How to Build a Reliable Team at Your Childcare Facility
- Standout Daycare
- Mar 17, 2023
- 4 min read
Working in the childcare field can be stressful and overwhelming.
For daycare managers, this means it’s difficult to find people who are passionate about the job, have a strong work ethic, and won’t crumble under pressure.
And when you do find competent and resilient people committed to your organization’s mission and values, it can be challenging to keep them motivated.
A few setbacks later, you’re back to square one: without a reliable team. And it’s all downhill from there – you’ll struggle to keep up with the daily workload, children’s learning and development will suffer, and ultimately, parent satisfaction levels will drop.
So, since it’s a do-or-die challenge, what can you do to build a reliable team at your childcare facility?
We’ve rounded up five surefire tips for you.
1. Communicate Your Vision and Mission Clearly
For everyday operations to go smoothly, your daycare team should be on the same page. Before onboarding staff members, you should define your mission statement so everyone joining your team knows about the kind of environment you want to foster at your childcare facility.
You should also regularly communicate your vision to the team. Each member should be aware of your center’s core values so all their decisions align with your expectations.
Does your childcare facility prioritize inclusivity? Is it all about providing a family-friendly space for children to learn and grow? Do your team members thrive on creativity?
The more you elaborate on your mission, strengths, and values, the easier it’ll be to create a team that works hard to achieve shared goals.
2. Get to Know Your People
Successful daycare teams have leaders that connect to members on a human level.
As soon as you decide to hire someone, make it a point to learn about their interests, strengths, and weaknesses. For example, some members might be better at handling temper tantrums than others.
Also, ask about their family, hobbies, and career goals. This information will cut the first turf to allow open and honest communication in the team.
3. Cultivate a Culture of Partnership
Letting members take charge of things may seem like you’re giving away control, but let’s face it: you can’t do everything alone. Your focus should be on growing your business rather than micromanaging your people.
Trust your hiring decisions and empower all members to take ownership of their work. Tell them they’re all leaders in their capacities so they take pride in every little thing they do. At the end of the day, you’ll be surprised by what each member has to bring to the table.
You could also introduce a reward system to maintain the highest performance standards at your facility. Make sure the benefits of being a standout daycare member are clear, so your team’s motivation doesn’t drop.
A culture of partnership also means your team members shouldn’t hesitate to reach out to you when things go south. You must actively participate in conflict resolution because, sometimes, even mature adults need a voice of reason to overcome a challenge.
When your team looks at things with a solution-focused lens, no challenge will be big enough to bring it down!
4. Support Individual Growth
It’s one thing to keep expanding the daily to-do list of your workers and entirely another to identify growth opportunities for them.
The time you spend getting to know each member comes in handy here.
You’ll know what areas each employee would enjoy working in, so you can assign tasks and roles accordingly. For example, if someone enjoys finding new ways to engage children, ask them to help brainstorm activity ideas to enhance students’ learning.
With every little push you provide to help your team members get to the next level, their morale will improve, and they’ll see you as a leader who supports their professional growth. In turn, they’ll go above and beyond to help you achieve your childcare facility’s goals.
5. Confront Under-Performing Members
As they say, one bad fish can spoil the whole pond.
If you spot a non-performing worker in your team, don’t be afraid to take action. Knowing how to correct bad employee behavior is critical. Start with an open discussion about their behavior or inaction and work with them to create opportunities for improvement.
Even after giving them some time to show commitment and be a better team player, if you see no progress, don’t think twice about letting them go. Your team dynamics can’t afford to be disrupted by an unprofessional member or one who doesn’t fit well into your center’s culture.
Final Words
As a daycare provider, you know that there’s so much to take care of – from handling parent interactions to a whole lot of common daycare management issues.
Besides, you need more than fantastic marketing ideas to impress parents; they want to know their children will be in good hands.
Without a star team, achieving all this and more will be impossible!
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