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Ask Andreas: Do you have any tips on making a two-helper situation work?

ExpertsPost Category - ExpertsExpertsFamily LifePost Category - Family LifeFamily Life - Post Category - Domestic HelpersDomestic Helpers

Do you have any tips on making a two-helper situation work? 

There are many landmines here. If you already have one helper, you should start by asking her if she has a relative or friend that she could (and would) work with. In many cases this is the easiest way to find a good match. If that is not possible, ensure that your existing helper gets a chance to become acquainted with the prospective new employee.

Be sure to lay down ground rules regarding days off and division of tasks from day one. Encourage input into these matters; if the helpers can figure it out by themselves, that’s one less thing for you to manage. Finally, keep an eye out for things that get missed, and for possible conflicts. Just as you should be able to trust one helper, you should be able to trust a team of two to take care of the household in an efficient and responsible manner.

On a side note, if the helper has a husband, he can also be an option. Just make sure he understands that he is a helper as well, and needs to work on laundry, cleaning and what not as needed.

For the only guide you’ll ever need on working with a helper, check out Andreas’ fab book ‘Hiring and Managing Domestic Help’ and buy it here.

Andreas Rosboch was born and raised in Sweden by an Italian father and a Swedish mother. He has been an expat for more than ten years and plans to keep it that way. He has spent most of his career in the information technology field, handling everything from brand management to customer support. He is the author of one of our most-recommended books Hiring & Managing Domestic Help – an absolute must-have for Hong Kong mamas (psst- and you can buy it here). He lives in Hong Kong with his wife, two children and dog.

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