Considerations Before Hiring a Maid
What Do You Want?
Perhaps you are imagining your maid helping you at all times. However, such wide thinking may result to misdirected employment practices.
Before you start an interview, set a list of the priorities and jobs you want your maid to assist with. For instance, maid with experiences in child or geriatric care is a good fit for families with children and elderly. You need a maid who is willing and able to teach if you’re seeking for someone to aid your kids with their schoolwork. Other considerations include whether the food which your maid need to handle for your family’s diet accommodates her religion.
These inquiries assist in building a profile of the ideal maid who can fit your household and enable you to make the right hire.
Is Your Family On Board?
This is an extremely important step. After all, having a stranger live in your home is a big deal that requires some adjustment. As a result, some families may not manage it well and it leads to conflict.
Before hiring, explain to your family how things will change at home – be clear and specific. Take time to answer all questions and ensure that everyone is on board with the concept.
Finish by establishing ground rules for how everyone should react in certain situations. One example is how they should express their dissatisfaction with something the maid is doing.
How Will Life Be Like for Your Maid?
You need to set certain ground rules for your maid as well. Setting guidelines for your maid’s welfare may seem contradictory, but everyone benefits from clear expectations.
Matters to considerate include:
Your Maid’s Hours
What are her working hours and when is her day off? To prevent your maid from being overworked, be sure to keep these reasonable.
Communication Process
You want your maid to feel comfortable coming to you with any issues she may be having, whether they are related to her job or her personal life. In these circumstances, how would you like her to communicate with you?
Your Maid’s Place In The Family
This determined on personal preference – some employers are pleased to regard their maid as one of their own, others desire acceptable boundaries. There is no right or wrong response in this case, but your decision is important, so that your maid doesn’t get confused in occasions like family gatherings.
Your Management Style
Not many people are aware of this, yet it significantly enhances your working relationship with your maid.
For instance, some people prefer the maid to take the initiative and complete tasks around the house and having nothing to worry about. Some people are more particular and may already have a certain method for accomplishing certain tasks – in these situations, it may be preferable to make sure your maid closely follows a given to-do list.
Can You Afford It?
Hiring a maid involves expenses that go beyond her monthly salary. These include:
- Monthly Maid Levy – $300
- Maid Agency Fee
- Work Permit Application and Issuance Fees – $60
- Security Bond
- Settling-In Programme (SIP) Fee – $75
- Travel Expenses
- Initial Medical Examination – $80
Analyse your spending to see if you can manage these. Additionally, you can see if you are eligible for concessions. For instance, if you have minor (aged below 16) or any household member who is over 65 years old or has disabilities.
