National Nanny Recognition Week: Acknowledging Dedication and Professionalism in Childcare

National Nanny Recognition Week (NNRW), first observed in 1998, is celebrated this year – September 22–28 – to recognize all of the remarkable nannies and the incredible role they play in modern families. 

NNRW is an international effort – established by veteran nannies and industry leaders – as a way for families, parents, communities, organizations, and agencies to acknowledge and show appreciation for nannies’ hard work, dedication, and professionalism.

Your childcare/nanny agency has the opportunity to play a vital role during this week-long event of recognition, not only to personally celebrate and honor your nannies’ commitment and sacrifice to serving your families but also to encourage others to do so. 

There are many ways that you can get involved. Here, we offer six ideas to get you started to guarantee your nannies feel genuinely valued and supported during National Nanny Recognition Week and beyond.

1. Giving personal thanks and acknowledgment

The positive impact of a simple ‘thank you’ should never be underestimated. 

Your agency can express gratitude to your nannies for a job well done in numerous ways during NNRW to let them know how much they’re valued and appreciated, including:

• Sending personal, handwritten thank you cards
• Voicing heartfelt, verbal recognition via a call or video chat
• Delivering written thanks via text or email
• Presenting certificates or awards for individual or team achievements
• Giving public recognition via newsletters, blogs, or team meetings
• Setting up social media campaigns, such as #ThankYouNannies and #NannyRecognitionWeek, encouraging families to express their appreciation via Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

To make it feel more meaningful and personal, aim to include specific things you’re thankful for and, where possible, include positive feedback and gratitude from peers, families, and the children in their care.

2. Offering personal gifts of gratitude

Personal gifts will make your nannies feel recognized and appreciated for their hard work, boosting morale and motivation. These gifts don’t have to be expensive to pack a punch!

Ideas can include:

• Gift cards/vouchers for a local coffee shop, clothing store, local gas station, bookstore, Uber/Lyft, grocery store, etc.
• Subscription-based gifts, for example, music streaming, movie channels, online grocery shopping, magazines, gym membership, book clubs, or online gaming channels.
• Tickets to a local cultural event, theater show, sporting event, or cinema evening.
• A small pay raise or a one-off cash bonus.
• A pre-paid course or lessons for professional/personal development.
• A spa gift basket, manicure, pedicure, or other self-care pampering treat.
• A weekend meal delivery – so they can take a break from shopping and meal prep.
• A surprise paid day off – because who doesn’t love the gift of time?

Creativity and personalization, not cost, are the secret sauce to building rewards and incentives that communicate your true appreciation for your employees’ hard work and dedication.

3. Finding ways to improve the culture

A very effective way to celebrate your team of nannies and honor the outstanding care they provide for your clients is to find ways to support them over the coming months and years in their roles.

Take time over NNRW to think about where your agency could improve, for example, access to more training opportunities, flexible scheduling, improved communication channels, error-free payroll, integrated reward tools, enhanced family-nanny matching, a point-of-care app for job success, and so on.

Many of these upgrades to your current working conditions can be made by investing in the right home care software, like Aaniie Kids Childcare Software, to streamline processes and make day-to-day management more efficient and effective.

During NNRW, ask your nannies for feedback on what they need, listen, and take action to ensure they feel heard, respected, and valued by your agency.

4. Implementing professional development opportunities

NNRW is the perfect week to implement opportunities for professional development and continuing education or specialized training. Supporting each of your nannies as they develop their own personal skill sets will ultimately lead to greater job satisfaction and a better family dynamic overall.

Consider starting a program for mentoring, upskilling, or specialized training, which are all excellent ways to celebrate and reward your nannies over the longer term. 

Also, think about ways your agency could provide financial support for certifications that will help your nannies feel professionally valued and more proficient and confident in their roles.

Training programs can be relatively inexpensive but still be perceived as added value by your nannies, and you can often use many of the resources you already have available. 

National Nanny Recognition Week is the perfect time to prepare your training plans and deliver the good news!

5. Involving families in National Nanny Recognition Week

One key goal of NNRW is to educate families and communities about the significant work nannies do day in and day out. Some may think of a nanny as simply an employee of the family or a ‘glorified full-time babysitter,’ but the duties of a nanny go far beyond basic childcare – they are often entrusted with the development, safety, and care of a family’s most precious cargo.

These professional caregivers dedicate their time and energy to nurturing and teaching the children in their care and ensuring a family’s life and household runs smoothly. They need and deserve to feel respected, supported, and appreciated, just like any other caregiver role. 

As part of your efforts during NNRW, your nanny/childcare agency should encourage your families to get involved in acknowledging the patience and skills their nannies bring to the table. Raising awareness could be through simply sending out a NNRW information letter/email/text, inviting your families to attend a local celebration, or hosting your own event to bring your families and nannies together to celebrate.

Encourage the sharing of tokens of gratitude, like a homemade card from the children they care for, a handwritten note, flowers, or a small gift package.

While this should be an ongoing effort, National Nanny Recognition Week is a great time to reinforce the importance of families showing how much they appreciate their nannies’ hard work, loving care, and devotion.

6. Setting up a recognition and reward program

Acknowledging hard work should never be limited to one week a year.

If you don’t have an employee incentive program in place, NNRW is the ideal time to consider setting one up. Not only is it a great way to thank your nannies for all they do – on a daily basis – but it will also benefit your agency in the long term by: 

• Boosting motivation and enhancing productivity
• Increasing job satisfaction 
• Strengthening engagement efforts
• Decreasing recruitment and hiring costs due to higher retention
• Fostering a positive work environment, enhancing morale
• Helping to attract best-fit future applicants by showing a culture of care
• Improving family satisfaction through increased quality and consistency of childcare
• Promoting your agency’s brand and reputation, showing a genuine commitment to professional care.

Making an effort to honor your nannies and demonstrate meaningful recognition for the work they do for your agency needn’t be a huge undertaking.

Software tools, like Aaniie’s Caregiver Rewards system, leverage gamification principles that allow your agency to offer automated points and rewards for meeting ideal performance criteria and professional development goals (such as with the International Nanny Association), making the job more fun and motivational. You can also ensure the rewards are personalized to include things you know your nannies will value highly, including gift cards, professional development opportunities, and paid days off. 

However you plan to celebrate NNRW this year, remember this needs to be a year-round endeavor if you want to build a genuine culture of care and recognition in which all of your nannies feel continually valued, respected, and appreciated.

How Aaniie Kids supports nannies every week of the year

Aaniie Kids streamlines the operational aspects of childcare, making life easier for your agency, families, and nannies. From scheduling and communication to payroll and billing, the all-in-one platform does it all.

In addition to its integrated Caregiver Rewards feature, Aaniie Kids offers a comprehensive suite of tools to help nannies manage their day-to-day responsibilities. For example, the platform’s scheduling features allow nannies to keep track of their shifts and duties, while the communication tools make it easy for clear and efficient communication between nannies and their families. With clear communication, you can be certain of reducing misunderstandings and ensuring that everyone is on the same page.

Aaniie Kids also recognizes the importance of work-life balance for nannies. By providing features that simplify administrative tasks and streamline operations, Aaniie Kids allows nannies to focus more on what they do best – caring for children. Focusing on reducing stress and improving job satisfaction is critical to retaining top talent in the childcare industry.

Are you ready to learn more about how Aaniie Kids can help your nanny/childcare agency improve operations and retain top talent? Contact us today to book a free demo and find out how we can help your agency become a top employer of choice.