By establishing a no-gift policy, a homeowner ensures that the working environment remains respectful, professional, and free from unnecessary financial or emotional pressures.

Many luxury homeowners underestimate the importance of finding someone who makes their life more carefree and fits in with existing staff.

Why is it important to understand and identify toxic people inside your organization?

This type of family dynamic is unusual these days, with many layers to consider.

The sooner you start climbing the Unicorn Employer ladder, the faster you’ll reap the many associated benefits.

How to keep secrets from being divulged to your household staff — and why this is so important.

These are essential to having smooth operations inside of your home.

This is important for any homeowner – but especially if you're new to the property.

Even though I had lists of emergency preparedness procedures and supplies for this exact situation, living through it gave me a different awareness.

We need to write more descriptive language into our NDAs so everyone understands what they're getting into when they sign them.

Whether or not the estate manager you hired works out for you, you will have gotten something for your money and your risk.

It’s time to look at household staffing differently.

From the first day I stepped into my role as an estate manager, I had an idea of how I thought it should be. I had been working on luxury properties for more than 20 years, but not in them. And I felt like I had hit the jackpot when I was hired for this very demanding role.

Once built, this Excel spreadsheet is a powerful tool. The rows of information in this database can be sorted by Who completes the task (the appliance repair technician), the frequency of the task (Annual service), or the Item category (Dishwasher, Dryer, Exhaust Fan, etc.). Then all information can be added to your calendar.

What would it take to just say "thank you" and let your staff feel appreciated? King Charles is doing it.

Recent job descriptions of estate managers have become a laughable list of unrealistic expectations and impossible deliverables. As with any job, an employee should have reasonable agility to adapt to ever-changing work environments. While the growing trend of homeowners wanting fewer staff in their homes is understandable, it shouldn’t be seen as an opportunity for unethical behavior.

Whether you are firing the staff or leaving on their own accord, let’s dive deep into some areas that might help improve your staff’s longevity. Retaining top talent is a game. Are you a rookie or a seasoned pro?

"Succession" points to the frequent misalignment between service level expectations and staff investment.

Hint for homeowners with household management staff: no healthy relationship is sustainable long-term without it.

It is possible to care for someone AND maintain professional boundaries and expectations. In fact, it is the most respectful way to protect and respect a relationship. Here are six suggestions for successful boundaries, outlining performance expectations, and tracking accountability with household staff.