Where have all the butlers gone?

The latest shortage is sure to tug at your heartstrings: Rich people are running out of butlers. 

Specifically, those “ultra-high-net-worth” individuals and families with palatial estates so vast they need a staff to manage them. 

Why? Three factors, per Robb Report: 

• The richest families have congregated in cities like London and New York City, increasing demand. 
• Many bought additional properties amid the pandemic and need even more help. 
• Bureaucratic backlogs for visas and other paperwork, especially post-Brexit. 

British-accented workers are reportedly in demand among Asian and Middle Eastern families who are new to the UK or hope to send their children to British schools.  

Meanwhile, in Britain… 

… many Eastern European workers left following Brexit and covid, per The Times. 

At the same time, many wealthy families bought manors in the countryside, where rising rents have priced out those who’d be paid to maintain them.

Now, a head butler can make $130k+ a year, while nannies have seen their annual salaries increase by ~$26k since covid. 

But that’s not all: One expert told The Times that staff won’t even consider a gig unless they’re offered accommodations — “ideally a two-bedroom detached cottage with a private garden” — and can bring their families and pets.  

Consequently, such properties have skyrocketed in demand, while other buyers must purchase cottages nearby to attract staff. 

Complicating matters…

… both the job and the workforce have changed. Modern butlers not only manage the household, but now travel with families and serve as confidantes and even mentors. 

That comes at a cost that’s hard to whittle down. Younger workers don’t want the long days the job requires, and cheaper workers lack the training and niche skill sets. 

BTW: If this has you thinking about switching gigs, the largest such school in the world is apparently the British Butler Institute, where you can learn the proper way to present a newspaper.