Disclaimer :: This is only my opinion and perception. There are other ways to go about this, and other things to consider. Please weigh in, in the comments, with your additions and suggestions.
FINDING staff ::
There are several ways to go about finding staff. Domesteq offers staffing solutions, though I've not used them personally. The American Womens Association runs a Domestic Staff Registry. Quite honestly though, the best option in my opinion is to join one of the many list servs here in Delhi and conduct interviews based off of word of mouth.
Contracts ::
When we hired our crew, we created contracts for each one of them. There was a little bit of push back, and we're not entirely sure that everyone understands the "small print" but it was necessary for us to have the peace of mind that there were signatures at the end of the contracts.
We spelled out holiday policies, the hours they were expected to work, how we would handle loans (simply stated that "forward loans were not encouraged"), whether we would give a uniform allowance, how we would pay conveyance, and whether annual raises would be automatically considered.
If you are interested in the contract format that we used, email me and I'll be happy to email it back to you.
Live in vs. Live out ::
When we first arrived in Delhi, we had our cook/ayah living in our home with us. We had adequate space for quarters on our roof, but the stairs are a bit tedious and most women didn't have any interest in living in the quarters.
To note if you've never seen "quarters" - typically they consist of ONE room, typically with no air conditioning. Sizes range, but are smaller than a typical on-the-small-side United States bedroom. Often entire families live in these quarters and while it seems quite uncomfortable to me, quarters offered as part of an employment agreement are a GOOD thing, as it means the family will not have to pay rent.
We had space in our basement for two rooms, so we allowed her to live with us. For many reasons, this did not work out. I'm a creature of habit and enjoy having my mornings to myself. I was also having a hard time with all of the things that go along with having a long-term house guest. Eventually we hired someone else, and we will never again have a live-in staff member INSIDE the house.
For many families though, this situation and option creates much calm and order for the family, in that the person you rely on for so many tasks is right there and available to you. Consider the pros and cons of having someone live in ... as well as the ramifications of having someone move in -- only to realize later that it is not a workable situation for your family. Asking a staff member to move in with you, only to realize 1-2 months later that it is not workable creates havoc for that family, in that they are now without a place to live, and must move.
Typical Positions ::
Ayah - otherwise known as a nanny. This position typically cares for young children in the home. Some parents choose to make it a 10 hour workday, with the ayah being responsible for all duties relating to the children. Because of the ages of our children, we only use an ayah for weekend/evening babysitting, as well as childcare in the afternoons for our youngest little.
Cook - a cook is not a required position, but because of the necessary sanitizing of fruits/vegetables and the sometimes frustrating shopping experience, a cook is a nice position to employ! We required our cook to read and speak English -- as it makes it nice to be able to lay out a recipe and have her follow the instructions.
Driver - in my opinion, a driver is the MOST necessary of staff to hire. Because of parking issues in Delhi, and the craziness that can ensue on the roads, I can't imagine life any other way. Not only does our driver know Delhi like the back of his hand, it enables me to travel stress-free to and from our activities, school, etc. I have entertained the thought of driving here, but with children in the car and my fear of getting hopelessly lost, a driver is the way to go.
Mali - if you have green space at your home, a mali will take care of plants, flowers, gardening, mosquitoes and attempting to keep everything as green as possible!
Guard - Typically hired through a company/agent, guards are responsible to keep unwanted guests away from your front door, take delivery of items in your absence, filter who does make it to your door, collect your mail and most importantly - protect your home. Typically, most expats hire two guards, in order to have 24/7 protection.
Dhobi - a Dhobi handles the laundry. Ours happens to do both the washing, ironing AND folding, but some dhobis only are responsible for ironing.
Maid - responsible for the daily cleaning of your home. Typically a part-time position, be sure to set the record straight on whether they are to clean only, or should also straighten up the piles, toys, etc. We have had quite the time of getting our gal to not mess with items in the house, as we can't find them later!
For more information and some more experiences, check out Marie's blog
