Have you considered hiring staff for your household, but are you not sure if it is the rights step for you? You might be worried about finances, or having someone in your house all the time. Did you know that for pretty much every type of staff you can find a part time option? There are many benefits to hiring part time staff. And this might just be the solution for you if getting full time staff members feels like too big a jump at the moment.
So what are the benefits of hiring part time staff?
Financial
The first and most obvious reason for considering part time staff might be financial. Hiring a member of staff can be a big investment. Whether this is a nanny, housekeeper, chauffeur, chef or butler, they all come as part time options too.
Having a member of staff can be of great benefit and enrichment to your household and family. But you want to make sure you have budgeted correctly for it, before you even start the recruitment process. You really don’t want to find yourself in a position where you found an amazing person you want to hire. Only to find out you cannot afford their rates!
So when you know you have a limited budget, looking at hiring part time staff might just be the right thing for you. You will have the benefits of having someone there to help, without breaking the bank. Part time can take on make forms, too. It can already mean having a housekeeper come in once a week to give your house a good clean. Or a Chef coming in once a week to do lots of food prep for the week ahead. Or a nanny to help out several afternoons a week after school. The possibilities are endless!
Flexibility & Availability
The great thing about having a part time member of staff is that flexibility and availability might be much more readily available. Most part time employees will have several different jobs they attend every week and will be able to flexibly fit you into their schedule. Some full time domestic workers might do some part time work on the side too, but they are very limited in their availability.
So if you are looking for someone who would be able to do flexible hours, and potentially be available at short notice, the benefits really are with hiring a part time member of staff.
Privacy
Do you spend a lot of time at home? Or maybe your family does? Then it might be the case that you do not want staff around every single day. Having a part time member of staff can work perfectly for you in this instance. Having a part time housekeeper, for example. As they would not have to be in your house every day, they can time their working shifts in your house when you are out or at work. Part time can also mean evenings or weekends. Again working around your timetable to make sure to give you and your family your much needed privacy. Whilst your part time staff member can do all their duties!
How to Find and Hire part time Staff
Firstly, have a look at whether your new member of staff will be employed or self-employed. Both can have its benefits. If you do not want to be responsible for taxes etc, you might be better off finding a self-employed member of staff. But remember it does not give you the security that comes with employing someone.
In employing a member of staff in the UK you become responsible for paying national insurance and tax to HMRC. This should be done on behalf of the employee and yourself as employer. In some instances, you will also be responsible for payments into a pension scheme. Whilst this may well seem very daunting you can look to a payroll company such as NannyTax or StaffTax to help with this. They are even able to act as your own HR department. And can also advise you on other areas of legal responsibility. Instructing a payroll company is a great way to help ensure you are meeting your legal responsibilities. Also, it’s always great to have someone in the know who you can call and ask for advice.
Whilst a lot of the above falls into this category you can find more detail on your UK legal responsibilities as an employer here in this great article written by the specialist Stafftax.
How Polo & Tweed Can Help
Polo & Tweed are specialists in everything regarding finding the right member of staff for you, hiring, and employment. We help families around the world understanding their staffing needs and what the best match will be for each household. We take the time to understand your needs. Experienced in helping find the perfect staff member we are always happy to talk through options and things you might consider. We are here to help make finding the right member of staff as easy as possible! So please feel free to get in touch on +44(0)203 858 0233 or here, and we look forward to speak to you!