A domestic worker encounters certain expectations from an employer bearing in mind that all people are not the same. Hence, it is up to the “baomu” to study his or her environment so that he or she can act, work, and behave appropriately. Yan Hairong develops a critical analysis of the standards of a proper domestic worker according to the employers. What are their expectations? How can the “baomu” fit in with the family? What form of training does the domestic worker need? This essay examines the primary ideas highlighted by Yan in the text “What if Your Client/Employer Treats Her Dog Better than She Treats You.”
Domestic work is largely shaped by the trends and patterns within the society. For example, in most homes today, both parents go out to work; hence, the domestic worker is expected to take care of everything in the house including the children. Additionally, the homeowners can leave their jobs as late as 8 pm, and it is up to the employee to stay put until they get home. The shift and demand in job hours and tasks make the domestic worker not to have adequate time for his or her personal and family life. It also raises the standards of cleanliness, tension, and discipline and directly interferes with leisure and relaxation (Yan 82).
Employers want “baomus’ who are highly trained to cope with the complexities of household work and home care. For this reason, domestic workers are mostly sourced from the institutions or organizations that deal with the discipline unlike in the past where anyone could work as a “baomu” (Yan 151). The privatization of home ownership has also developed an interest amongst the employers to obtain loyal and confidential employees to the extent that they have to sign agreements. The domestic workers are thus required to face the hardships in the home with discipline and determination and ensure that secrets do not leave the premises (Yan 158).
Works Cited
Yan, Hairong. Handling Domestic Work: From Moral Appeal to Value Management. Searching for the Proper Baomu, 2008. Print.
Yan, Hairong. What if Your Client/Employer Treats Her Dog Better than She Treats You, 2013. Print.
