Etiquette for Leaving a Job: All good things must come to an end, as they say – and saying goodbye to a family is part and parcel of a nanny’s job. Whether you’re moving on for your own reasons or if your employers are ready to let you go, this can be an emotional time: children must say goodbye to a special someone who has potentially been with them since they were babies. For our nannies, it is time to bid farewell to the children you have cared for so brilliantly, and move on to pastures new. For employers, it’s an unsettling time as a brand new home-life routine is anticipated, and one without their capable nanny to hand. We wrote recently about starting a new nanny role with your best foot forward, but it’s just as important to move on in style. Here are a few practical pointers on how to exit in style.
Talk About It: It can be very upsetting for children to learn that their nanny is leaving at very short notice. Whether a replacement nanny is due to take over or if the family is ready to go nanny-free, check whether your employers are happy for you to talk to your charges about the big changes that are on the cards. It’s also ok to let them know that you’re a little bit sad about this; plastering on a smile can be confusing and upsetting for little people, as you can imagine. Planning a special day for your last day together (or perhaps a day during your last week) is a nice idea.
Keep in Touch: It might be important for you as well as your charges to know that you can keep in touch once you’ve moved on. Again, talk to your employers about their feelings on this, and if they’re happy for you to do so then it’s lovely to be able to send birthday cards and to write letters or send emails, or to share the odd Skype call with your charges and their families. Often the admin side of leaving a job takes over and the prospect of keeping in touch can move down the priority list, so ask the question ahead of your last day. Trust us: you’re likely to feel less emotional if you raise this earlier on!
References: Another task that can be overlooked in the process of tying up loose ends: ask your employers for references! Of course, you may be moving straight on to a new nanny role for which your employers have already written you a glowing testimonial, but if you haven’t had to seek references from them yet, now is the time while their impression of you is fresh in their minds.
Resigning:
If you’ve made the decision to move on, make sure you honour the notice period stated in your employment contract, and give your resignation in writing even if you tell your employers verbally that you intend to leave in the first instance. As ever, we can help guide you through the resignation process if you are unsure of anything so do not hesitate to give us a call or drop us an email.
When one door closes… another one opens. Don’t forget to check out our live vacancies page for new exciting roles!