SINGAPORE: An employer whose family prefers a quiet household took to social media recently to ask Singaporeans for advice on how to deal with her singing helper. According to her post, published anonymously, the helper likes to sing out loud, but the family finds it distracting.
“We are a quiet household and prefer not to make any noise, especially during activities that require focus such as working from home, reading or praying,” the woman wrote. “However, our new helper likes to sing out loud and it is very distracting.” She then turned to Singaporeans to ask, “Is it reasonable to ask her not to sing at home when we are around?”
Based on the helper’s passion for singing, a handful of commenters took a wild guess, saying she must be Filipino. Some suggested the employer request the maid not to sing when the family is around, arguing that it is her call as the homeowner. However, a few reminded her to make the request kindly.
“Your house, your rules!” said one. “It’s just right for you to lay the house rules…make it clear to her the do’s and don’t’s inside the house, especially when you are around. That’s reasonable. Being new in your household, either she lacks common sense or simply feels very comfortable so she treats your home like her own and does things as she pleases. Open communication is important…you need to be straightforward and tell her that, she can save her ‘karaoke’ sessions on her off days or when you aren’t at home because it’s disturbing you. My employer worked at home for many years and made it very clear to me that she needed absolute peace and quiet when she would have conference calls. So I worked around her scheduled calls by doing chores before she started work, or when she was not on calls.”
Others, however, were amused by the situation – they could relate to the post. “Same as my second employer,” one maid wrote. “One of his reasons to me when I decided to go back to an agency was because we both were not happy. He told the agency that I’m always singing.”
Another helper, who loves to sing, wrote: ” What I do when my employer is around I put on my Bluetooth earphone and play the music, sing in my mind. You can suggest to your helper.”
“My helper sings at the top of her voice too,” wrote another commenter. “And in her room, she talks and laughs super loud.”
According to a previous report by TISG, after a helper sent in her daily work schedule to HOME: Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics, the organisation reminded the public that the nature of the work of domestic helpers makes it hard for them to have a semblance of a work-life balance. Given this, it is also important for employers to consider their unique situation as they live in the same place where they are employed.
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