How to deal with an Ethiopian worker

How to deal with an Ethiopian worker is one of the matters that concerns many families due to the spread of Ethiopian workers and their unique skills in the field of domestic workers. Therefore, it has become important to know the best way to deal with the Ethiopian worker in a way that ensures that she is granted her full rights without any belittling of her status, which contributes to building a positive and stable relationship within the home.

How to deal with an Ethiopian worker?

The treatment of the Ethiopian worker depends on mutual respect and preserving her privacy and beliefs, with the necessity of clarifying tasks precisely and giving her her regular rights and adequate rest to enhance her productivity. Below we explain in some detail the basic rules for dealing with it:

• Mutual respect between the two parties strengthens the relationship and gives a feeling of stability.
• Respecting the worker’s privacy without digging into her private affairs or keeping track of her personal secrets.
• Accept differences in cultures and customs and not belittle the worker.
• Respecting the worker’s beliefs and religion and not forcing her to convert to another religion, or belittling her beliefs.
• Clarifying the domestic tasks of the worker and explaining the requirements accurately so that there is no confusion or misunderstanding.
• Allocate time to talk clearly with the worker about household habits and train her on how to work with the system for household members.
• Giving the worker the appropriate time to rest and sleep so that she can do her work without feeling lazy and tired.
• Showing thanks and appreciation to the worker by expressing words of thanks to her, which increases productivity and raises her morale.
• Deal with her calmly, kindly, and humanely, and do not insult her with undesirable words, such as the term “maid,” which some families use in their calls.
• Giving the worker her full rights, including adequate housing, food and drink, and health care, with the need to adhere to local laws set by the government to preserve the rights of domestic workers.
• Setting a daily schedule that shows the worker the rest and work times, which increases her commitment to completing tasks on time without procrastination.
• Not to violate any of the agreed upon terms of the contract.
• Do not force the worker to do additional work that was not agreed upon within the contract.

What is the importance of effective communication with the Ethiopian worker?

Effective communication enhances mutual trust, increases productivity, facilitates the worker’s integration into home customs, and protects family privacy by deepening the sense of belonging. Below we explain in some detail the importance of this communication with the Ethiopian worker:

• It enhances trust between the two parties and increases mutual respect between the worker and family members.
• It helps increase productivity because good communication and understanding how to deal with the worker increases her confidence in the employer, and contributes to carrying out tasks with high accuracy and effectiveness.
• The worker’s integration into the home system and local customs and traditions, and because good treatment and appropriate time at work makes the worker gain more experience in the field of work, and helps her understand the culture of the household members and the proximity to them.
• Establishing a positive relationship with the worker by dealing with kindness and respect, which reduces the occurrence of misunderstandings or instability that increase the possibility of problems occurring.
• Good communication helps increase the privacy of the home, because the worker feels a sense of belonging and does not follow their privacy or reveal the secrets of the home, and she also maintains the trust.
• Makes the environment inside the home quieter.
• Reducing problems resulting from differences in cultures and customs, because good communication helps the worker adapt and integrate with the new society and environment.
• It helps improve the psychological state of the worker and increase the quality of domestic work.

What are the most prominent challenges in dealing with Ethiopian female workers?

The challenges of dealing with Ethiopian workers lie in the difference in languages, and in some cases the worker’s lack of experience.Below is a breakdown of these challenges:

• Language difference 

Some may face difficulty in communicating with the Ethiopian worker due to the language barrier, because most Ethiopian workers are not fluent in the Arabic language, but this problem can be overcome by training, learning, and registering the worker in Arabic language training workshops. It is also possible to be patient and give the worker enough time to adapt, which breaks this language barrier and facilitates communication between them.

• Lack of experience 

Some Ethiopian workers do not have experience in the field of domestic services, which poses a challenge as they are not proficient in cleaning, cooking, arranging, or taking care of children. This challenge can be overcome by training the worker in the domestic work system, which makes her gain experience and master her work.

Tips for a problem-free working relationship with your Ethiopian worker

• Respecting the worker and not assaulting her with insults, insults or beatings.
• Commitment to grant the worker her full rights and preserve them, as stipulated in regulations and lawsMinistry of Human Resources and Social Development.
• Dealing with the worker calmly and gently makes the home more calm, stable, and free of problems.
• Explain the tasks required of them clearly and precisely to avoid misunderstanding.
• Listening to her opinions and accepting them so that she feels a sense of belonging, which increases her efficiency at work.
• Respecting their privacy, customs, and differences in religions.
• Encouraging her by showing thanks and appreciation, which increases her productivity.
• Deal with her in simple language that she understands and avoid complex terms. Also, avoid terms that make her feel insulted, such as calling her “maid.”

You can also read:Domestic worker rights

Frequently asked questions

How do I talk to the Ethiopian worker?

You can easily talk to the Ethiopian worker by committing to several things:Which are:

• Speak in simple language without complex words.
• Use machine translation applications to facilitate communication with them.
• Hire a translator.
• Be patient and give her enough time to adapt to the new language and different environment.
• Memorizing many terms in her language that are necessary in daily life.

How do I help the Ethiopian worker adapt to my home environment?

The worker can be helped to adapt to the home environmentthrough:

• Establish appropriate rules and schedules for work and rest from the beginning of the contract.
• Dealing in a way that suits her and makes her feel psychologically comfortable.
• Not forcing her to perform additional work beyond what was agreed upon in the contract.
• Giving the worker her rights to housing, food, drink, and good treatment.
• Respect the worker’s privacy.
• Respect its different culture.
• Don’t underestimate it.

Is English necessary to communicate with the Ethiopian worker?

The English language is not necessary in dealing with an Ethiopian worker, because many workers are good at communicating with employers and understanding instructions, but some workers do not have sufficient experience in adapting to other cultures and understanding different languages, so they must deal with them in a language that they understand so that they can understand the employer’s requirements and the instructions directed to them.

Dealing with Ethiopian domestic workers must be with mutual respect because it makes the home more stable and calm. The domestic worker also has rights that must be preserved in dealing with her and not violated, which makes the worker more affiliation and loyalty to the family members.