Best Practices for Hiring a Nanny Through Piocare

Finding the right nanny can be life-changing for your family. To help you hire quickly, confidently, and smoothly, we’ve put together a list of best practices based on what leads to the strongest matches — and the fastest hires — across the Piocare network.

1. Reach Out Quickly

Nannies are often interviewing for 4–6 roles at the same time, and many are hired within days. Prompt communication dramatically increases your chances of securing top candidates.

What to do:

Text candidates as soon as you receive their info.
If you don’t hear back, text again — it’s common for people to miss emails or be busy.
Always introduce yourself, explain the role, and mention Piocare so they recognize the connection.

Suggested outreach text:

“Hi, my name is (your name). Maddy Gawler from Piocare shared your contact info and mentioned you were interested in our role with (number of kids), ages (ages). We’re looking for care from (times needed) on (days needed) in the (neighborhood) area. We’d love to set up an interview this coming week. Are you available (offer 2–3 time options)?”

2. How to Increase Interest in Your Job

If you’re not getting many responses or interviews, these adjustments can make a major difference:

Pay

Most recurring positions are currently $25+/hour. Increasing your rate helps you stand out immediately.

Hours

Career nannies generally want more hours. If possible, consider adding optional:

Errands
Light cleaning
Meal prep
Organization
Family assistant tasks

Even an extra 2–5 hours per week can widen your candidate pool.

Benefits

Jobs offering PTO, paid holidays, or sick days fill much faster. Even offering a small PTO package signals respect and professionalism.

3. Pay Expectations

Typical pay ranges across the Piocare network:

Career nannies (recurring roles): $25-35/hr

College students: $20–25/hr, depending on experience and responsibilities.

Entry-level or less experienced caregivers: Minimum: $20/hr for recurring roles.

These ranges reflect current Colorado market rates and the competitive nature of childcare hiring.

4. Gas Reimbursement

If the nanny is driving their own car for your family (school pickups, activities, errands), reimbursement at the federal mileage rate is expected.

Please check current IRS rates. This helps cover:

Gas
Wear and tear
Maintenance costs associated with work use

5. Guaranteed Hours

Most nannies rely on consistent income. Guaranteed hours mean they’ll be paid a certain minimum amount each week, even if your plans change.

Example: If you guarantee 15 hours/week, but only need 10 one week, you still pay 15.

This stability helps you:

Attract higher-quality candidates
Reduce turnover
Set clear expectations from the start

6. PTO, Holidays & Sick Days

For roles 10+ hours per week, offering paid time off is increasingly standard — especially post-COVID.

We recommend offering:

5–10 PTO days per year
Federal holidays paid
6 sick days, legally you are expected to offer sick days based on accrued hours, for full time 6 sick days is required.

These benefits significantly improve job satisfaction and retention.

7. Vetting & Background Checks

Piocare interviews all candidates and checks references before they join our network. Families may still want additional screening.

We recommend:

Calling references yourself — you may have specific questions
Running a background check if desired (we have two trusted vendor recommendations used by past families) Sure Check Background Screening LLC – Register

This creates peace of mind and reinforces a strong start to the relationship.

8. Communicate Your Hiring Progress

Piocare sends automated check-ins every 6+ days. To keep your search moving smoothly:

Let us know when you’re interviewing candidates
Share if you’re adjusting pay, hours, or schedule
Tell us when you’re ready for more candidates — or when you’ve hired someone

We slow down outreach until we hear from you, so communicating your progress keeps everything efficient.

9. Establish Communication Preferences Early

Set norms around communication so everyone feels comfortable.

Discuss:

Preferred communication method (text vs. phone vs. app)
What types of updates you want during the day
Emergencies: who to call first, backup numbers
When and how you’d like end-of-day summaries

This reduces misunderstandings and builds confidence on both sides.

10. Trial Periods Are Helpful

Many families set a 1 day trial period before finalizing the agreement.

Trial periods allow you to:

Ensure personalities align
Confirm logistics work smoothly
Test communication styles
Adjust hours or responsibilities before locking them in

This is very common in the nanny industry and leads to higher retention.

11. Discuss Your Parenting Style

This is often overlooked but extremely important.

Share your approach to:

Discipline
Screen time
Sleep routines
Behavior expectations
Diet/snacks
Socialization
Learning or developmental activities

Nannies want to support your parenting style — but they need to know what it is.

12. Create a Written Agreement/Contract

Not legally required, but highly recommended — even for part-time roles.

A simple contract should include:

Pay rate
Hours & guaranteed hours
Overtime rate
PTO & holidays
Mileage reimbursement
Duties
Sick policies
Termination notice

A clear agreement prevents misunderstandings later.

If you’d like, I can send links to contract templates you can use.

13. Discuss Household Expectations

This is a big pain point for families and nannies.

Clarify:

Laundry expectations
Meal prep
Tidying standards
Walking the dog
Family assistant duties
Cleaning expectations (light vs. deep cleaning)

Many mismatches occur when “light housekeeping” means different things to each party.

14. Prepare Your Home Before the First Day

Help your nanny succeed by having:

Emergency contacts printed
Allergy instructions posted
House tour + safety instructions ready
Car seat installed (if needed)
Daily schedule written down
List of neighborhood parks or activities
House rules visible

A smooth first day sets the tone for a great long-term relationship.

15. Provide Regular Feedback

Nannies truly value feedback — both positive and constructive.

Consider:

Weekly check-ins (even 5 minutes helps)
Letting them know what’s working
Clarifying anything that needs changing

This keeps the relationship strong, respectful, and aligned.

16. Treat Your Nanny as a Professional Partner

This one makes a huge difference.

Small things that go a long way:

Respecting their time
Flexibility around unexpected delays
Clear expectations
Appreciation (even simple “thank you” texts!)

Families who build a respectful partnership have less turnover and higher satisfaction.

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