Kasambahay Bootcamp

We have to admit the benefits of living in the Philippines is the availability of domestic help within our capacity to employ and add as a member of our household. Hiring a household helper will change the family's lifestyle for better or for worse, so it would be beneficial to consider some important things.

This post will attempt to answer the question: Any tips on hiring, training and hopefully keeping a house helper?

On hiring:
1. Employment agencies - they have the advantage of trained helpers and midwives (as "yayas" for infants).
2. By recommendation - from friends, relatives, employees, co-workers.

(It would be good to ask for a barangay clearance, police clearance & valid ID; cellphone numbers of relations in the helper's hometown).

Meeting the kasambahay (the interview):
1. Things to look out for:

• a. Respectful bearing and language, eye contact.
  
• b. Hygiene (check out for body odor, bad breath)
• c. Manner of dressing (tacky, sexy? neat? respectable?)
• d. Intelligence (Street smarts and common sense)

2. Things to ask about:

• a. Name, age, address, occupation of parents, siblings, cellphone number
• b. Educational attainment
• c. Health problems (asthmatic? allergic? arthritic?)
• d. Ambition in life
• e. Basic household skills
• f. Expected salary (optional*)
• g. Relatives and friends in the city
• h. Opinions on children, housework, etc.

Give yourself a day or two until you decide whether the applicant in question suits your needs (based on the first impression and the interview). This will also test the applicant's decisiveness in having you as her employer.

Should you decide not to hire the applicant, tell her so politely.

When you and the applicant have agreed with the employment, take a week's off to personally train the helper. This will benefit you greatly as it will also be the time to test the new employee's trustworthiness and thoroughness with work. This time can be used to show the new employee the household's routine and needs. A few things first:

Before training:

• a. Inform the new employee how much her salary will be and when payday will be.
• b. Indicate the benefits of employment (include the comparison between renting a room and the free room that comes with employment, free meals and snacks).
• c. Indicate the boundaries of the benefits (what do free meals include? coffee, tea, milk? or none? Be specific with the boundaries (Is the detergent she will use for your laundry be the same she will use for hers? Who will buy her toiletries?).
• d. Inform her of her rest day and what time and day she is expected to return.
• e. You can have a trial period of one month and inform her if she decides this.
• f. Inform her that should either of party decide to terminate the employment, all her bags will be checked before she leaves.
• g. Tell her of the boundaries you feels strongly about. ("I don't want to smell my perfume on you.", "Never take things that are not yours.", "Use your own slippers, comb, towel, etc.", "Take care while washing and ironing the clothes.")

Training:
On the first day:
1. Orient the new staff on the daily routine, integrating a house tour and what you want done everyday. Make sure to give her enough lunch and rest in the middle of the day.
2. Write down her schedule (daily, weekly).

Within the week:
1. Check if she was able to follow through the schedule you gave on the first day.
2. Always put your valuables in a safe place. Tell your family to do the same. Always check pockets before putting it in the laundry.
3. If you should test the trustworthiness of a household helper, make sure you willing to risk firing her and losing the "test" item. Go back to square one.

How to keep a good helper:

1. Treat her well. There is a Kasambahay Bill Situationer which will help to protect your own and the employees interests.
2. Appreciate her good efforts through kind and sincere words and occasional tokens of gratitude.
3. Give her a raise.
4. Give her used items (clothing, etc.)
5. Feed her well (but remember your personal boundaries).
6. Give her enough rest and respect her personal space.
7. Nobody's perfect: she may be a good cook but a lousy cleaner or vice versa. If she's worth keeping (maybe because she's trustworthy), you might be willing to overlook her imperfection based on your own need.
8. Treat her the way you would want to be treated if you sought domestic employment in a king's palace (you are the queen of your home after all).
9. Be honest with her. Pay her on time and give her the rest day you agreed upon.
10. Take care of her health. (Her physical well-being is her investment. She will not be able to serve you well.)
11. Add your own.

(image from wikimedia commons)