Holiday bonuses are common in many industries, and household employees should be included. It shows your appreciation for the love and care they provide your children. The big question is, “What should you give for a holiday bonus?” Boston Baby Nurse & Nanny’s team of experts will share the different options you can provide your professional nanny.
Nanny Holiday Bonus Guide
The general rule of thumb for a nanny’s bonus is one to two week’s salary. If they have been with you for a very long time, you may consider more. However, if your nanny has not yet been working with your family for even 6 months, you could offer one day’s pay multiplied by the amount of months they have been working.
Remember a bonus is taxable income, not considered a gift for tax purposes. You can give the bonus through your payroll company, such as Homework Solutions.
Holiday Bonus Vs. Annual Performance
Like any other job, holiday bonuses should be based on the employee’s performance. If you do choose NOT to give a bonus due to unfavorable job performance, have a meeting to go over what your employee can work on. This is better than leaving things unsaid. You could even give the chance for improvement and provide a bonus at their annual review instead.
If you choose to give an annual bonus, at a different time of year, rather than during the holiday season be sure to let your nanny know so they don’t count on it at the end of the year. An annual bonus is usually done during the performance review at the anniversary hire date. Keep in mind that giving a bonus does not cover a yearly rate increase that should at least cover inflation.
Gifts Other Than Monetary Bonuses
If your budget is stretched thin to afford a nanny and you don’t have a lot to offer for a bonus, a gift from the kids is a nice addition. This could be a homemade card and ornament or holiday baked goods. The kids could also make one of these thoughtful DIY gifts or paint something at your local pottery studio. Additionally, if you do not have the ability to give a large bonus, you could also include an extra 2-3 vacation days that your nanny could use in the following year.
Gestures of Appreciation
- Perhaps you have gotten to know your nanny and know a favorite restaurant or hobby they may enjoy a gift card to.
- If you’ve seen your nanny wearing a pandora bracelet, you could get a Mary Poppins Pandora Charm.
- Here are cute accessories you could also gift: nanny appreciation necklace or a personalized keychain saying, “Love you to the moon and back.”
We hope these tips help as you navigate your nanny’s holiday bonus. It is important to show your appreciation to those who help lighten your load in today’s busy world. If your family is looking for a nanny or household staff this coming year, reach out to Boston Baby Nurse & Nanny today at [email protected]. They now serve CT, MA, and RI!
About the Author:
Sarah Proctor is the Nanny Recruitment Director at Boston Baby Nurse & Nanny. Sarah has over 16 years of experience as an early childhood teacher and center director as well as 5 years of private nannying. Sarah attended the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, graduating with a degree in Early Childhood Education & Administration. Her role is to seek highly experienced nannies to meet the individual needs of our wonderful families. Sarah has two young children of her own and uses her experience as an educator and a mother to find candidates that will impress.
