Domestic Servants

Domestic Servants

Domestic help is necessary for saving the time and energy of a home manager but reliable servants are hard to get. Here are the ways to keep them satisfied.

The servant problem is one of the major issues discussed by home managers at any gathering.

It has come to the fore in most households, assuming a lot of importance lately. Only an enviable few can boast of good, reliable, domestic servants.

This problem has become so acute only in recent years. The reasons are many. There are other avenues open for women to get work these days, due to many factories and industries sprouting in every nook and corner. Naturally women find employment at such places a more decent way of earning their livelihood.

The influx of laborers to the Gulf countries is another reason for the scarcity of this much-needed lot. The Husband and wife take turns to do some of the morning’s domestic chores when the servant takes French leave. Tempers may flare up.

Money that flows in meets the needs of the families of these people. Then why should their women slog, cleaning and scrubbing at other peoples’ houses?

Very often we tend to forget that every human being values self-respect, whatever his or her position in life might be. No one likes one’s faults and shortcomings to be commented on constantly.
Domestic help is more or less indispensable to the Indian home manager today.

We might manage somehow for a short period, but it is unthinkable to manage without help permanently.

Since we need them for saving our own time and energy, is it not to our own advantage to find out ways and means to keep them happy and satisfied?

In many homes, maid-servants prepare delicacies for the family and leave to cook a poor meal for their own families. How much they must be longing to serve the dishes they prepared for their employers to their kids, at least now and then?

Many mothers load the plates of their kids with food even when they do not want it and it is wasted and thrown away. Allow the servant to take home the extra food, keeping it neatly and properly covered.

Whenever there is a celebration at home, keep a portion of the eatables for the servant to take home. That way let your servant and her family shares your happiness.

The maid-servant may be coming to work at your place on an empty stomach.

Give her a cup of hot tea and something to eat before she starts her work.

This thoughtful act will give her more energy and enthusiasm to carry out her work.

Servants too have their family problems. If she seems worried about something, enquire about it and if possible help her sort things out. But it is not advisable to lend her large sums of money unless you have known her well for a sufficiently long period.
Very often, we are tempted to exchange old saris, children’s clothes etc for a couple of small stainless steel vessels. Why not find out whether those unwanted clothes would fit your servant’s children? Even slightly torn saris could be mended and stitched and used as quilts by those kids.

Always Tip the Servants
Sometimes you make use of the servants to get some extra odd jobs done. Tip them at those times. They will be only too willing to carry out any extra work for you later on. When guests arrive, servants will have some extra work. Always tip the servants after the departure of the guests, especially if the guests forget to do so. This will ensure servants’ help when guests are expected.

We should show understanding and consideration in our dealings with those who work for us. They will then surely be grateful to us for ever.