Anita Rogers

Anita Rogers, founder of Anita Rogers Gallery, British American Talent Management and British American Household Staffing

What Is the Process of Hiring Household Staff?

by

Running a home is like setting up a small business. The same structure, hiring processes, and operational complexities are involved when it comes to employing domestic staffing.

Just like a business, legal issues and logistical details are important when bringing on new employees. In the United States, domestic staff are required to pay taxes and report their income. This means complying with federal and state labor laws. These laws can be complex and are often overlooked. Hiring undocumented workers or not paying household staff in a legal and fair way may lower the immediate bottom line but have serious legal and financial consequences.

 

What Constitutes Household Staff?

Household staff are hired to work in a private home. What differentiates domestic employees from contract workers is how autonomously they work. An independent contractor will work within their own schedule, use their own tools and operate within their own guidelines. For example, a plumber would be an independent contractor.

Domestic employees work on a set schedule and process determined by the employer or homeowner. For example, your housekeeper working to your schedule and using the tools provided would be a domestic employee. This distinction applies whether an employee is live-in or live-out, part-time or full-time, hourly or salary.

Common staff positions in large and small homes are:

Estate Manager – individual managing multiple large properties and all land, vineyards, private jets and yachts.

House Manager – individual managing a single property and all staff employed there.

Chauffeur – individual hired to drive a principal and family. A chauffeur may also have a background in security.

Lady’s Maid – individual that attends to the lady of the house.

Private Chef – individual that prepares meals on a long-term basis for a household. A private chef may also manage other kitchen staff and plan events.

Butler – individual in the home dedicated to service. Duties of a butler may range from household management to wardrobe care.

Houseman – individual provides deep cleaning for the home and serves a single, usually male, principal.

Personal Assistant – individual working to support a single principal or family. A personal assistant will be able to run errands, book appointments and travel, and manage accounts.

Executive Housekeeper – individual who manages other house cleaning staff. An executive housekeeper may also coordinate vendors and repairs for the property.

Housekeeper – individual responsible for cleaning the home. A housekeeper will be well-versed in maintaining fine furniture, caring for artwork and antiques and cleaning and ironing fine clothing.

Nanny – individual dedicated to caring for the children of the home.

Governess – individual dedicated to caring and educating the children of the home. A governess will have a background in education and focus on teaching and instruction as a primary responsibility.

Private Jet Staff

Private Yacht Staff

 

View more on British American Household Staffing’s blog.

Hire Qualified Yacht Crew for Your Vessel or Household

by

British American Yachts provides experienced, qualified and formally trained yacht staff including Stewards and Stewardesses, Deckhands, Engineers, Mates, and Captains. We work with yachts of all sizes and work from our Miami and London offices to service any location, from the Caribbean and the USA to Europe and Monaco.

 

 

 

 

Common Yacht Crew

Captain – responsible for the smooth running of the yacht, including managing crew, accounts, inventory, and all other administrative needs.

Engineer – responsible for all mechanical and electrical maintenance on board the yacht.

1st Mate – works under the Captain to support the yacht

Deckhand – ensures the exterior of the yacht is in pristine condition and working order.

Stewardess – responsible for attending to all guests on board and upkeep of the yacht interior.

Chef – manages all food ordering, stocking, and preparation.

Nanny – families may choose to employ a second nanny in place of or in addition to their full-time nanny to manage and care for children while on board the yacht.

The same attention to client needs and matchmaking set BAHS apart from other agencies. We start from the position that each yacht staffing need is unique, necessitating individual understanding. The breadth and experience of our pool of candidates allow us to service yachts of all sizes. Contact our office today to find the right crew for your vessel.

Why Do Yacht Crew Decide to Work on an Estate?

There is more turnaround on yachts than in estates as other captains will recruit crew for journeys and most jobs are temporary, rarely will a crew stay with a boat for years and the owners don’t want to pay the crew year round when they are not travelling.

Working as yacht crew operates similarly to contract work. The hours are long and hard while on call. After one job ends, crew will either take a break on land or find another boat to work on. After some time working on boats, it is common to see qualified and dedicated crew looking for permanent roles on an estate.

Why are Yacht Crew Good Hires for Household Staff?

To illustrate the work ethic and commitment of staff with yacht experience, look at the job description of a chief stewardess:

  • Oversee the interior of the vessel including upholding service requirements, concierge, housekeeping, and laundry
  • Plan and coordinate events
  • Care for all guests and cater to their unique preferences
  • Prepare invoices for charter guests
  • Train other members on the crew in the standards of care for the ship, guests, and crew.
  • Oversee interior maintenance work
  • Coordinate planning with the yacht’s owner, including all the planning involved in a booking a vessel of 23 crew members and 18 guests
  • Must be available at all times
  • Working hard to prepare the vessel and process orders before guests arrive

These skills are easily transferable to domestic staffing. Attention to detail, working with the guests’ preferences in mind, and working efficiently are all stellar qualities in household staff. For example, housekeeping on a yacht must be exceptional and seamless due to the close quarters and fast-paced schedule. There is so much to do onboard that tasks must be done correctly the first time.

 Hire Qualified Household Staff & Yacht Crew

 

If you are an estate manager, house manager, personal assistant, or principal hiring for an estate, you cannot go wrong hiring seasoned yacht crew who are looking for a change of pace.

If you are crew looking for employment, please send your CV with a general application.

British American Yachts

by

Headed by seasoned yacht industry professionals, British American Yachts provides, experienced, qualified and formally trained yacht crew for our clients’ discerning palates. We understand yacht owner and guest needs and our crew members offer excellence in every detail.

We are based in South Florida, Bahamas, New England, Caribbean, Mediterranean, US West Coast, London, Greece, France, Cape Town, and the Pacific. Our worldwide access and network of 5-star crew members ensure our placements are met with longevity and we tailor each candidate to match the vessel’s requirements. We specialize in permanent, seasonal, freelance, relief and rotational placements in all spectrum of yacht crew positions. Our candidates are the most seasoned and professional group including Captains, Engineers, Managers, Chefs, and all exterior and interior crew.

We start from the position that each yacht staffing need is unique, necessitating individual understanding. The breadth and experience of our pool of candidates allows us to service yachts of all sizes.

http://www.bahsusa.com/Screen Shot 2016-09-22 at 10.59.08 AM

Family Living Aboard

by

Thanks to Brooke Morton at Yachting Magazine for this piece on the art of rearing kids on the water.

Brittany and Scott Meyer were docked at Grenada when they learned she was pregnant. The pair, 36 and 38, had met while racing sailboats across Lake Michigan, so they didn’t blink at the prospect of raising a family aboard their Brewer 44 Asante. They became parents first with Isla, now almost 4, and later with twins Haven and Mira, now 2. With their handmade halyard swing and the unending sandbox that is the British Virgin Islands, the couple sees their decision to bring up all three babies aboard as the ultimate adventurous-life head start.

Anita-Rogers-Yachting-MagazineRead the full piece on British American Household Staffing’s blog:

http://bahs.com/news/detail/family-living-aboard