At least 3 to 4 times a week, I am asked about staffing homes either by a potential client, or a candidate looking for placement in a HNW private domestic service position. LinkedIn messages pile up in my inbox with people asking for a job or if I have heard of a job for which they would be well suited. We here at Luxury Lifestyle Logistics are firmly committed to an estate operation consulting business plan that does not directly benefit from the placement of a candidate for multiple reasons.
The first of which is simply because we do not feel we can provide a fair and comprehensive staffing assessment for longterm operational consulting if our staffing model for your residence is dependent on a fee for placing staff. We feel we have a fiduciary responsibility to the client to provide an open and fair assessment of your staffing needs and will work with a qualified agency in your geographic area that knows the candidate pool to find you the best fit for staffing such a position. Often we are asked instead to be an "owner's rep" and act as a liaison between the client and the placement agency. This we have managed successfully and don't mind assisting with, but it is still the agency which has the scope of the search and the responsibility to fill the position, not Luxury Lifestyle Logistics for self-evident reasons. We would much rather be your trusted advisor for long-term operational needs rather than solely in a hiring staff capacity. Of course, successful placement of good staff is crucial to the overall success of your operations, but it is just the first step in making an operational plan that works best for your household.
Staffing is difficult and requires a team that is committed to the placement process, not only for this appointment but for future staffing needs as well. This is why staffing is a full-time obligation and a segment of our company that we do not foresee adding unless there is a significant shift in how the placement of a candidate is handled in our industry in the future. As of now, there is no central "Clearing House" of vetted résumés for our industry, and so an unverified candidate may need to register with 6 or 7 agencies to find a position, they must go through the vetting process 6 or 7 times to find their next post. This stresses the relationship of the referrals unnecessarily and still does not solve for the issue of leaving off a position on their reference list if they had a bad experience in that job, thus leaving the client vulnerable to problems that arise from the hiring of an unsuitable candidate. Another reason to use an agency is that if the agencies sole purpose is to vet résumés and recommend candidates for client household positions they are at a distinct disadvantage unless they have a network of partner agencies with whom they can share candidate information with to find the most trusted person for the role. 10 or so years ago there were less than 50 domestic staffing agencies in North America, now my colleagues tell me they know of at least 300 separate agencies!! WOW! There are reputable agencies and not-so-nice ones, so it is essential for a client to sort through and find an agency that they are comfortable with that they can work with for years to come to have the agency find the most suitable candidates and have the best experience possible. We have a strong referral partnership with agencies in most major markets in North America and would be happy to direct clients or candidates to the right agency for their needs who will ensure the client is satisfied with the placement of that posting.
Staffing is hard work; it's playing matchmaker and requires a dedicated professional to do this vital work correctly for optimal success of the position within the correct framework of discretion that our industry needs. We here at Luxury Lifestyle Logistics prefer to consult on operations such as schedules, daily workflow, family logistics, and other such topics that go beyond the placement agencies' scope of work. A large part of our consultancy is your staff organizational structure and would be happy to assist you with staffing up or resigning/terminating in-home employees if that is necessary for the success of your operations, but only when we partner with a reliable professional staffing agency in your area. If you require a staffing change, please call us so we can direct your search to a top agency in your area and work with you to refine the job description to meet the demands of the position. And if you are an agency, we would love to partner with you for client referrals so that our mutual clients receive the top-notch service they deserve. Please contact us today for a conversation around staff placement and let us help you elevate the service in these residences today through the proper and proven channels.