New helper’s phone was confiscated
Currently, I work for the elderly and sometimes train new helpers who were tasked to provide caregiving for the elderly.
A week ago, I met and trained a new helper from Indonesia. She was briefed by the employer while I was in the room as well, and she was informed that her phone will be confiscated and she may only use it once a month after payday to contact the family.
I thought this was inhumane and why implement such rules when we, ourselves wouldn’t be able to abide by it.
I understand that there are issues concerning over usage of phones during working hours. I believe there are several ways that this issue may be tackled rather than entirely confiscating it.
If we were to put ourselves in their shoes, being apart from their families and children, and tending to an immobile and uncommunicative elderly all day, it is normal to sought for some entertainment to alleviate stress and boredom.
I lent my phone to the helper to call her family for awhile. We did it discreetly in the toilet. I felt bad going behind the employer’s back but I felt it was extremely inhumane.
She was not even given the time and chance to inform her family and update her situation before the phone was confiscated.
Those who have maids/helpers. Any thoughts on this?
Netizens’ comments
- Singaporeans have a very weird mentality towards helpers. Many people treat them essentially like lower class people or slaves. cannot use phone, cannot wipe floor using mop must use hands to wipe, one month only can go out once, cannot make friends outside, cannot eat at the same table as them, cannot have a proper place to sleep. Singaporean’s can’t even stay cooped up in their house for 2 weeks during covid but expect people to do this on ends for years.
And if your answer to this is “if this is so bad why are they coming to Singapore to work”, the answer is the same as if your company treats you so horribly why are you still working there. Their life circumstance does not excuse the appalling ways we treat our helpers - This is just plain absurd.
We allow our helpers to have a smart phone and there’s no limit or restrictions behind it because its just plain human rights and a necessity these days. We’re not in the 90’s anymore.
Its been quite awhile since she came here and the phone she has are pretty much a hand me down whenever we get a new phone.
I do not get their mindset of over usage during working hours. Heck I do that all the time and I’m pretty sure everyone else does it too. Not to mention seeing how we have WFH now as part of the new norm, we definitely don’t work 8 hours fully anyway compared to being in office for 8 hours pretending to be occupied. What’s the difference is there?
Tell them to try and restrict phones usage and other devices that provides entertainment to just once a month and see how they fare.
I see its more of building trust and having a sense of discipline on when not to use the phone when its the time to get work done. Well… its just common sense.