The holidays are a great time to gift the people you appreciate with extra tokens of gratitude. You may know exactly what your children want from Santa this year, but what about the nanny who takes care of them on a day to day basis? According to a poll from Care.com, almost 60 percent of households surveyed give their nanny a monetary holiday bonus and 13 percent give tangible gifts.
"Giving nanny bonuses has become customary, as with many professions," said Katie Bugbee, global parenting expert and senior managing editor at Care.com. "And nannies really depend on it around the holidays. It's also a great way for families to show their appreciation, communicate job security and help ensure their employee is truly vested in her work — all the same reasons companies and organizations budget for bonuses."
So, how do you figure out an appropriate amount of cash to gift your nanny with? According to the press release from Care.com, most families give a holiday bonus equivalent to between one or two week's pay. There are also some other considerations to take in mind when calculating holiday bonuses. For instance, how long your nanny has been working in your household and whether you live in a suburb or a city with a higher cost of living are important factors. Ultimately, you want to tastefully let your nanny know that you appreciate her work.
For more etiquette tips for handling domestic service employment, be sure to follow our blog. If you're looking for a new nanny to help assist with caretaking duties, contact Colonial Domestic Agency.