empowerment leads to loyalty.

Competitive Compensation Packages

Beyond salary, consider adding small yet impactful benefits:

• Private health insurance or dental cover.

• Annual travel allowance to visit family abroad.

• Seasonal bonuses based on performance.

• Accommodation upgrades (if they live in).

In the luxury staffing market, talented candidates have options – offering competitive packages helps you remain their first choice.

More advice

• At other times, and for no particular reason, you could give your domestic staff complimentary cinema, theatre or opera tickets. Or similarly, treat the staff to lunch, massage vouchers, gym membership, or even manicures for the maids. The financial outlay is insignificant – but the gains are incalculable.
• Offer to train your domestic staff in new skills. This is not just for your benefit but also for the benefit of the household staff too. By increasing their knowledge and skills, the domestic staff will have the satisfaction of knowing they are valued. Tip – we offer in house training for housekeepers and all other service staff. For example, housekeeper training.

Encourage Professional Growth

Many domestic staff thrive when they are challenged and given the opportunity to learn.

• Sponsor attendance at industry courses such as silver service training, wine knowledge, childcare, or housekeeping excellence.

• Provide cross-training so they can step into other roles when needed (for example, a housekeeper learning light cooking skills).

• Allow them to attend professional events, networking sessions, or trade shows related to their duties.

Our British Butler Academy offers bespoke in-house training that boosts both morale and household efficiency.

Have yourself a happy team – That’s the aim

Foster a Positive Work Culture

A luxury home runs best when the staff feel part of a respectful, collaborative team.

• Celebrate milestones together – even something as simple as an afternoon tea for achievements.

• Keep workplace gossip to a minimum; address issues quickly and privately.

• Acknowledge the individual strengths of each team member.

Happy staff become your best ambassadors – not just for your household, but also for the way you are perceived in your social circles.

Retention Tip: The ‘Welcome Back’ Strategy

If a valued staff member takes annual leave or travels to visit family, greet them on their return. A personal note, flowers in their room, or a small gift can make them feel missed and appreciated. This is a surprisingly rare gesture – yet it makes a profound impact.

Keep your house guests happy

A secondary benefit of having happy, long-term domestic staff members, is that they will have time to develop a rapport with your regular houseguests. Houseguests appreciate being looked after by the same person(s). Also, if your guests like your staff better than their own, you will have a certain satisfaction. Knowing that your home, and the service you offer your guests, is not only exceptional, but that it is envied by others is a good feeling.

Good Household Staff Management – Bespoke Bureau’s Ten Golden Rules

1. Respect and Trust your staff
2. Never ‘accuse’ your staff unless you are 100% sure, and have proof, that the incident/problem was caused by their negligence or will.
3. Never raise your voice, and NEVER reprimand staff in front of other domestic staff or anyone else.
4. Smile and show interest in your staff, their lives & family.
5. Being mean, vulgar or grotesquely decadent in front of domestic staff will cause immediate problems, and can return to haunt even the thickest-skinned person!
6. Be kind but firm, have a sense of humour and an occasional joke with your staff. However, keep your relationship on a professional level and never become too familiar.
7. Check with other employers or staff placement agents that the level of pay and benefits are in line with your expectations.
8. Praise your staff from time to time to let them know how much you appreciate everything they do for you.
9. If you are experiencing relationship or business problems, NEVER, EVER, ask your staff to take-sides, cover your back, or do anything that may compromise their neutrality.
10. Remember that ‘perfection’ is a rare commodity. Be realistic, and don’t set standards for your domestic staff that are unobtainable.

Why Retention Matters to the Employer

Staff turnover is not only inconvenient – it’s costly. Every time you hire anew, you invest in recruitment fees, onboarding, and a settling-in period where productivity may dip. Retaining staff:

• Preserves household consistency.

• Maintains trust and discretion.

• Protects your investment in training.

• Reduces disruption to your family and guests.

When your team knows they are valued, they will reward you with loyalty, exceptional service, and dedication to your home’s unique way of operating.

Summary:

If you take on board any of these tried and tested suggestions above, you could transform your household from one of constant change, disruption and unmotivated staff. Instead, you will have one where your domestic staff work well and thus contribute towards a harmonious working household that achieves great results.

Behind the closed doors: What are domestic staff complaining about?

It is curious that our conversations with household domestic staff and the employers of Domestic Staff agree that there are a few main gripes, which recur time-and-time-again. These more than anything, seem to contribute to ever shorter working relationships:

• Pension and long-term financial security. In the old days, domestic staff in the employ of the ‘master of the manor’ knew they would be given tenanted lodging and meals up to the day they died. Because of this, they stayed in their jobs for life; a domestic servant who changed jobs late in a career jeopardized everything!

More complaints by Domestic staff

• Tenanted accommodation is now a thing of the past. However, domestic staff still need to be secure in the knowledge that they will be financially sound in retirement. Domestic workers, seldom secure anything other than a miserly state government pension. Currently, with all the media attention focusing on the looming pension crisis, household staff are acutely aware of the problem. Thus, they are constantly looking for the best paid positions in private households, because they realize they must invest as much as possible for their retirement.

Hours vs pay

• The hours of work. There is a misconception that the the legal maximum ‘hours of work’, don’t apply to domestic staff. Both the employer and the employee must consider this issue with care. While the pay might be generous, the recipe of long-hours versa good pay will degenerate in the medium to long-term. Consider carefully the hours actually worked against the remuneration. Consider the legalities of what you are asking your domestic staff to do. Then then decide if the situation can be improved in a way that will ensure a long-term working relationship. It probably can. Also, we all work more effectively when not exhausted.

Final thought

The employer who tackles these above issues will have the very best domestic and household staff knocking down their door begging to be let in!

Good luck!

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