Conducting a Professional Performance Review for Your Nanny
Feedback is a Gift
Many families are uncomfortable giving feedback to someone who works in their private home. They let small annoyances (being 5 minutes late, forgetting to empty the dishwasher) build up until they explode.
A scheduled Annual Review diffuses this tension.
The Agenda
- The "Keep Doing" List: Start with 3-5 specific things you love. "We love how you get the kids outside every day regardless of the weather."
- The "Pivot" List: Discuss 1-2 areas for adjustment. Frame it around the child's needs rather than the nanny's failure. "Now that Leo is dropping his nap, we need to be stricter about quiet time routines."
- The Raise: Reviews are the natural time to implement a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) or merit raise.
- Goal Setting: Does the nanny want to take a CPR refresher? Learn to cook new meals? Set a professional goal for the year.
The 360 Element
Ask the nanny for feedback on you as employers.
"Is there anything we can do to make your job easier? Are we communicating schedule changes early enough?"