An employer’s authority is never a question. She can set rules for her employees and give boundaries and control in the household. It is also her duty to give constructive criticisms and assign tasks to her maid. However, there are also things she has to observe for a healthy employer-employee relationship. If you are an employer who’s afraid of being too harsh or being too gentle to your maid, read through the following rules you can apply to your leadership.
Rule #1 Be constant
When you made a list of rules for your maid to follow, stick with your first words. Changing your rules will only confuse your maid. If you wish to manipulate the list you have made because of certain circumstances, make sure to negotiate it first with your maid and explain to her the reason of the changes. If you allowed her to take a day-off on Sundays, make sure to let her finish all tasks before Saturday ends to avoid overworking her on her rest day.
Rule #2 Train her
Before telling her all the wrong procedures she has done, make sure that you taught her the right ways to do the tasks. Trainings with you always happen in the beginning of her working days. The training with you will equip her until the end of the contract. Most training includes showing her how to do the chores the way you want it to be done. Also, give consistent feedbacks and let her know whether she has done a good job or not.
Rule #3 Stick to the Timetable
Schedules will let her keep track of the time. On her arrival as a maid, prepare a timetable that includes all the tasks she has to do and how frequent should the task be done. You can also include her rising and resting time. Employers must also stick to the timetable avoid frequent changes to for the maid to easily adopt.
Rule #4 Give honest feedbacks
Feedbacks must always be based on your unbiased judgement. Always remember that negative feedbacks will only work if it said for the intention of improvement and not for the intention of insulting the maid. You can actually be honest without offending. Good feedbacks are remarks that will motivate her to do better. You can also add some recommendation after giving negative feedbacks. Lastly, do not forget to praise her if she has done an excellent job.
Rule #5 Do not be too dependent
There are simple tasks that you can do without the help of the maid. There are also things that must do on your own like tying your shoelaces and cleaning up the little mess you’ve made. Being too dependent to the point of making her do everything is a form of human abuse. Put in mind that she is your helper and that you must help each other for a cleaner home.
Either your maid has shortcomings or you have unrealistic expectations. Assess yourself as you assess her. Always think about how you treat her. Physical and verbal abuse can get you into trouble with the law. Try to settle misunderstandings professionally. Make sure that your talk will yield a solution that will help both of you improve your performance and leadership.
Treating your maid fairly will bring you a lot of benefit. You will not only give her a happy employment but room to improve her performance as a maid. If you manage your maid well and she is willing to follow, she may even become your friend and an integral part of your family.
