SINGAPORE: An employer took to social media to express her frustration over difficulties communicating with her Indonesian helper, who has limited English skills.
On Saturday (Feb 21), she explained that while her helper is generally hardworking, she struggles to follow instructions. The helper often nods along during explanations but does not actually understand many of the tasks.
“When I ask her to repeat [instructions], she is unable to do so. I try my best to speak to her in Malay also and with a translator app, but soon I’ll be going back to full-time work, and I cannot send her on more errands because of her inability to understand a number of things when spoken to in English,” she wrote in the ‘MDW in Singapore’ Facebook group.
“I told her I can send her for English classes, but she doesn’t want to. Told her to study through YouTube then. Also, not motivated.”
Seeking guidance, she asked others online, “[Is there] any reason for this? Please help. My helper has been with me for a month.”
“Give her a chance.”
In the comments, one domestic worker encouraged the employer to give her maid some time to adjust.
She shared, “Madam, the first time I worked in Singapore, I also didn’t understand English. I worked for 8 years with a Chinese family, and I understood English after 3 months with them. Now, 24 years in Singapore, and my job is always working with expat families. Give her some time to learn if she has not experienced work in Singapore before.”
Another individual suggested, “Ma’am, you can send your instructions on WhatsApp, and then she can translate them… Just like my friend, her employer is hard to understand and doesn’t speak English well, so they communicate using WhatsApp’s translator. Give her a chance, ma’am. Just teach her how to use the WhatsApp translator.”
A third added, “You can use ChatGPT or Copilot to translate. Also, consider sending her for English lessons.”
On the other hand, some netizens who thought this was a lost cause said she should just send her helper back home.
One wrote, “Since you have given her opportunities to learn, but she is resistant to it and not keen to improve her language skills, send her straight home. Maids who come to SG have to adapt to SG, not the other way around, where employers must adapt to them. What rubbish!”
Another added, “It will be worse. You have to send her back. Look for others from the Philippines, Myanmar, or Vietnam.”
In other news, a man has turned to Reddit for advice after his girlfriend suggested that they pool all their income into a single joint account.
“She [my girlfriend] says she wants to have a joint account where we deposit all our money into that one account and use it for home loan repayments or other expenses like going out for meals.”
Read more: SG couple clashes after girlfriend suggests merging all income into one account
