The foreign domestic helper left her hometown and went to Hong Kong for working. In fact, she will be under pressure in many aspects. The following are sources of stress for Filipino domestic helpers and foreign domestic helper sisters:
●Personal aspects: Adapting to the living culture, environment and food in Hong Kong, and missing relatives far away from home.
●Working: Insufficient language skills leads to communication difficulties. If the employer is not satisfied with the work performance, worried that she will be dismissed by the employer.
●In terms of epidemic situation: maintain personal, social, home and environmental hygiene at all times, are required to reduce going out on rest days, restrictions on gatherings and social distancing have restricted the number and time of entertainment venues, activities, and quarantine and transportation measures under the epidemic, unable to visit hometown Relatives, homesickness is even worse.
● Anti-epidemic fatigue also occurs in foreign domestic helpers.
As an employer, what should I do to help the maid to stabilize her mood so that she can be more efficient at work?
Sunlight Tips
Employers should
● Arrange a moderate amount of work than a foreign domestic helper, so as not to think wildly in her spare time.
●Let the maids have video conversations with their family members during breaks to understand their homesickness.
●Provide on-the-job guidance to foreign domestic helpers to help them understand the working standards.
● Discuss with the maid about the rest day arrangement under the epidemic, avoid unnecessary gatherings and going out, reduce the time spent in church parks and other premises, and abide by the government's epidemic prevention measures, such as going to church in the morning and returning to work and residence for rest in the afternoon.
● Take the initiative to care about communication and observe more. If the foreign domestic helper is found to have abnormal mood, loss of appetite, fatigue and trance, if the problem persists, it is necessary to understand the cause and consult a doctor if necessary.
●Take the initiative to contact the translator of the foreign domestic helper company, and find a professional to help the foreign domestic helper emotionally.
Employers should not
●When the foreign domestic helper does something wrong, he immediately accuses and abuses, and makes personal attacks, such as "brainless, stupid".
●Warning that foreign domestic helpers will need to lose money/deduct wages if they damage anything.
● Arrange too much work for maids without reasonable rest time.
●Restricting maids' rest days/statutory holidays Be sure to stay at home all day, and prohibit going out.
Sunlight Employment Agency encourages employers to have empathy and understand the emotions of foreign domestic helpers. The employer should not discriminate against the foreign domestic helper's sister because she is unhappy, and even suspect that the maid has emotional problems and ask for a replacement.
