Managing a large and busy household takes work. When time is of the essence and resources already stretched thin, many households make the decision to bring in the support of domestic staff. From nannies and governesses to house managers and personal assistants, domestic staff can make everyday life that much easier, allowing homeowners to redirect their attention to more rewarding avenues like business ventures and securing quality family time.
However, simply having a full complement of staff isn’t enough. If you want to maximize household efficiency, you’ll need to invest in the services of elite staff.
Are you struggling to manage the daily demands of a particularly larger private household or estate? It might be time to bring in the expertise of an estate manager. A typical estate manager faces a broad remit that includes a variety of responsibilities, with these ultimately determined by the needs and specific conditions of an estate. An experienced estate manager brings many benefits to your everyday operation, from strategic planning to ensuring high standards of excellence across the board.
If you’re finding it a challenge to rein in an existing team of domestic staff, enlisting a house manager might be an idea. House managers serve as a direct line with your domestic team, ensuring the smooth-running of everyday operations and managing staff. As a rule, an effective house manager is a multi-tasking marvel, excels at organization, and boasts a keen eye for detail. By taking charge of day-to-day operations, house managers bring instant time savings to homeowners and lower stress levels significantly in the event of larger households.
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Another option for managing an efficient household is to bring in the support of a chief of staff. Tasked with everything from overseeing staff, organizing events, and delivering strategic support, a good chief of staff should excel when it comes to the coordination of day-to-day activities, dramatically streamlining workflows. Chiefs of staff can also bring efficiency gains elsewhere, including financial management. Working closely alongside financial advisors and accountants, a chief of staff takes care of expenses and budgets, making sure proper financial management is the standard in your household.
A great personal assistant is worth their weight in gold. The remit of a personal assistant can vary wildly between postings, although most are assigned tasks such as managing family schedules, planning household operations, helping out with personal errands, and managing household staff. If you’re drafting in a personal assistant, you can maximize efficiency by aligning workstyles, assigning boundaries, and being clear-cut when it comes to task priorities. Looking for a replacement PA or to install an executive assistant for the first time? Speak to Cora Partners today about elite household staffing solutions.
Another staple of larger households, private chefs take home dining to the next level. Along with preparing 5* star meals as standard, all meal timing and scheduling is taken care of for you, providing you with delicious dining experiences that work around your schedule. Private chefs also traditionally take charge of kitchen management, working alongside household managers to lighten the load.
No matter the size and needs of your residence, housekeepers are an integral part of any household staff. Charged with ensuring optimal organization, housekeepers maintain a clean and comfortable household at all times. From taking care of everyday cleaning to childcare support, laundry duty to household management tasks, housekeepers help free up your schedule across the board. What’s more, live-in housekeepers can deliver around-the-clock support for larger, busier households.
Butlers play a key role in the management and smooth-running of private households. They can be charged with general household management, coordinating other domestic staff like chauffeurs, housekeepers, and chefs to ensure essential tasks are completed and delivered in line with client’s expectations. What separates a great butler from a good one is their ability to recognize the individual needs of their clients. This makes it even more important to choose an experienced butler with relevant expertise when bringing a new one into the fold.
Quality childcare is a critical requirement for many clients. Offering personalized care to every family, nannies help foster a stable and calming environment for children, helping adults with everyday parenting duties, ensuring routines are adhered to, and much more. There are many different types of nanny roles out there, including those specializing in maternity care and special educational needs. For optimal efficiency, it makes sense to hire an experienced nanny from an elite provider. What’s more, expectations should be clearly outlined, with open lines of communication identifying successes and room for improvement.
No matter whether you’re hiring for a new nanny or looking for an experienced chef to overhaul home dining, there’s a lot you can do to streamline the onboarding process for fresh recruits. Most important is to clearly communicate your expectations from the role, bringing feedback to the table regularly as your new hire settles in. Scheduling is also crucial, ensuring everyone knows what they’re doing and when their tasks need to be completed.
Furthermore, make sure you're considering the working culture of your household and whether a candidate will prove a good fit. Above all else, recognize the importance of experience when shortlisting and hiring candidates. Elite staff make all the difference if you’re keen to capitalize on efficiency for a smooth-running and happy household.
