How to Hire Staff for Your Remote Property

The hiring process is one that takes time and is something that the hiring manager wants to make sure they are doing their due diligence with. As someone that is hiring people you never want to rush into a decision of whom you want to hire. Doing so could be catastrophic and can bring on more trouble.

When you are doing some hiring it is essential to ensure you are putting forth the best efforts. You have to make sure that the team you put in place is one that will do their best and work at their highest capacity, whether you’re around the corner or on the other side of the world.

When you own several homes, it comes as no surprise that you can’t physically be in both places at once. That said, you don’t want to be in a position where the home you are away from is being neglected. And wherever you’re coming from, when you walk through your front door, you don’t want to be welcomed by dust.

Having private staff on retainer for your remote home—or at least an estate manager who can contract services to meet your home’s needs—is essential to maintaining property value, ensuring year-round security, and giving you one less thing to worry about.

Being able to leave with the peace of mind that your family’s safe space is taken care of is 100% dependent on the quality of your staff. The team you have in place needs to be reliable, dependable, and trustworthy. They need to be professionals you can count on to ensure everything is just how you like it to be, especially when you’re away.

To accomplish this, we’ve got a few hiring tips for how to recruit and manage staff, from finding the right fit to some insight into the process, here’s what you need to know:

Finding the Right Candidates for Your Remote Home

Have a clear idea of what you need.

When you are looking for your remote home to be taken care of, identify what will need ongoing maintenance versus sporadic check-ins.

Doing this will show you specifics on things you may not have thought to have in your job posting, which may include experience with the tools and platforms, as well as sensitivity toward your security and confidentiality expectations.

With this accomplished, you’ll be able to narrow your list or better vette the candidates who do apply.

Look in the right places for talent.

There are many websites that are dedicated to helping employers find the right candidates and also help those seeking employment see areas that are all hiring for specific positions they are seeking.

Looking in the best place will help narrow down potential employees in specific areas, including:

  • level of experience
  • primary languages
  • profile keywords

Leveraging these resources also helps you understand what roles are out there, and which one might be best suited for your hiring needs.

Do some research.

Check for business accolades as well as credentials—and don’t forget to run a background check. Doing a keyword search will help to find those with some of the same wording you will be looking for or that you will use in the hiring process. That will help speed along the search for those that are truly interested.

Most importantly, it’s important to know what to look for in a background check.

Have a plan.

Put in place a strategy for holding remote interviews. You want to have a list of questions that are well-rounded that will allow you to see the personality of the interviewee, their background, and the skills they have.

You also want to keep this in mind; when you are hiring staff for your remote property, you want to get the best look and feel for who they are so having questions in place that will let you see all of these things is essential in getting the staff you desire.

Managing Your Remote Staff

Once you’ve chosen the best candidates and have hired a reliable staff, you’ll want to set up a way to communicate expectations, requests, and updates.

Maintaining your remote home is a task that can be done with ease when you have processes in place. Here are some tips to ensure you’re in the best position to manage staff on your remote properties:

Outline your expectations.

Set the expectations you have for your staff immediately and clearly.

One big way to manage the staff at your remote home is making sure the staff members know exactly what you expect from them. You want to let them know how often they should check in with you, if you desire for them to check-in prior to the end of their workday every day or on a weekly basis, and how they should track their time.

Communicating what you want from your staff upfront will allow them to be in the know but also bring synchronization between all of you.

Put it in writing.

Put your communication strategy in writing. Having what you expect from your staff as a whole and also individually is important in the communication process. This is vital in your communication process and your staff will have something to look to as a reference.

Putting together a handbook is also a good place to give details about responsiveness, timing, and other essentials you want to stand out.

Encourage communication.

Keep in contact as much as possible. Have consistent times where you are communicating with your staff but make sure you have a way to always get in touch.

You can engage through phone calls, email, instant messaging, and especially video chat. Your staff is an investment in your lifestyle and encouraging good performance and collaborative communication will not only build rapport but loyalty, and will minimize turnover rate.

Be transparent with your staff.

You will be viewed as their leader and with that power comes significant responsibility. Set an example through diligence, compassion, and consistency.

You will, of course, want your staff to be professional while working in your remote home so you should always be open and honest with them. This will build a great team culture and will give you the confidence of knowing your staff will work well while you are away.

Consult with Private Staff Group

You want to make sure you are doing all you can to ensure you have a great staff that will work well with you and for you. We here at Private Staff Group have all the tools in place to help you get the best private staff you need to ensure your remote home is well taken care of.

You don’t want to have your home in a state that you aren’t pleased with and we don’t want that for you. Allow us to help you get the right staff in place, so you can rest assured that your home away from home is always the way you want it to be!

Is Your Pool or Spa Getting Enough Care?

Summer is right around the corner, which means it’s time to get your pool and spa in tip-top shape.

How do you get your pool and spa ready for summer swim parties and backyard barbeques? We’re going to break down the regular maintenance your pool and spa need all year long.

We’ll also give you tips for getting your pool ready for the summer and whether or not a professional pool service is right for you. Let’s dive into our top pool and spa tips.

How to Take Care of Your Pool

Your pool needs regular maintenance in the following areas:

  • Pool water and chemical balance
  • Pool interior
  • Pool filter system
  • Skimmers and returns

First, it’s important to keep your pool water clear, clean, and chemically balanced. You should run your pool pump for eight to twelve hours a day. Circulating the water will keep it free from contaminants and bacteria growth. It will also keep all the chemicals properly mixed.

Speaking of chemicals, let’s talk about how to maintain your pool’s water chemistry.

Water Chemistry Maintenance

You should clean your pool and add a shock treatment once a week. As the summer gets closer, start testing your water once a week. You can get a simple pH test that will tell you how acidic levels of your pool water.

Ideally, the pH should be between 7.2 and 7.6 for the water to stay clear and not irritate your eyes. If the level is too high or low, use a pH decreaser or increase to adjust it.

Next, check your pool’s sanitation levels. How you do this will depend on whether you have a chlorine or saltwater pool. If you have chlorine, which is more popular, the levels should be between one and four parts per million.

If the chlorine is too low, you can add more. If it’s on the high side, the sun will burn it off. Shocking your pool will also help get rid of the chlorine smell.

Add pool shock weekly before the summertime hits. When you start using your pool more, shock it before and after big pool parties. You can also shock it after rain or a storm to make the water clear again.

Finally, you should add an algaecide to your pool water weekly. This will slow down the growth of pool and bacteria, which is important for keeping your pool interior in good shape. Let’s look at the other things you need to do to maintain your pool’s interior.

Pool Interior Maintenance

To maintain your pool’s interior, it needs to be regularly cleaned. If you let your cleaning routine slide during the off-season, now is the time to give it a deep clean so it’s ready for summer.

Clear away any algae, mold, or debris. Start by cleaning out debris with a neck, then vacuum the entire surface of the pool. Pay special attention to areas that don’t have great circulation since they are more at risk for algae build-up.

Before summertime, you should also repair any damaged pool tiles that could cut someone’s skin.

Pool Filter System Maintenance

Maintaining your pool’s filter system is a crucial part of keeping your pool clean and healthy. Without it, your pool water will quickly fill up with pollution that isn’t safe to swim in.

There are several different types of pool filters, so follow the manufacturer’s instructions to maintain yours. However, all pool filters need to be regularly back washed to get rid of the collected debris.

After you backwash the filter, run it for a few minutes, and then rinse it before you resume regular filtering. You should frequently check the filter’s PSI reading to know when it needs to be cleaned again. Check it more often in the summer when you’re using the pool more.

Skimmers and Return Maintenance

Skimmers are responsible for pulling water into the filter, while returns send the clean water back into the pool. They need to be kept clear to work properly. If they’re clogged, the whole pool’s filter system won’t function.

During your weekly pool maintenance, check the skimmers and returns for any obstructions. Clear out all debris and clean off any algae that could stop them from working.

 

How to Take Care of Your Spa

Maintaining your spa is similar to your pool upkeep. It needs to be cleaned weekly, so you can do it on the same day you clean your pool. You could also use our service to find the best caretaker or property manager to get on top of your aquatic obligations.

A big part of keeping your spa clean is circulating the water. Hopefully, your spa has an automatic system that circulates the water twice a day. If not, you need to manually turn it on for 15 minutes twice a day.

To clean your spa, you can use a sponge and white vinegar to wipe down the jets, shell, and water line. Before your first big summer party, you should also drain your hot tub to completely refresh the water.

Spa Filter and Water Maintenance

To keep your filters working properly for a long time, clean them with a filter cleaner every week. Afterward, rinse them off with warm water from a hose. Rinse them often during the summer.

Keeping your spa’s water balanced is the same process as your pool. The water needs to be pH tested, sanitized, shocked, and adjusted as needed before summer hits. You should test it once a week to see what it needs.

Should You Hire Trained Pool Cleaners?

As you can see, maintaining your pool and spa isn’t difficult, but it is time-consuming. Plus, it’s important to be exact to keep the water safe and your backyard oasis looking beautiful. If you want to make sure the job is done right, ensure your staff is trained to keep your pool/spa running smoothly.

Pool cleaners or a service can come every week to confirm, but with trained personnel, you can trust the job will be done right, regularly, and with your privacy a priority.

At Private Staff Group, we can help you find the best staff to service your pool and spa. Click here to request a consultation and get started today.

Winterizing Your Hamptons Pool

As summer draws to a close, it is important to make sure that your beautiful pool in the Hamptons is getting the special care it needs. Continue reading for more information on what your staff should be doing to prepare your pool for the winter and ensure ease of opening next summer. 

With fall approaching, it is important to have a plan in place for your pool’s care. Making sure your pool is covered as leaves fall is of utmost importance. Leaves can inundate the system and clog pipes, leading to much bigger problems. In addition, large amounts of debris can lead to the growth of algae and also stain the pool’s plaster.  

Although it gets cold in The Hamptons in the winter, which helps prevent algae and bacteria from thriving, care must be taken to ensure that freezing weather does not damage your pool. In addition, snow should be brushed off your pool cover to prevent damage (SwimmingPool.com).

Failure to care for your pool during the off season can create a more time consuming and expensive pool-opening process in the spring. For example, if algae gets out of hand, your pool may need to be drained (The Pool Butler). However, this can cause significant damage and should be avoided if possible. Consider hiring someone to take care of your pool and lighten your load. 

Keeping a bespoke pool in top shape year round is no small task. Cleaning should be performed weekly, like skimming debris from the surface, brushing the walls, clearing the skimmer, testing the water, and adding chemicals (Hayward Pool). Pools require many different chemicals that should be purchased from a specialty store. In addition, a sample of your pool water should be taken to a pool shop at least monthly for a full testing panel. 

Whether you summer in the Hamptons or plan to stay through the winter, make your life less complicated by simplifying your duties and reducing errands. Private Staff Group will help you find the experienced staff to care for pool and your home.

Pool Care Infographic

(SwimmingPool.com)