Stress is a fact of life and in many cases, it can be beneficial. But when workplace stress becomes overwhelming, it can lead to decreased productivity, employee burnout, and even health issues. For private households, reducing staff stress is a key component of employee retention and job satisfaction. Here are five easy strategies for reducing stress in the workplace.

1. Establish Clear Expectations - One of the most common causes of workplace stress is not knowing what's expected of you. Establish clear expectations with your employees and make sure they understand exactly what their responsibilities are and how they're expected to perform them. That way there's no confusion or ambiguity, which can quickly lead to feelings of stress and anxiety. This is particularly important and often neglected in a private domestic staffing scenario. You may have expectations on how your home is run, but those expectations may not be clear or apparent to a new member of household staff.

2. Offer Flexible Scheduling - It's essential to strike a balance between providing enough structure so that work gets done efficiently but also giving employees enough freedom to manage their own time as needed without feeling micromanaged or overwhelmed by deadlines or expectations. Offering flexible scheduling options can help reduce stress levels significantly.

3. Allow Breaks During the Day - Taking regular breaks throughout the day helps employees recharge their batteries and stay focused on their tasks at hand. Encourage your employees to take short breaks during the day—even if only for five minutes—to help them relax and refocus before getting back to work again refreshed and ready to tackle whatever tasks come their way.

4. Provide Supportive Resources - If an employee feels like they're struggling with their workload or unable to complete tasks effectively due to lack of resources or support from supervisors, it can be incredibly stressful for both parties involved. Providing supportive resources such as additional training opportunities or access to helpful tools can give employees the confidence they need to succeed without feeling overwhelmed by too much responsibility being placed on their shoulders alone.

5. Encourage Self-Care Practices - Last but not least, encourage your team members to practice self-care in order to reduce workplace stress levels overall. Self-care could include anything from regular exercise routines and healthy eating habits, taking time off for leisure activities or simply taking a few minutes each day for quiet contemplation or mindfulness practices like meditation or yoga. Allowing your team members the space and support necessary for self-care can have a huge impact on overall workplace morale and productivity levels too!

Reducing stress in the workplace should be top priority for any employer of household staff looking to foster positive working relationships with their employees while maintaining high performance standards at the same time. Implementing these five strategies—establishing clear expectations; offering flexible scheduling; allowing regular breaks; providing supportive resources; encouraging self-care practices—can go a long way towards creating an environment where everyone is able work productively without being weighed down by excessive amounts of pressure or expectation overloads!

If you’re looking for a role in private household staff, you may be wondering what type of roles are available and how to get started. This article will provide an overview of the types of private household staff positions, as well as tips for finding and applying for these jobs.

Types of Private Household Staff Positions
There are many types of private household staff positions available. Some of the most common roles include butlers, chefs, housekeepers, nannies, gardeners, chauffeurs and security specialists. Each position requires specific skills and training so it is important to research each job thoroughly before applying.

Finding Private Household Staff Positions
The best way to find private household staff jobs is through online job boards or recruitment agencies that specialise in such roles. It is also beneficial to network with other professionals in this field who can provide advice and contacts that may be useful when searching for jobs. Additionally, many employers advertise their job openings on social media platforms such as LinkedIn or Facebook.

Applying for a Position
When applying for a position in private household staff it is important to have an up-to-date resume which should include relevant experience, references and any additional qualifications you may possess which could set you apart from other applicants. You should also make sure your cover letter is tailored specifically to the job you are applying for; this shows the employer that you have taken the time to consider their requirements carefully and taken the initiative to craft a unique application. During your interview, it is essential to demonstrate your enthusiasm and dedication towards the role, as well as having excellent communication skills and a positive attitude towards working with others.

Working in private household staff can be extremely rewarding; however it does require special skills and knowledge that must be acquired through training or experience before one can apply for these positions successfully. It is essential to stay informed about the different types of private household staff roles available so that you can properly prepare yourself for each job application; networking with professionals in this field can also prove invaluable when looking for employment opportunities. With hard work and dedication there will always be a place within this industry if you have the right skillset!

Very professional

Recruiting private household staff now often involves conducting initial interviews over a video call. The pandemic has made most of us reasonably proficient and familiar with various video calling applications such as Zoom, Teams and FaceTime.

The benefits to this in recruitment are clear. It saves both the client and candidate a great deal of time as well as potentially unnecessary costs. This is particularly relevant if the candidate and client reside in different countries.

That being said, interviewing is a skill in of itself and doing this over video adds another layer to this perishable skill set. Some people are more comfortable than others when it comes to attending a video interview. We have put together some tips and helpful information to help you navigate this process successfully.

The first thing that we recommend is to practice. You may want to try recording yourself a few times to assess how you appear on camera. Are you coming across clearly? This can really help with refining your delivery and may even benefit your face to face interview technique.

The next thing that is vitally important is to prepare ahead of time. Things to consider will relate mostly to the device you intend to use. Make sure to think about the following:

Internet connection. Is it stable and fast enough to conduct an effective call? Is anyone else in the house using the internet in a way that could affect your call or slow down the connection?

Which software will you be using? There are many platforms available but once you know which one is being used for the interview, make sure you are familiar with it. Conduct a test call with a friend of family member ahead or time and become familiar with the process of joining and ending the meeting.

Think about location. This will affect both the way you sound and look. When making a test call, check things like the sound levels of the microphone, the camera angle and the lighting. These things are all very important in a video interview. Can the interviewer ckearly see and hear you?

Avoid conducing the interview in a noisy or busy environment which will affect sound quality of the call.

Have a neutral background to avoid any unnecessary distractions.

Consider what to wear. This is just as important as attending a face to face interview and a video call should not be an invitation to let these standards fall by the wayside. Look smart and well presented as if you were attending in person. Avoid wearing overly bright or dark colours as these can affect the camera exposure. Toned down colours work best.

Think about the camera angle and position. Adjust your seating so that you are not too high or low in the camera frame.

When interviewing over video there are other benefits that may not have been possible in a face to face interview. Have a copy of your CV in front of you so that you can easily recall information about your work history. You can also have a list of the key points or questions you would like to remember to address or discuss. Have these off camera where they are easily viewable to you.

The same fundamentals for face to face meetings still apply. Be engaged and make eye contact. Come prepared with questions about the role to illustrate your interest in the position you are applying for. Keep your answers to the point and think about what you want to say ahead of time.

We hope that this information will help you in successfully conducting a stress free interview and wish you all the best with your next one!

If you are interested in viewing some of the domestic household staff vacancies we have available, be sure to visit our Job Board here.

There are two primary divisions in the private sector when it comes to staffing. We would describe these as “permanent employed staff” on one side and “ad hoc” or “cleaning agency staff” on the other. There are fundamental differences that will affect both candidates and clients and one person’s situation may suit one type of agency over the other.

“Ad hoc” or “agency staff” are employed directly by the agency and they bill the client on an hourly or daily basis. The agency fees are built into this hourly rate along with the wage amounts. This will suit clients that do not wish to employ permanent staff directly or do not have the facility or desire to operate payroll and have sporadic need for domestic staff. For example a ‘Spring deep clean’ or end of tenancy cleaning. Or perhaps you only need help for a couple of hours per week. However there are limitations to consider, particularly as the cleaning staff will be working in your private home and if you require full time, permanent cover it becomes less cost effective in the long run. Typically these types of businesses are cleaning agencies or catering and butler agencies that offer their services to one off events. One consideration is that you cannot choose your housekeeper/cleaner in this arrangement. You request the hours/days that you require and the company will send whichever of their cleaners or chefs/butlers are available at that time. This can be a far more cost effective route for many clients and it is absolutely our recommendation for short term temp or ad hoc staff and particularly if the staff is required on short notice.

When it comes to permanent staff, this is really Marshall Harber’s area of expertise. In these situations the staff are only represented by the agency and will ultimately be employed directly by the client. We will make these introductions and recommendations for staff by sending their CV’s and any other relevant information about the various candidates to our clients. The client then has the opportunity to Interview the applicants and depending on the role and candidate availability, potentially conduct trials before making any recruitment decisions. You have access to a recruitment consultant who will also offer professional advice and guidance to you throughout the process. Agencies like Marshall Harber do not charge for their services up until the point of offer. We are aware of some agencies charging their clients a registration fee before they even start work but this is not an activity that we engage in. Right up until the point where the client is happy with the selection of CV’s received and is ready to proceed with making an offer, all of our services are free of charge and carry no obligation until an offer is made and accepted.

These two types of businesses are split into two categories and defined by the Conduct Regulations as follows: "Employment Agencies" (that’s us!)
and "Employment Businesses" (that’s the temp/ad hoc companies).
This probably sounds unnecessarily confusing and truth be told we find the language used to differentiate between these businesses to be a little ambigious. That being said, it is useful for both clients and candidates to be able to discern between the two.

Marshall Harber will always try to make an accurate assessment of your individual needs and if we feel that we aren’t going to be the best or most cost effective solution, we will be straight forward with you about that.

If you are looking for household staff or perhaps you’re seeking your next domestic vacancy, please do get in touch and we will be very happy to discuss your requirements in more detail. You can speak to a consultant today on 0207 938 2200
For candidates looking to register with the agency and find work, please take a moment to read through our candidate information page which can be found here. https://www.marshallharber.com/candidates

The Housekeeper is at the centre of all staffed houses. Whether it be part of a domestic couple, or part of a team in a formal household. Perhaps they operate in a combined role of Housekeeper/Nanny or Housekeeper/Cook. In any private household employing domestic staff, this particular category of staff is integral.

Finding the right housekeeper for the right job can be a challenge. A housekeeper needs a lot of skills and qualities in order to really succeed in the role. Whether you have an informal family home and only someone for a couple of days a week, or you have a larger more formal setup and you want a dedicated staff member on hand at all times, using an agency that specialises in household staff will significantly ease the process.

Choosing the right housekeeper can take some time, and you need a recruitment agency that can provide you with the best possible candidates. A housekeeper can perform a wide range of duties, from laundry and cooking to running errands, organising the home and supervising other staff if required.
Our consultants have a good understanding of how difficult it can be to find the right person for the role. Whether you’d like to hire a housekeeper, a chauffeur, an estate manager, chef or a cleaner, the team at Marshall Harber will be happy to assist you finding the right candidate for your needs and your environment.

If you are looking for your next Housekeeping job, please visit our Job Board to view all currently available vacancies.

Why domestic couples? Why not engage other areas of household staff such as butlers, or chefs, or housekeepers, or estate management or chauffeurs?  With a Domestic couple you have a team of two people and between them they are responsible for many facets of household duties which can cover all the roles mentioned above.

With a domestic couple you get a unit who are already a team with all-rounder skills that can manage the household duties seamlessly. It’s a unique category of private staff  Rather than hiring an army of staff who could make your household feel crowded, a domestic couple can take on multiple roles.  Of course this is dependent on the size of your household and how the time dedicated to tasks is managed and this may not suit every situation, but the couple can allow your household to be just that; yours.

With a range of skills on offer from a domestic couple, it is important the consultant understands which skills the household want to be implemented in their home.

Rather than just packaging up a couple in to basic roles such as housekeeping, cooking and childcare for the indoor duties and gardening, house maintenance and driving for the outdoor duties, we appreciate these are the necessary requirements to all households but which one makes your home your home?  Is it a family home and childcare is essential above all others, or do you like to entertain and would prefer a domestic couple who can cook and look after your guests accordingly?  Maybe your manicured garden is the apple of your eye and you need someone who can tend to that while maintaining the rest of your household to high class standards? 

Whatever it is that makes your home unique to you, our aim is to take take the time in understanding your household and find the right couple to suit your dynamic. 

And it works both ways. 

Our dedicated couple’s desk means we can take the time to understand what makes up the unique dynamic of the candidates we meet and register.  By having the time to not only research the skills of the domestic couples, we can also begin to understand their dynamic and find suitable placements that suit their strengths and life style preferences, such as urban or country living for example.

As every household is unique, so is every domestic couple; they come with a range of skills, experience and knowledge unique to them.  Understanding the market rate for such a variety of household requirements can sometimes be overwhelming, especially if it is your first time using a domestic household staffing agency.  Obviously what you are willing to pay is dependent on many facets such as the size of your household, the degree of experience wanted and hours worked, for example.

It is important to be mindful that the private service industry often work based on net salaries; that is the take home pay after tax.  To try and make this simple, we have broken down the pay structure into three sections, again being mindful of the household requirements.

As of the time of writing this article (August 2022), we would recommend the three stages of pay for a domestic couple would be:

Starter couple
This is generally a domestic couple with over a year’s experience of private household service or a couple who is moving from working on private yachts and moving into private households.  We would recommend a salary of £700 - £800 net per week for the couple.  This is also dependent on the various household requirements already mentioned. 

Standard couple
This is the industry standard and is generally a domestic couple who has the required five years’ experience sought by private households with a multitude of skills and those with specific skills, such as dinner party cooking.  We would recommend a salary of £900 - £1000 net per week for the couple.  This is dependent on the various household requirements already mentioned. 

Management couple
This is a domestic couple with many years’ experience between them in all aspects of domestic service and have had some experience in formal households.  They are not only able to take the hands on duties when required but also able to manage all the requirements of multiple households and estates.  They will arrange every single need from staffing, paying household bills to arranging all the household and social schedules and at times, business schedules of the Principals and their family.  We would recommend a salary for a management couple to start at £1,000 net per week minimum and rising depending on experience and the various household requirements already mentioned with the typical rate being around £1,200 net per week.

We would strongly recommend that each couple are paid as individuals.
A domestic couple is definitely not a two for the price of one.  They are a unit of two individuals, each with an all-round skill set that combined can cover a multitude of tasks in every household and when compared to employing the equivalent individuals to manage the same tasks, it certainly offers value for money.

At Marshall Harber, we are in the position to take the time to ascertain your household requirements and what makes your home yours, understand our candidates and their lifestyle preferences to ensure we offer the right suggestion to make each dynamic work. Contact one of our consultants to discuss your requirements.

Income tax can be complex at the best of times but there are a few simple elements that both employers and employees need to be aware of when it comes to the matter of ‘employed’ versus ‘self employed’ status.

This article is written In a bid to try and clear up some of the confusion surrounding the difference between PAYE earnings and being self employed in the private staff setting. It is not uncommon for domestic staff, particularly cleaners and housekeepers, to be registered as self employed. This can make sense particularly for part time cleaners with more than one place of work. They essentially manage their own time and hours and can therefore be considered self employed. It’s also appealing for people employing the services of these individuals as this means they can avoid the need of setting up formally as an employer with HMRC, managing a payroll and issuing payslips etc. This is particularly useful if you only require a part time cleaner for a few hours a week or on an ad hoc basis.

There are however considerations of which you need to be aware. Generally speaking, as an Employment Agency and due to the fact that we recruit permanent members of staff to be employed directly by clients, it is unlikely that any of Marshall Harber’s candidates would be able to operate on a self employed basis, even candidates seeking part time positions. We regularly receive requests from client’s and candidates to source or recruit for roles that would suit a self employed person. But the primary issue is that our clients provide us with a job spec to recruit. Part of this job spec is to establish the working days and hours for the role and as soon as the employer is dictating days and hours for a permanent member of staff, the candidate must be considered as employed and there is actually a legal obligation on the employer to operate PAYE in these circumstances regardless of how many hours it is for. There is a test available on the UK Gov website (at the time of writing this article) where you can establish whether someone should genuinely be self employed or not. The online questionnaire can be used by both employers and employees and it can be found here: https://www.tax.service.gov.uk/check-employment-status-for-tax/disclaimer (Link correct at time of posting)

Of course there are many employers of domestic staff that are not using an agency to recruit and they are completely flexible on the time the candidate works for them and may even book the hours week by week on an ad hoc basis directly with the candidate. Alternatively using cleaning companies is another way to engage self employed candidates. They must also be content for the candidate to send someone in to work on their behalf on any days that they are not available. These fundamental traits would all result in the candidate being considered self employed, however these are not generally the conditions and requirements that are presented or acceptable by clients using a Domestic Employment Agency and therefore any candidates (even if they have worked self employed previously) that we represent will need to be happy with working on a PAYE basis and to have their hours dictated by a permanent contract.

There are other elements to self employment to be aware of but we have touched on one of the most common things that employers of domestic staff can misunderstand, particularly when sourcing the staff via an agency.

For employers that find the prospect of setting up as an employer and managing payroll daunting (and we totally understand why), there is no longer any need to fear this aspect of employing staff. Marshall Harber are affiliated with a company called Stafftax. Not only do they make payroll easy, but they actually specialise in payroll for domestic household staff and nannies. The packages they offer are very reasonably priced and depending on what level of service you require, they can not only setup your employer account with HMRC and prepare monthly payslips, but they can even process all the payments to your employee and HMRC on your behalf and manage your workplace pension scheme. So there is really nothing you need to be concerned about other than enjoying the benefits of employing a permanent member of domestic household staff. Clients of Stafftax will also enjoy an added benefit of having access to their HR & Legal helpline as well as access to their employment contracts and advice on drafting these.

If you would like any more information about this service or you would like to discuss your requirements with one our consultants, please call us on 0207 938 2200. You can also view further information about Stafftax and their services on their website: https://www.stafftax.co.uk/