4 things you should know before engaging a maid

Everyone who has had the experience of hiring a good domestic helper would know it’s no mean feat. Those of us who haven’t been as lucky would be able to relate to the nightmare of finding out that the domestic helper is not a good fit for the family after months of going through the tedious process of selection, evaluation, and training. Human beings are highly complex creatures and while there are no definite guidelines on how to find a suitable helper at first attempt, here are some things that will help ensure a smooth on boarding process, and definitely things you should be prepared to do before hiring a domestic helper.

Seek to communicate on a personal level

Many of Singapore’s domestic helpers hail from a wide range of backgrounds across Southeast Asia. This means their levels of education, language proficiency, and communication skills vary significantly and communication hurdles are something you should be prepared to face.

While language proficiency takes time to build, making the consistent effort to reach out and communicate with your domestic helper beyond instructing her on household matters not only accelerates the process, it also creates a positive working relationship despite the language barrier.

Get to know your helper on a personal level by asking about her and her family:

• What do her parents do?
• How many siblings does she have?
• What’s her favourite food?
• What does she do in her spare time back at home?

Understanding your helper on a personal level would help reduce your domestic helper’s sense of isolation and set a healthy foundation for a strong working relationship.

Managing expectations regarding maintaining the house

One of the major sources of tension between the helper and the employer is having different expectations in managing the household. Although it may take time and energy, ensuring that every expectation and task is communicated clearly to your domestic helper will save you time and energy later on.

Beyond listing the chores that should be completed, demonstrate how you would like them to be done in a step-by-step manner. This would minimise chances of your brief getting lost in translation and leaves little room for misunderstanding. When she makes mistakes, remind her gently rather than taking scold-and-punish approach.

While it is important to manage expectations and set the parameters of the working relationship, always exercise understanding and open-minded towards your domestic helper’s learning process. A positive working environment is more conducive for communication and learning.

Cultural differences

As mentioned, Singapore’s domestic helpers come from all walks of life and cultures that can vastly differ from or even contradict yours. These cultural differences may manifest in their difficulty adapting to your processes and schedule or religious practices that may cause either party discomfort.

In these areas of personal practices and cultural shock, allowing them private time and space to process and mitigate their difference will contribute to a healthy and productive work environment. This is where their mandatory weekly day off plays a critical part in removing any feelings of alienation and helping them integrate at a faster rate. As they interact with other domestic helpers who have had years of experience, they learn to navigate these situations.

Another manifestation of culture difference is in one’s diet. Eating habits can be extremely personal once you realise the sensitivities you have to exercise when dealing with dietary compromises. Your domestic helper’s culture will significantly impact the types of food she can eat. In situations where there are dietary preferences that may contend with your household, it would be best to clarify these details when interviewing potential helpers.

Ensuring she has medical coverage and is adequately insured

On top of a six full-day work week, entering a completely new living and working environment can prove to be extremely stressful physically. Beyond these specific triggers, helpers are susceptible to taking ill just like us. Additionally, given the close proximity domestic helpers maintain with your family members, eliminating the worry of prolonged illness becomes even more important.

After having endured the challenges of on boarding your helper, you would hate for unnecessary time, energy and money to be lost on doctor’s or emergency room fees. This is where a maid insurance policy plays a pivotal role in protecting both you and your helper. Maid agencies often offer to set up a domestic maid insurance plan for your helper, and it is important to ensure that the policy provides sufficient coverage in order to avoid additional and unexpected costs.

At the very minimum, your maid insurance policy should cover medical expenses related to personal accidents and illnesses. These circumstances are, unfortunately, not rare and therefore require safeguarding. FWD is the only insurer in Singapore to offer coverage for outpatient medical expenses related to illness instead of just personal accidents. Comprehensive coverage, including finding out the coverage of security bond (whether it is paid in full by the insurer or shared with you, the employer), is necessary to prevent unnecessary inconvenience (financial or otherwise) in the course of your helper’s employment.

Communicating and building understanding of both your needs and your domestic helper’s needs can improve your working relationship significantly. After considering all the potential issues to note, prevent further headache and safeguard your helper (and yourself) against any medical expenses incurred as a result of illnesses or personal accidents.

It’s always challenging having someone new live with you and your family, especially when that person manages your home and interacts directly with your loved ones. Being in as close proximity with your family as you are, your domestic helper’s well-being has a large impact on how your home and family members are looked after. Despite a stranger to the family, your helper’s role in maintaining the household is just as, if not more, significant than some family members, hence she should be treated as part of the family and comprehensive care and concern should be rendered.