Exploring Occupational Stress in Nannies in Northern Chicago Suburbs

Background: Changes in the organization of work in recent decades have affected many workers. Less than one in three US children has a stay-at-home parent according to the recent census. With parents’ work arrangements changing, alternative childcare arrangements are needed. While family providers are the primary source, nannies provide a significant percentage of care. Numbers are likely underreported due to the fact that they are usually paid under-the-table in cash. Nannies have limited access to formal supports and benefits and are often in a precarious employment situation that can facilitate the exploitation of their caring labor. Objectives: To identify stressors in the workplace as experienced by nannies in northern Chicago suburbs and their associated coping methods. Methods: Focus groups were conducted and the constant comparative method was utilized to analyze the qualitative data. Results: A first-pass through the data revealed that participants described their major sources of stress as intimately tied to their relationship with their employer, surprisingly unrelated to childcare. Navigating the nanny’s complex role as employee but also part of the family, constantly striving to meet ill-defined employer expectations, and feeling continually evaluated and easily replaceable were some of the major themes. Conclusions: Participants identified interventions they felt would be helpful in navigating their complex and often powerless role with employers. Further exploration of nannies’ experiences may help illuminate “precariousness” as a facet of the workplace relationships.