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13 Tips for Employing a Maid in India

Posted On: April 24, 2012

Employing a maid and other household help in India is common. Many Non- Resident Indians (NRIs), including myself, have lived in the West where we had to do all the household chores without any help. However, when we come back to India, we realize most of the people behave as if they live in the raja saheb days, so maids and other household help becomes a requirement. While having household help can relieve some burden and simplify life, it also becomes increasingly complicated as we add on hired help to the list. We must remember that maids want their own holidays, take planned or unplanned leave for trips to their native place, or to attend to sickness and family concerns. Because of this, retaining maids can be and is a problem for many. To make life a little easier for you, I am sharing tips I have used to hire and coordinate maids in Mumbai, India.

Tips for Employing a Maid in India:

1. Find out the typical rate of pay in your area and pay 10% more if you want to hold on to good help.
2. Within the first few days of hire, ask your maid to provide a passport size photo, her full name, address and phone number.
3. Make terms and conditions very clear so that there are no issues later on.
4. Understand what times of year and holidays are important to them so you are aware when they plan to make trips to their native place.
5. If the maid wants to take a break for more then seven or eight days ask them to give a substitute at no extra cost.
6. Hire them through someone you or your family knows. These days a lot of household help is involved in robberies. Never ever get used to them. From time to time work alongside them. This will help you keep those muscles flexed and ‘keep in touch‘ with how things are done.
7. Refrain from hiring help from the same family. If both husband and wife work for you, they will take leave around the same time. If you fire one of them for any reason, you are retaining one resenting partner at home.
8. Be aware of the holidays in your area and always give tips on major holidays in the area of India you live in, like Diwali. A good tip in metros is a whole month’s salary, or something equally valuable. [Only after the help has stayed with you for a year or more.] A tip is also calculated based on the area you live, and what others give. Ask around so you are giving enough and not giving too much.
9. If your maid is coughing a lot or doesn’t look ‘healthy,’ do get a routine blood check up done at your own cost.
10. Schedule your staff/help to come early in the morning or evenings. This frees up your afternoon for your own commitments. For weekend help, ask them to come a bit later in the morning or early afternoon so you can relax.
11. Avoid discussing personal matters with them or in car when they are present; especially monetary transactions.
12. Opt for literate help as far as possible.
13. Salaries mentioned are for experienced literate help over 18 years of age. Refrain from hiring underage kids who are easily available at cheaper pay.

Please use these tips as guidelines for hiring household help. When moving into your new area, do consult with your neighbors about their experiences to get the most up-to-date relevant information. In addition to general tips, there are also some guidelines to consider when hiring particular types of household help. I will discuss them in the next post. Thank you for reading.


Do you have any other tips or guidelines that will be helpful to others in regards to household help in India? Get in touch with us to discuss. Don’t forget to add the name of the city you live in along with your tips, for easy reference. Thank you.


Glossary:
raja saheb – Kings who did not do any household chores during their reign.


**Take note that prices quoted in this article will vary based on cost of living in a particular city, neighborhood, area or section of town, and also change from year to year.

 

Tips given by: Pallavi Rao
Edited by: Jennifer Kumar & Chris Sufi

Pallavi Rao, lives in Mumbai and enjoys helping people understand the culture and lifestyle of Mumbai and India. She can be reached at: pallavidrao at yahoo.co.uk.
 
Chris Sufi is a freelance editor who lives in Bangalore, India. Her personal interest in language and communication inspires her to contribute through proofreading and editing.