The First Day Of Your New Helper

Welcoming your new domestic helper is very critical because this is where you can set the tone for being her new employer. To help you get ready, here are some things that you can do to successfully onboard your new domestic helper:

1. Make sure that you make time to meet her

During her first week, make sure that you spend some time with her. Please get to know her better. This will help her to observe how it’s like to be around the house. This will also help her to be more comfortable. Some experts would say that spending at least one day with the employee can make a good transition.

This is also the time you can explain routines and schedules and even her interaction with your children. The first day can be both exciting and overwhelming, but know that it will be for good results so your helper will be loyal and you’ll have better retention.

2. Help her get to know each family member.

This is the time where they’ll get to have more ideas about the personalities of each one in the family. She’ll know how to approach them and interact with them. At the same time, this also gives each family member, especially the kids, to get to learn more about the new helper. This is the time to build rapport with them.

If your helper is the one taking care of your child’s schedule, make sure you can explain that well. What can help is to list the weekly activities, wake up time, school hours, lunch and dinner time and also bath time. You can also include tutor time and playtime.

Introduce your child’s favourite activities and dishes too so that it’ll be easier to adjust for both of them. If your helper will bring your child to school, introduce her to the teachers as well.

3. House tour

The helper would feel more at home if she knows the areas of your house. Here you can also reiterate her primary duties and what you expect from her. If there are also off-limits areas, this is the perfect time to tell her that too. You can also introduce how important it is to keep the gates closed.

Show her sleeping quarters as well and explain her workflow and schedule for the day. You can also explain how to use air conditioning, washing machine, and TV. You can further instruct her not to mix colours while she washes clothes.

Also, explain to her where you put the extra key just in case of an emergency. It would help if you also elaborated the house security. After showing around inside, show her the vicinity of the house too: neighbourhood and areas that the kids can play. You can also direct her where the supermarket is and your expectations about the groceries.

4. Discuss her responsibilities

As you show her around the house, you are already explaining to her the responsibilities. At the same time, don’t forget to make it clear what the main tasks are, specifically housekeeping. This can include mopping, sweeping, laundry, cleaning the dishes, etc.

For the child, don’t forget to tell her about the routine she needs to follow and what she needs to do especially:

• When the child is about to sleep
• Cooking, bathing and dressing the child
• Cleaning the play area
• Going out for the child to play
• Appropriate manner and behaviour

You can also prepare a handbook or a checklist so that she can practise and also read the manual to not forget.

5. Important contact numbers

Do not forget to provide emergency contact information that includes your parents, close friends or neighbours that you trust in case of an unexpected situation.

Do not forget to ask her contact number as well. Make sure that she also knows the address and phone number of the house and tell her that she can call 999 for emergency services. You can also leave your child’s paediatrician number and then prepare a letter of permission to allow your helper to visit the doctor.

You also have to show where the first-aid is located and other essentials that are helpful and what other medications and allergies your child might have.

Naturally, she might not get everything on the first day. The important thing is to tell her that she can contact you if she has questions and to should not be shy if there is anything she needs.

This will be an adjustment period for her. So always take that in mind and remember that you need to guide her, especially in her first weeks.

1. How to be Ready to Welcome Your New Domestic Helper?
2. First Day of your New Domestic Helper
3. 5 Tips to Settle Your New Maid In