The Covid-19 Pandemic revealed to us all the importance of childcare, even when parents work from home. When schools and daycares shut down, parents relied on friends, family, and nannies to care for their little ones.

Families were no longer willing to let older grandparents care for children due to classification as a “high-risk” population. Au pairs become less of an option as border restrictions limited their travel and international nannies returned home. College students nannying part-time moved back in with their parents to save money and their commute times to their previous jobs became too far.

Before the Covid-19 vaccine became available, families needed childcare now more than ever. Some parents opted to juggle childcare themselves at home while working remotely. Families with larger budgets were willing to pay whatever it took to keep their nannies. Some families simply did without a nanny in an attempt to limit their social circle. Other families had to let their nannies go due to decreased income.

These unemployed nannies joined the hoards of people out of work. If they were being paid legally and filing their taxes they would have been eligible for unemployment benefits. If they were paid under the table with no proof of income they were out of luck, unable to receive government aid, and may have had to change careers to earn a living.

Eventually, the cloud of chaos seemed to begin to clear: the vaccine became available, businesses were once again opening their doors, #backtowork was trending, and government stimulus checks along with other financial aid started to come to an end. However, this still left employers with a question:

Why can’t I find anyone that wants to work?

For families, the nanny labor shortage was the result of an increasing demand for in-home childcare. The limited supply of nannies drove up their value and enabled them to ask for higher wages.

Why is it so hard to find a nanny?

It’s possible that some families are no longer able to afford a nanny. It’s also possible that nannies who were let go or lost one or more of their sources of income were forced to switch careers.

Most people would love to have a full-time nanny, but not everyone can find one that fits their lifestyle or their budget:

According to the US Census, “Many moms have given up and left the workforce since the pandemic hit: nearly three-quarters of a million (705,000) more have given up on work outside the home entirely and some may not return.”

As more and more mothers are taking on the difficult task of childcare duties in addition to their responsibilities with work and/or their personal lives, the question of how this will affect their earning potential remains up in the air.

Looking to the future:

Even as children return to school and parents return to the office another problem arises. Who is available for after-school care and transporting children to activities?

I spoke with Chicago parents that are simply in need of a driver for their young children that are too young to Uber or take the bus, yet heavily involved in academics and sports.

“Picking up my children from school and driving my two youngest girls to gymnastics all the way across town takes 4 hours of out of my day, with traffic. This is time that could be better spent working at the office, connecting with my husband, preparing dinner, or just getting a bit of time to myself during my nonstop schedule.”

- Anonymous, Irving Park Mother

A stay-at-home mom of 4 reached out to me searching for a babysitter/nanny to help with homework, playtime, and bedtime routines:

“I can do it all myself, but it takes so much stress out of my day when the kids are occupied with a nanny and I can actually focus on helping my son with his homework. Having the extra help has turned the whole experience from a massive fight with my child to a chance to bond. It’s nearly impossible to do when I’m also trying to cook for my husband before he gets home from work, I’m holding the baby, and the two other kids are running around the house screaming. It made the after-dinner routine enjoyable instead of chaotic.”

- Anonymous, West Loop Mother

Nannies and employees that are offered things like: legal pay, guaranteed hours, health insurance stipends, PTO & sick leave are more likely to experience increased job satisfaction and stay in their role for longer.

Vacation days, sick days, paid holidays, annual bonuses are all almost essential when looking to hire in a competitive market. However, It’s still possible to show appreciation for your nanny in ways outside of solely their paycheck.

Here are some bonus ways to add value: Do you have a family gym membership they can be added to? Do you get season tickets to any type of events? Do you have a vacation home that remains empty for part of the year that they could take an annual visit to? Further, little things like remembering birthdays, asking about their plans for the holidays, and treating them with respect go a long way to keeping any employee happy.

When you DO eventually find your dream nanny, make sure you can keep them. See here for our blog post on ways to find and retain a good nanny.

You’ve got enough on your plate in your day-to-day life — let us make your life easier by handling your unique household staffing needs.

If you are a family looking to hire a nanny, household employee or other home service, submit an application with My Household Managed.

If you are a professional nanny, house manager, or other household employee looking for a job, apply at My Household Managed.