Hiring a maid often comes with defined roles cleaning, washing, cooking, or childcare. However, there are times when families need help with tasks outside the maid’s usual responsibilities, such as cleaning a store room, helping during a family event, or running a quick errand. Convincing a maid to take on these additional duties can be challenging if not approached correctly.
Rather than forcing or demanding, the right way to handle this is through communication, empathy, and fairness. Here’s how you can respectfully and effectively convince your maid to do extra work when needed:
1. Build Trust and Respect First
Before asking for extra help, ensure that you have established a good relationship with your maid.
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Treat her with kindness and respect every day.
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Avoid shouting, blaming, or humiliating her in front of others.
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A well-treated maid is often more willing to cooperate beyond her job scope.
2. Communicate Clearly and Politely
Don't assume the maid will automatically agree to tasks outside her regular duties. Talk to her calmly.
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Use polite language like, “Can you help with this today, please?”
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Clearly explain why the task is important or urgent.
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Reassure her that you value her help.
3. Offer Appreciation or Incentives
If the task is unusual, difficult, or time-consuming, show your gratitude in small but meaningful ways.
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Give a small bonus, extra tea time, or an extra day off as appreciation.
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Say thank you sincerely after the work is done.
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Gifts during festivals or extra pay for extra work build goodwill.
4. Be Reasonable and Don’t Exploit
Asking for extra help occasionally is fine, but don’t make it a habit without discussion.
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Don’t overburden her with constant extra tasks.
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Don’t expect unpaid overtime or jobs that risk her safety.
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If you want to regularly change her duties, consider revising her salary or discussing a new role.
5. Lead by Example
Show that you’re not above the work yourself. Helping out in small ways can motivate her to do more.
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During family functions or emergencies, join in with small tasks.
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If you expect her to clean a difficult area like a store room, help organize and guide — not just command.
6. Give Advance Notice When Possible
Unless it’s an emergency, don’t spring surprise tasks on her.
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Final Words
Convincing your maid to go beyond her designated duties doesn’t have to be a struggle. With the right mix of respect, communication, appreciation, and fairness, your maid is more likely to support you in times of need. Remember a happy and respected maid is more likely to go the extra mile.
At Bookmybai, we go through an extensive shortlisting process to make sure that the worker deployed at your home is a perfect choice for you. We have maids, cleaners, nanny, babysitter, cook, chef, patient caretaker, senior citizen caretaker available for you and your family whether you want a part time, full day or 24 hours live in maid. We do an elaborate background check to make sure that the person is not only reliable but also trusted.
If you have a requirement for a domestic helper for your family, you can be rest assured that we will give our 100% to make sure that your entire hiring process is hassle free.
We are not just a maid agency or a maid bureau near your house. We are your partners