Half of the foreign domestic workers in Singapore quit their job within a year, and reasons for this could be employers being too harsh and demanding.
According to Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower, up to 53% of foreign domestic workers did not complete a year in a single household, Shin Min Daily News reported.
The retention rate this year dropped to 47% from 51% late last year.
K Jayprema, president of the Association of Employment Agencies (Singapore), said the first three months is the most challenging period for both the maid and employer.
Some employers were described as “too harsh”, as maids were expected to teach children English or to help with their homework, as well as clean a three-story house thoroughly every day. And when they cook, employers sometimes complained that their meals were too repetitive.
Meanwhile, some maids reportedly had unrealistic expectations about their employers. Some, for example, wanted a private room instead of sharing one with others in the family.
Others were found to be lazy or lacking compassion towards the elderly.
Jayprema stressed that both parties should be more understanding to one another, and strongly advised employers to give new maids at least three months to adapt to their new environment.
The possibility of a harmonic relationship between maids and employers was possible, she added, highlighting the case of a 53-year-old Indian maid named Ambika, who worked for her 62-year-old employer Selvamary for 18 years.
The employer told The New Paper that Ambika was never just a maid but someone they regarded as family.
Ambika, who will return to India next month, said she would never forget the care Selvamary had shown for her.
Correct….employer should give the maid time to adjust. And they should trust the maid a little and give them freedom to move around freely. This way the maid will be comfortable enough towork properly.
Likewise… the maid also will respect her employer’s house rules given to her. In my experience in my previous employer, it is really a very good one…. the moment she took me from the agency, she tried to talk to me so that i will feel comfortable to her. She told me to tell her if i have problems back home…. she also told me to ask if there are things i dont know or understand…. and most of all she doesnt expect me to work like wlnder woman…. but to take care of her 2 daughters becoz they are the most important to her…. never mind if the house is clean or not….. or if i can cook or not…. . She only needs me to look after her daughters…. i can do housework when she is around but of course i dont take her word literally…. i do house work when the children are in school…. or when they are sleeping… and i tried to cook diner for them… although my employer dont usually come back for diner…. then they realize my effort… they come home for diner and. I also tried to help the kids with their homework… i make sure everything is done…i check their work if they did correctly…. i can help them in with Maths and English and Science….. i was able to guide them so much so that the girl doesnt want tutor even for Chinese subject…. i was forced to help her in that too. I eally missed them so much. U i work for them for 7 yrs… i need to go home to get married. They cried and cried too. We were still friends until now after 18 yrs away from the….. i am blessed having an employer like them who trusted an stranger like me with their kids their house and their life. They ate whatever i cooked…. i go marketing on my own. My employer just gave me money, she doesnt even check what i bought or how much i spend or was there any money left from my marketing money…. instead she was surprised that i still have petty cash left…… i keep my keys even bring it home when i go for vacation…. ththats how much my employer trusted me… i teach my Madam how to ride a bicycle and the kids too….. it was really a very memorable experienced tht is still with me and i will never forget them… i still talk about them to my frends and even to my employer now…. being a maid is a very fulfilling job specially shen your employer appreciate what you have done for them.. ????????????
By the way…. my employer before was Madam Loh Lili…. i work for them from May 1992 to November1998. I wish there are more employer like her…. who treated me like her sister and even telling her friends that i am not her maid but a family member…… until now. God bless you and your family, Mam Lili. I am really very grateful… ❤❤❤
Indonesian and Phillipines Govt should force the host country to give their maids one day a week wether they want or not to de-stress themselves.