SINGAPORE: A domestic helper has shared how she feels unappreciated by her current employers despite taking on a wide range of responsibilities around the house.
In a post on the Complaint Singapore Facebook group, the helper said her duties went far beyond housework, describing herself as a “nanny, housekeeper, gardener, kitchen attendant, and washing care” worker.
On top of the heavy workload, she said she always tried her best to adjust to her employers’ moods, yet no matter how hard she worked, she felt her efforts went unnoticed.
Having nine CCTV cameras installed around the house and being asked daily what she had accomplished only added to her exhaustion, she said.
The helper also spoke about how employers sometimes dismissed the emotional and physical toll of domestic work.
“Sometimes, domestic helpers cry purely out of tiredness and exhaustion, but employers call it 'drama,'” she wrote. “No one dreams of becoming a helper, but sometimes, life gives us no other choice.”
Wondering whether other helpers had gone through similar experiences, she asked: “Has anyone else ever been in the same situation?”
‘Don't curse your boss like this’
The post attracted plenty of criticism, with some commenters suggesting that if she found the job too exhausting, she should resign and give “other nationalities a chance.”
Others questioned why she was so concerned about the CCTV cameras, pointing out that many Singaporean households have them for security purposes. They argued that the cameras were not necessarily installed to monitor her personally.
One disgruntled commenter wrote: “Are you kidding me? CCTVs may not be set up just for the purpose of surveilling you. It could be for accidents, elderly people, children, and strangers for security purposes. If you are confident about what you're doing, why are you bothered?”
The commenter also defended the employer's daily questions about her work, adding: “What's wrong with being asked what you accomplished in a day? There's never anything wrong with an employer trying to communicate.”
They went on to accuse the helper of being “overly entitled, demanding, and [having a] poor attitude,” before telling her to quit if she wanted an easier job.
Another commenter echoed the sentiment, writing: “Aiyo, this is Singapore lah, almost everywhere also got CCTV. Even my office has 20x CCTV installed. Why complain so much?”
A third pointed out that domestic helpers were not the only workers who felt unappreciated by their bosses.
“Kindly tell me which profession bosses are treating their staff with love,” they wrote. “Stop this pity party here. The best suggestion for people like you is to find employment among your people in your birthplace so both parties have the same mindset ... Please think about it, and don't curse your boss like this.”
Despite the criticism, a few commenters sympathised with the helper, saying they understood how exhausting the job could be because they had experienced similar treatment themselves.
One advised her not to stay too long with employers who made her unhappy. “Don't work more than two years with this kinda people. You need to jump [and] find a good record. There are good employers around the world.”
Another added: “Being a domestic helper is not easy; you have to be able to master 5 elements with many professions, such as being a nanny, security guard, gardener, cook, or cleaner. And [the hardest thing] is that you have to be a psychiatrist or psychologist for your employer and his relatives. Stay strong. If you are tired, cry; that is the best way to release stress and tiredness, but that doesn't mean you are weak, okay?”/TISG