For many couples in Singapore, the thought of hiring a domestic helper only comes to mind when they have children and/or ageing parents to take care of. This is especially so when both are busy at work and may not have enough time to provide the care for their loved ones, which makes the idea of having additional assistance more enticing.
Likewise, if you have to juggle a career and fulfill your family responsibilities, how often do you need your helper that it will be necessary for her to stay at your house? Here are some considerations for having a live-in domestic helper:
It is important to first make sure that you are able to provide accommodation for your foreign domestic helper to sleep before you proceed with the hiring process. If providing a room is not possible, you should ensure that sufficient space and privacy are provided for her. For instance, some families let their domestic helpers share the same room as their children. If you are considering this arrangement, do note that the children must not include male teenagers and do not place any monitoring devices such as CCTVs in areas that intrude on your helper’s privacy or insult her modesty, e.g. where she changes her clothes or in the bathroom.
Money-wise, the cost of having a part-time vs a live-in helper can vary. Apart from her level of training, her salary may also be determined by the experience she already had with previous households. With this information, you can then decide on the most suitable helper based on the annual budget you have set for your family. On top of her salary, you are also responsible for her other expenses such as food, daily necessities, healthcare expenses (including outpatient medical costs) and insurance. Especially if you find yourself struggling with work and household matters, it will definitely be a significant investment that will make your life easier.
With a part-time helper, it may be more straightforward when it comes to informing her on what she needs to get done when she comes by your place. On the other hand, as the job scope of a live-in helper is wider and more customisable, this means you have to set expectations from the start. While some families leave everything to their helpers, others like to delegate specific chores for them to complete. Although your domestic helper may have undergone training in her agency, you may still need to educate her on how to operate the household appliances in your home and guide her closely for the first few weeks.
After the initial phase, you will be able to get peace of mind and feel more assured as she gradually gets a hang of how things are run in your household. Especially if you are hiring her to watch over your children or assist your elderly parents, all the more you will want to ensure that she is able to manage independently when you are not around. This will take time. Thus, if you do not have the time to train and have the patience to guide your potential helper in the coming months, you may want to look for alternative solutions for the time being, such as sending your child to a child care centre or your aged parents to day care facilities managed by social welfare organisations.
If you think it is the right time to get some extra help, you can start your search for potential candidates and narrow down your choices through interviews. This can be an overwhelming process, particularly if you have never had a domestic helper before. For a hassle-free experience, it is always better to engage a maid agency that can source for the right match based on your household needs.
Established in 1992, Nation has since grown to become a leading employment agency in Singapore, providing trained foreign domestic workers (FDWs) to 50,000 households.
With Nation, our experienced staff would be able to help you with the necessary processes at the FDW’s source country and while in Singapore. Get in touch with us to start looking for the most suitable domestic helper for you and your family today.
T: +65 6665 8199 | E: jurongeast@nation.sg
Address: 135 Jurong Gateway Rd, #05-317, Singapore 600135
Mon-Fri: 10:00am – 08:00pm
Sat-Sun: 10:00am – 06:00pm
PH: CLOSED
T: +65 6787 8199 | E: tampines@nation.sg
Address: 201E Tampines St 23, #02-100, Singapore 527201
Mon-Fri: 10:00am – 08:00pm
Sat-Sun: 10:00am – 06:00pm
PH: CLOSED
T: +65 6353 8199 | E: toapayoh@nation.sg
Address: Blk 190, Lor 6 Toa Payoh #03-510 Singapore 310190
Mon-Fri: 10:00am – 08:00pm
Sat-Sun: 10:00am – 06:00pm
PH: CLOSED
T: +65 6555 8199 | E: yishun@nation.sg
Address: 925 Yishun Central 1, #01-247, Singapore 760925
Mon-Fri: 09:00am – 07:00pm
Sat-Sun: 10:00am – 06:00pm
PH: CLOSED
T: +65 6489 8199 | E: hougang@nation.sg
Address: 1187 Upper Serangoon Rd, #01-57 The Midtown, Singapore 533971
Mon-Fri: 10:00am – 08:00pm
Sat-Sun: 10:00am – 06:00pm
PH: CLOSED
For many couples in Singapore, the thought of hiring a domestic helper only comes to mind when they have children and/or ageing parents to take care of. This is especially so when both are busy at work and may not have enough time to provide the care for their loved ones, which makes the idea of having additional assistance more enticing.
Likewise, if you have to juggle a career and fulfill your family responsibilities, how often do you need your helper that it will be necessary for her to stay at your house? Here are some considerations for having a live-in domestic helper:
It is important to first make sure that you are able to provide accommodation for your foreign domestic helper to sleep before you proceed with the hiring process. If providing a room is not possible, you should ensure that sufficient space and privacy are provided for her. For instance, some families let their domestic helpers share the same room as their children. If you are considering this arrangement, do note that the children must not include male teenagers and do not place any monitoring devices such as CCTVs in areas that intrude on your helper’s privacy or insult her modesty, e.g. where she changes her clothes or in the bathroom.
Money-wise, the cost of having a part-time vs a live-in helper can vary. Apart from her level of training, her salary may also be determined by the experience she already had with previous households. With this information, you can then decide on the most suitable helper based on the annual budget you have set for your family. On top of her salary, you are also responsible for her other expenses such as food, daily necessities, healthcare expenses (including outpatient medical costs) and insurance. Especially if you find yourself struggling with work and household matters, it will definitely be a significant investment that will make your life easier.
With a part-time helper, it may be more straightforward when it comes to informing her on what she needs to get done when she comes by your place. On the other hand, as the job scope of a live-in helper is wider and more customisable, this means you have to set expectations from the start. While some families leave everything to their helpers, others like to delegate specific chores for them to complete. Although your domestic helper may have undergone training in her agency, you may still need to educate her on how to operate the household appliances in your home and guide her closely for the first few weeks.
After the initial phase, you will be able to get peace of mind and feel more assured as she gradually gets a hang of how things are run in your household. Especially if you are hiring her to watch over your children or assist your elderly parents, all the more you will want to ensure that she is able to manage independently when you are not around. This will take time. Thus, if you do not have the time to train and have the patience to guide your potential helper in the coming months, you may want to look for alternative solutions for the time being, such as sending your child to a child care centre or your aged parents to day care facilities managed by social welfare organisations.
If you think it is the right time to get some extra help, you can start your search for potential candidates and narrow down your choices through interviews. This can be an overwhelming process, particularly if you have never had a domestic helper before. For a hassle-free experience, it is always better to engage a maid agency that can source for the right match based on your household needs.
Established in 1992, Nation has since grown to become a leading employment agency in Singapore, providing trained foreign domestic workers (FDWs) to 50,000 households.
With Nation, our experienced staff would be able to help you with the necessary processes at the FDW’s source country and while in Singapore. Get in touch with us to start looking for the most suitable domestic helper for you and your family today.
T: +65 6665 8199 | E: jurongeast@nation.sg
Address: 135 Jurong Gateway Rd, #05-317, Singapore 600135
Mon-Fri: 10:00am – 08:00pm
Sat-Sun: 10:00am – 06:00pm
PH: CLOSED
T: +65 6787 8199 | E: tampines@nation.sg
Address: 201E Tampines St 23, #02-100, Singapore 527201
Mon-Fri: 10:00am – 08:00pm
Sat-Sun: 10:00am – 06:00pm
PH: CLOSED
T: +65 6353 8199 | E: toapayoh@nation.sg
Address: Blk 190, Lor 6 Toa Payoh #03-510 Singapore 310190
Mon-Fri: 10:00am – 08:00pm
Sat-Sun: 10:00am – 06:00pm
PH: CLOSED
T: +65 6555 8199 | E: yishun@nation.sg
Address: 925 Yishun Central 1, #01-247, Singapore 760925
Mon-Fri: 09:00am – 07:00pm
Sat-Sun: 10:00am – 06:00pm
PH: CLOSED
T: +65 6489 8199 | E: hougang@nation.sg
Address: 1187 Upper Serangoon Rd, #01-57 The Midtown, Singapore 533971
Mon-Fri: 10:00am – 08:00pm
Sat-Sun: 10:00am – 06:00pm
PH: CLOSED
Send us enquiry now
Send us enquiry now
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