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Setting Expectations

General expectations

At the beginning of each new working relationship be sure that basic expectations are clear. You have expectations you have of the personal assistant (PA). The PA has expectations of you as an employer. Review the expectations from time-to-time to be sure they are being met by both of you. When you review the expectations see if any changes need to be made.

You want a smooth working relationship. To have one, you need to establish clear expectations for the working relationship, working style, and job duties from the very beginning. In addition, the worker has the right to have expectations of you as an employer as well. It's a two-way street.

ToolsMutual Expectations Agreement: It is important for you and your PA to have clear expectations of each other. This tool will help you identify the expectations that you and your PA will have for each other, and then create a contract for you.

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Time Management

How you manage your time is important. You may have a variety of tasks, errands, appointments, a job or social activities to attend to. On the other hand, you may not have any specific time constraints. If your daily schedule has no time-specific appointments scheduled, you may feel that you can be freer with how and when you schedule the work to be done. Even so, it is important for you to manage your time and that of your personal assistant (PA) in an effective way that allows you to do what you need to do, on time, when you need to do it.

Remember, you are the boss. Even if you don't have to be anywhere at a certain time, itıs a good idea to keep a schedule. If you are too casual about when and how your work is done, your PA may develop bad work habits and not respect your time.

It is important to make good use of your personal assistant's time, particularly if the number of hours of support you have is limited or they have a lot of tasks to complete.

  • Think about how you will use your personal assistant's time.
  • Make a task checklist or talk through with your personal assistant necessary tasks at the beginning of each shift.
  • Prioritize tasks--identify those that must be done first.
  • Give clear exact instructions so there is no confusion.
  • Delegate--allow your personal assistant to make decisions about how and when some tasks should be done.
  • Be realistic about how long a task will take.
  • Make sure your personal assistant knows how you like particular tasks to be done.
  • Give your personal assistant breaks during their shift when they can have time to themselves.
  • Allow enough time for a personal assistant to clean up after herself before their shift finishes. A personal assistant leaving dirty cups or a mess may upset the next one.
  • If your personal assistant does not finish their shift on time because of additional work, be prepared to pay overtime.
  • There may be times when your personal assistant doesn't have anything to do. Accept this and don't put yourself under stress by always trying to keep them occupied. Tell them not to feel guilty about it either--they are still working.
  • Expect the unexpected!

Time Management adapted from You're the Boss! http://www.disabilitygateshead.org.uk/recruit/recruit.htm (pp.4-5, 8, 24-25, 29). Copyright 2000 Gateshead Council on Disability, Personal Assistance Project. Gateshead, NE8 4DY England. Reprinted with permission.

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Job Duties

If the worker is unsure of what you want as the employer and how you want certain tasks done, it will be difficult for both of you. Understanding your needs and expectations will make the worker's duties easier to do. Established routines and schedules for daily, weekly, and monthly tasks are important.

Explain to the worker how task checklists can be used to remind you both of what needs to be done and how to tell when a task is completed. If there are certain times that a task needs to be performed, your worker must be informed, it helps to note specific times on the task list.

Messed Up Expectations

Employer: I have a great relationship with my worker, John. John always does a great job and goes the extra mile for me. One day--thinking he was providing me a treat--he chopped up shrimp and put it in my scrambled eggs. I unsuspectingly took a huge bite and within minutes we had to head to the hospital emergency room. You see, I am very allergic to shrimp. I had violated a cardinal rule: train your worker not to bring things into your home without checking with you first. Also, if you have any allergies or sensitivities to anything (chemicals, perfumes, cleaning products, soaps, etc.) make them known.

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