Estate Staffing: Why Some Employers Can’t Attract & Retain Help

I'd first like to say how incredibly grateful I am for the outstanding clients that I have. They are generous and realistic. There are also some employers, however, that approach our domestic staffing firm and they can't properly maintain order in their households. This article is for them, and I genuinely want to help.

I am among a small handful of domestic staffing agencies that are incredibly strict about which clients that I take. Some UHNW and celebrity employers are notorious in the domestic staffing industry because, basically, they have hired (and burned) just about all the agencies from coast to coast.

I have compiled a list of just some of the reasons employers can't attract and retain high-quality staff for their estates. If you're an employer and have one or more of the following issues, then it might be time to reconsider a new game plan for hiring household staff.

Low pay

By far, the biggest problem in the domestic staffing industry is low pay. High-net-worth employers often contact me wanting help finding candidates, but the pay is nose-bleed low, so I have to pass. The employer is perplexed by my polite refusal, and sometimes they are even taken aback.

The employers say things like, "The pay isn't too low, and I know this because when I posted the job online, I received lots of resumes, so there is interest." Then I must state the obvious by saying, "If there is lots of interest, then why do you need me?"

After a long silence, the employer states that there is a revolving door of candidates in their estate, so a professional recruiter may be able to do a better interview process so that someone will stay in the job longer.

It's not rocket science: The "interest" in their job posting is from underqualified candidates. It's not about quantity, but quality. Secondly, the candidates that were hired took the job because they wanted some money coming in, and they jumped ship the moment they were offered a role that paid better wages.

In the long run, it actually costs MORE to pay low wages because of the high cost of turnover. Job ads, background checks, interviews, training, and the rest of it adds up to big money. In the end, more will be spent by not paying candidates a living wage.

Toxic working environment

Toxic work environments are yet another big problem in the world of domestic staffing. Even in corporate America where there are HR departments, mission statements, and professional training videos, toxic work environments are a problem.

In the world of estate staffing, it's exceptionally hard to control because many employers are either oblivious to the law, or don't care what's going on behind the scenes in their estates.

Even if domestic workers are being paid a fair wage, they will leave in droves if they are in a toxic workplace.

I sometimes go into the field for evaluations at estates, and I'm gobsmacked by what I see going on in households. Backbiting and back-stabbing are pervasive in the world of the super-rich.

Just recently, a domestic worker accused one of the world's highest profile billionaires of horrendous work conditions. If the accusations are true, it's likely the billionaire had no idea what was going on behind the scenes.

Employees live in fear

If a VIP who lives in the estate has an explosive temper or is unreasonable, it can lead to the staff living in a constant state of fear. It's unhealthy to always be walking on eggshells.

There is nothing wrong with having high expectations of your staff, but belligerence isn't acceptable at work. If the employee is constantly being ridiculed, it's actually the employer's fault -- and here's why.

Either the employer didn't know how to qualify the candidate during the interview process and/or the staff is undertrained. Either way, that responsibility rests solely on the employer, not the employee.

Runaway hybrid roles

I've posted this ridiculous picture to illustrate just how outrageous some employers can be with their hybrid roles. I regularly get job descriptions from high-net-worth families that want a nanny, driver, personal assistant, chef, and pool cleaner all in one.

If you own an estate, and you've "thrown in the kitchen sink," then eventually the candidate is going to walk -- even if they are making a good wage.

I recently had an employer approach me who wanted a world-class executive assistant -- think White House material -- and he also wanted her to make his bed on days the maid wasn't available. Shocking!

No overtime

It's against the law to incorrectly classify workers. In the world of private service, it's common for HNW employers to say workers are "independent contractors."

Not even counting the issue of morality, it's also against the law to give someone a flat salary and then work them unlimited hours (6 to 7 days a week) without paying overtime.

Domestic staff need to be classified correctly, get scheduled breaks, and be paid overtime. Dozens -- yes, dozens -- of celebrities have been sued (and lost) for doing this.

Even though there have been dozens of high-profile cases against celebrities and billionaires, some high-net-worth families are still doing it. In fact, it's a rampant problem in the industry.

When employers have to hire a lawyer, pay fines, and take a hit on their reputations, it makes you wonder why they would even try it in the first place.

I've never known a single case -- not one -- that ever went to trial. The employer loses every single time and it's settled out of court.

It's better just to do it right from the word go.

Poor benefits

When you look at job descriptions from corporate America, they always boast of top benefits and great working conditions. Many companies have even hired "Workplace Happiness Managers" and give workforce surveys about how the workplace can be improved.

Nowadays, companies want to win awards for "Best Workplaces," and in the domestic staffing world, absolutely none of this exists. Nobody is even talking about doing it.

Billionaires should run their estates like they do their corporations, and that includes wanting to attract, hire, and retain the very best staff by showering them with attention and letting them be heard.

In my very humble opinion, the entire problem can be boiled down to a single word: ego.

Happy employees stay longer, work harder, are more engaged, and elevate the workplace. Why wouldn't every single estate in the world want to do this? I don't know, but I'm still scratching my head trying to figure it out.

Long hours & weekends

Even if an employee is paid fairly and working in a toxic-free environment, they want to have a life. It's called work-life balance. Some UHNW individuals overwork their staff six days a week, and even seven days. It's totally unrealistic and unfair.

Even the world's most talented and capable worker is going to get burned out. Domestic staff need time to unwind and recharge their batteries.

If you're a domestic employer and you're doing everything "by the book," but you're still having people walk off the job, then something is wrong; and it might be that you're not giving them the downtime they need.

A final word on retaining domestic staff

This article is getting a little long, so I'm going to have to end it here; but there are even more considerations that I was going to write about:

• No upward mobility for staff
• Dysfunctional estate
• Bad onboarding
• Unrealistic expectations (wine taste on a beer budget)
• Employers never say sorry or accept responsibility

Just like workers are always looking for "dream jobs," employers should be looking for "dream employees." If you're estate isn't running as smoothly and efficiently as a Swiss watch or you're burning through staff, then do a little soul searching.

If your estate is in disarray, then reach out to a domestic staffing professional and ask someone to visit your property for an evaluation. You may think that you know what's happening in your household, but chances are you do not.