Hybrid Roles Serve No One
Disclaimer:
This is friendly industry advice from a professional colleague. These words are my own and should not be considered legal advice.
The reality of estate management
Recent job descriptions of estate managers have become a laughable list of unrealistic expectations and impossible deliverables. In addition to having a college degree, being technologically forward, managing contractors, having a CPR certificate, paying bills, managing budgets, and producing A-list events – all while working in a high-pressure, 24/7 environment – that work has become more than a full-time job.
We're seeing the additional requests that creep up and become the job norm, such as laundry tasks, kids' chauffeur, housekeeping, cooking, grocery shopping, personal shopping, executive assistant, and personal assistant duties.
Regardless of what's outlined in the job description, someone needs to do it, and the opinion has become…we want less staff, so we’ll hire one person to do it all.
As with any job, an employee should have reasonable agility to adapt to ever-changing work environments and deliver the best possible service to their employer. The growing trend of homeowners wanting fewer staff in their homes is understandable, but it shouldn’t be seen as an opportunity for unethical or unsustainable behavior.
The endless scope of work becomes exploitative and masked as “estate manager duties.” Unfortunately, desperation leads many estate managers to accept these unsustainable roles in this do-it-or-we'll-find-someone-who-will culture.
Experienced industry professionals who understand the implications walk away from these opportunities quickly. However, new industry professionals or candidates who have been unemployed for a long time will more likely accept these jobs to get back in the game and get money back into their bank accounts. They’ll justify the unhealthy role as an opportunity to gain experience and earn a paycheck.
Sadly, I unknowingly entered the world of private service in an unsustainable role. Two recruiters confirmed this after I left that position by saying, “We stopped providing candidates for that role a while ago….”
Why does this happen?
How do these job listings get written, approved, and posted?
Often, it’s a lack of personal experience from the staff member or principal who writes these job descriptions. We’ll give them the benefit of the doubt that the person writing hasn’t physically done the work and doesn’t have a realistic understanding of what’s involved in doing the job right.
They often understand the day-to-day duties but forget the administrative planning time and daily “fire drills” that throw everyone off course – and then there’s the required seasonal and annual service work that creates havoc in everyone’s schedule,
That said, some principals are well aware and don’t care.
Here’s why all parties should change this practice
High staff turnover can damage the functionality of a home.
Countless untold hours are lost due to advertising, recruiting, interviewing, hiring, onboarding, and training new staff – and thousands of dollars are lost in the process.
If staff feel unsuccessful, unvalued, and constantly overwhelmed, they eventually leave. Even worse, if they stay, they will create a toxic work environment by being unfocused, discouraged, vengeful, and hostile.
A tired staff member makes mistakes and is more likely to be injured.
Additionally, an overwhelmed estate manager will likely spend countless dollars due to a lack of strategic planning and bulk purchasing, often opting for quick-fix purchases, courier services, and expedited orders to check the item off their list.
By definition, “estate” refers to an extensive area of land, usually with a large house owned by one person, family, or organization. A “manager” is a person responsible for controlling or administering all or part of a company or similar organization. While estate managers are expected to manage all elements of the estate, it doesn’t mean they are personally responsible for performing all these duties.
Principals and Chiefs of Staff, listen up!
Set realistic expectations: Gain a deeper understanding of what it takes to perform specific tasks and grant your staff enough time to do it thoroughly.
Build a house maintenance checklist: This document includes every task, the desired frequency of that task, how long it will take, and who performs it.
Ask staff to confirm the checklist's accuracy: Calculate the weekly hours required to complete the necessary work.
Hire sub-contractors to perform heavier duties: If you calculate more than 40-45 hours per week, get extra help. For example, responsibilities like window washing, light fixture cleaning, linen laundry, personal shopping, cooking, and chauffeuring.
Engage in monthly contracts: This will help you get preferred scheduling. These professionals will be educated and experienced in that service, improving your work quality.
Estate Managers…
Don’t entertain unrealistic job descriptions.
Prepare yourself for a short-term job and build your savings.
Don’t overstay — work your time and get a more sustainable position.
Keep your resume updated, so you are always ready to apply for something new.
Tell your recruiter what expectations you are willing to accept.
In a new position, get hired on your terms.
Domestic staff recruiters, please…
Educate your client and manage their expectations.
Ensure your client completes a master maintenance tasks spreadsheet to get an overview of the tasks and their timelines.
Refuse to advertise, send candidates, or place anyone in unrealistic and unsustainable roles.
We provide a comprehensive master maintenance tasks spreadsheet to our recruiter referral partners — reach out to our team to get it here!
Private service employers need to manage their expectations of those who serve them.
By nature of the private service industry, these professionals love to serve others. They are trained to make life better for the family who employs them and understand what it takes to meet high expectations. By embracing sustainable roles and acknowledging the positive effects of lower turnover, staff will be retained, happy, and well-rested to devote their time and energy to the family.
Setting healthy professional boundaries and expectations are the best practices to ensure the overall satisfaction of principals, recruiters, and staff.
The How To Manage A Mansion™ System has 11 Modules that suit your particular needs for an online management system. Find out more here:
