Letting Your Nanny Go

The thoughts shared in this post are based solely on real experiences and do not in any way replace Labour Laws regarding employment and terminating appointments for domestic staff in the country. (Not sure why I felt the need to give this disclaimer but...)

So, for some reason, things are not working out with your housekeeper or nanny and you have made the decision to let him/ her go. It is not as simple as: ‘Anima, here’s your salary. Now pack your belongings and leave.’

Whether you are sending your nanny or househelp away because she is not delivering on work, is being attitudinal and disrespectful, or your family dynamics have changed and you no longer require their services, it has to be a structured and well thought-out process.

How do you execute it?

Have an honest conversation with him/her. Be clear in your communication and firm on your decision. Indicate what renumeration or other payment you have planned, especially if the notice is short. Give your best wishes and then say your goodbyes.

When do you communicate it?

From experience, it has been better to give short notice, and then give a payment in lieu of notice. Remember she has been in your home and has access to it until she leaves. A close friend had to change all of his door-locks after sending his nanny away because during the 48-hour period he gave her as notice of termination of employment, she teamed up with some of the boys in his neighbourhood and dedicated her final days to making copies of his house keys. I do not want to imagine what her plan was. If you intend for your nanny to leave the same day you communicate her termination to her, communicate it to her very early in the morning or even at dawn to enable them plan their trip back home, especially if she does not have any family in your city.

How do I bring in a replacement in this process?

Plan ahead and make necessary arrangements for her to come in, but on the blind side of the outgoing one.  If you intend to engage the agency that brought him/her, make sure they can be discreet or simply consider using a different agency altogether. Allow the outgoing nanny to completely pack out and leave, before the replacement comes in. Preferrably, they should not even meet at all, not even at the gate. Your new nanny is starting a new job and meeting the outgoing employee may not be the best morale-booster for him/her.

What if I need my outgoing nanny to train her replacement before she leaves? Letting the outgoing nanny train the incoming nanny may seem like a good idea but if the old nanny was that good she would not need to be replaced now, would she? You trained your outgoing nanny over a period, you can train the new one too. Besides, you cannot guarantee that the outgoing nanny and the new one may not build good rapport, with the new nanny deciding to leave with her too. I have seen it happen.

Terminating your nanny’s or help’s appointment can go smoothly with little to no drama if you are deliberate and think through the details.

All the best!

Did you try any of these? I’d love to hear from you how things went...