How to Reward your Helper for Good Performance

The number of domestic helpers has certainly risen since the 1980s. The amount of foreign domestic helpers has coincided with the economic growth of a lot of cities in Asia. According to recent statistics, there are more 1 million people employed in this position, many from Philippines and Indonesia. Support provided by these workers definitely plays an important role in helping to release women into the workforce. This is true for those with higher education. What's more, with an ageing society and lack of elderly care homes, domestic help is needed more than ever before. Whether employed part-time or full-time, the value of a domestic helper cannot be underestimated. They must get a reward for their efforts.

Ways to Reward your Domestic Helper

It is not mandatory by law to give any bonus or reward to a helper in the home. If you employ someone who helps you out around the house, then try to be generous by rewarding them. Many families wouldn't be able to supplement their income without the help of a domestic worker. Rewarding them with maybe:

• Bonus in the form of money (Generally, until 1 month for good performance)
• Red pocket for the Chinese New Year (important to be lucky!)
• Increase of Salary or in holidays (for salary, it's fair to at least follow inflation rate)
• Christmas gift

Employing a domestic worker to look after children and carry out basic everyday tasks comes with a lot of responsibility. They can ease the load as well as help with childcare and house work. Your generosity to reward time and effort will make your domestic helper feel happy and really appreciated. There are many other ways to reward domestic helpers, it needn't always be through money. Buy him or her a new mobile phone so they can keep in touch with family, friends and you. Take them to fun classes (for example cooking lesson). Buy an airline ticket home so they can see their family at least once a year. You could always purchase random groceries like milo, conditioner, moisturizers, shampoo, toothpaste or food.

A Part of your Family

Make sure you remember their birthday, it's definitely a positive way to show gratitude and how happy you are with what they do for you. Remember it's the giving not the receiving, so treat your domestic helper with respect and they will show kindness in return. Of course giving a little extra cash here and there won't come in wrong especially if your domestic worker has family members living in Hong Kong. Everyone likes to be appreciated for a job well done.

Make your helper part of the family by including them in outings, barbecues, birthdays, Christmas or special occasions. By rewarding your domestic helper, she will go that extra mile. This can make all the difference, there's nothing better than having someone you can rely on completely and who in turn enjoys working for you.

It's also worth remembering that many domestic staff in Hong Kong send money home to their families even if, by your standards, it may only be a modest amount. This matters to them enormously providing for their families, when working overseas. You may be in the position of needing a round-the-clock domestic helper for an elderly member of your family or a disabled person. Apart from treating them fairly, even a small bonus or reward will make a good impression.

Another way to show your appreciation is to make sure they have sometimes one more day off, maybe a Saturday for instance. This will give them time to relax and recharge their batteries, ready for the working week ahead.

More Great Ideas 

Another idea as a thank you is to pay for your domestic helper to enroll for and take an English course, cooking classes or a first aid certificate. It will be a good way to improve the skills of your employee. At the end of the day, if someone is doing a great job, why not reward them?

Buy them some chocolates and cookies or how about cosmetics? If you're buying a new laptop, give them your old one. Many domestic workers whether from the Philippines, Indonesia, Taiwan or China really do miss their families a lot. What could be better than giving them a laptop which they could use to chat to family and friends back home? Don't throw things out which your worker could use. This could be an old TV, clothes, DVD player, DVDs or microwave.

If you look after your domestic worker, they will look after you. Don't forget, a happy worker is more homest, dedicated and enthusiastic about what they are doing!