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Cleaning lady watching videos
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amother
OP


 

Post Mon, Apr 26 2021, 1:09 pm
I “caught” my cleaning lady watching something on her phone while she was supposed to be cleaning a bathroom. She often does not do everything I ask her saying that she didn’t have time. She charges $16 an hour. What should I do?
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FranticFrummie




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Apr 26 2021, 1:14 pm
Ask her to leave her phone in her purse, or hire a new cleaning lady.

$16.00 an hour is a lot of money.
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amother
OP


 

Post Mon, Apr 26 2021, 1:34 pm
FranticFrummie wrote:
Ask her to leave her phone in her purse, or hire a new cleaning lady.

$16.00 an hour is a lot of money.


I just asked her to put her phone away 🙈 not my type to be so assertive so I’m proud of myself. It honestly is tons of money and I need it to be worth it. I don’t know if she actually listened. I think she pretends to not understand me sometimes
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amother
Ecru


 

Post Mon, Apr 26 2021, 1:39 pm
I would not bother with trying to manage her phone use. If her quality of work and pace are good, then keep her. If they're not, get someone else.

I wouldn't want someone disgruntled working in my house, so I wouldn't want to be watching and rebuking them, even if doing so improves their pace. Instead of comparing her work with phone to her work without phone, you should compare her work to whatever you consider average or acceptable work by other cleaning people.
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Amarante




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Apr 26 2021, 1:47 pm
I would change to a system where I paid her a flat rate for cleaning. That is what I do with my cleaning lady and I don't worry about how long she works. She does what we have agreed to in terms of "everyday' cleaning and I will also ask her to do one occasional job like clean the refrigerator inside or wash my balcony. If I think she is missing something like cleaning the mirrors on my closet doors, I will just ask her to do it the next time she comes.

This seems to work for me since she is very accommodating and I don't want to be in a position where I am micromanaging my cleaning lady.
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amother
Teal


 

Post Mon, Apr 26 2021, 1:51 pm
amother [ Ecru ] wrote:
I would not bother with trying to manage her phone use. If her quality of work and pace are good, then keep her. If they're not, get someone else.

I wouldn't want someone disgruntled working in my house, so I wouldn't want to be watching and rebuking them, even if doing so improves their pace. Instead of comparing her work with phone to her work without phone, you should compare her work to whatever you consider average or acceptable work by other cleaning people.


She's an hourly worker. So she's getting paid to watch videos in OPs bathroom. Even if she does a great job it's not worth it. Why would you want someone in your house longer than necessary if they're going to be watching videos on your time?

If she's good I'd do a flat rate for the to do list.

Honestly I just wouldn't want her in my house. It's weird.
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amother
Cobalt


 

Post Mon, Apr 26 2021, 1:57 pm
amother [ Ecru ] wrote:
I would not bother with trying to manage her phone use. If her quality of work and pace are good, then keep her. If they're not, get someone else.

I wouldn't want someone disgruntled working in my house, so I wouldn't want to be watching and rebuking them, even if doing so improves their pace. Instead of comparing her work with phone to her work without phone, you should compare her work to whatever you consider average or acceptable work by other cleaning people.


It is inappropriate for any worker to watch videos during working hours. One can work while listening to music or talking on the phone. One can't work while watching a video. I ask ny cleaning ladies to please only use their phone in case of emergency.
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amother
OP


 

Post Mon, Apr 26 2021, 1:59 pm
Amarante wrote:
I would change to a system where I paid her a flat rate for cleaning. That is what I do with my cleaning lady and I don't worry about how long she works. She does what we have agreed to in terms of "everyday' cleaning and I will also ask her to do one occasional job like clean the refrigerator inside or wash my balcony. If I think she is missing something like cleaning the mirrors on my closet doors, I will just ask her to do it the next time she comes.

This seems to work for me since she is very accommodating and I don't want to be in a position where I am micromanaging my cleaning lady.


Where I live we pay by the hour
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amother
Ecru


 

Post Mon, Apr 26 2021, 1:59 pm
amother [ Teal ] wrote:
She's an hourly worker. So she's getting paid to watch videos in OPs bathroom. Even if she does a great job it's not worth it. Why would you want someone in your house longer than necessary if they're going to be watching videos on your time?

If she's good I'd do a flat rate for the to do list.

Honestly I just wouldn't want her in my house. It's weird.

I do pay a cleaning service a flat rate. But they are an independent company, not my employee. I don't know if they watch videos when they're here, but I also don't care.

When it comes to transactions, I don't really care how a person reaches a high quality product or outcome. I just look at what's available on the market and what they're offering. Would OP be better off with someone who doesn't watch videos but gets less done and worse in the same number of hours? If the principle of the matter is her highest priority, then that's her prerogative. But it's not how I'd proceed.
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Amarante




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Apr 26 2021, 2:01 pm
amother [ OP ] wrote:
Where I live we pay by the hour


There is no reason you can't determine what you want to pay your cleaning lady as long as you and she agree on payment.

In my area, some people pay hourly - some pay to essentially clean their home. People choose what works for them best.

How long do you think it should take to clean your house and how many hours do you think it should take. Then be a little generous in terms of what you are offering her. She then has an incentive to work efficiently. Of course she might cut corners but then you can point out what she is missing.

It works for me and saves me from aggravation about whether she is wasting time.


Last edited by Amarante on Mon, Apr 26 2021, 2:03 pm; edited 1 time in total
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amother
OP


 

Post Mon, Apr 26 2021, 2:01 pm
amother [ Cobalt ] wrote:
It is inappropriate for any worker to watch videos during working hours. One can work while listening to music or talking on the phone. One can't work while watching a video. I ask ny cleaning ladies to please only use their phone in case of emergency.


Exactly I’d have no problem if she listened to music, but watching videos slows her down a lot. Then she can’t get to everything, and I waste my $
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watergirl




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Apr 26 2021, 2:01 pm
amother [ Cobalt ] wrote:
It is inappropriate for any worker to watch videos during working hours. One can work while listening to music or talking on the phone. One can't work while watching a video. I ask ny cleaning ladies to please only use their phone in case of emergency.

For what its worth, I ONLY clean when there is a video or show playing on my phone. Same thing for when I cook most of the time. I put something on, set the phone down, and listen while I work. I am not watching it, just listening.
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amother
Cobalt


 

Post Mon, Apr 26 2021, 2:02 pm
watergirl wrote:
For what its worth, I ONLY clean when there is a video or show playing on my phone. Same thing for when I cook most of the time. I put something on, set the phone down, and listen while I work. I am not watching it, just listening.


You're not a paid worker. OP said the lady was watching and not working.
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amother
Ecru


 

Post Mon, Apr 26 2021, 2:03 pm
amother [ OP ] wrote:
Exactly I’d have no problem if she listened to music, but watching videos slows her down a lot. Then she can’t get to everything, and I waste my $

If you think someone else would get to everything in the same amount of time for the same amount, then you should hire them.
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iyar




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Apr 26 2021, 2:04 pm
I'm sorry OP but your post gave me such a laugh. If you have the patience to search the imamother archives you'll find lots of beautiful threads about how we need to pay cleaning ladies well and treat them like the princesses and wonderful human beings they are. And you know what? We do. And they are. But over the years of blessedly being able to afford cleaning help I've found they take major advantage of our kind Jewish hearts, your own cleaning help being a perfect example of that. I have no great advice. You do you and continue being nice to your help, no need to overhaul your personality and turn into a demanding witch. This particular employee- I'd fire her. It's useless to try to change her personality. You might (emphasis on might) get her to stop watching videos but if she's the sort to do something so ridiculous on the job what next? Let her go before she throws your son's pet turtle into the dark load together with your brand new Dini.
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amother
Rose


 

Post Mon, Apr 26 2021, 2:07 pm
Paying a flat rate would fix the problem,then it's up to her to finish in 4 or 8 hours, her choice and no one gets upset.
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watergirl




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Apr 26 2021, 2:14 pm
amother [ Cobalt ] wrote:
You're not a paid worker. OP said the lady was watching and not working.

Correct, I am not a paid worker in my home. But at my job where I AM paid, I often put on a show and listen while doing boring mindless filing and stiuff like that (my boss knows). I've found it makes me work faster, actually, because I am less bored. I said what I said because I am wondering if the cleaning lady was doing what I do and not really watching. OP said she was watching, she did not say she was not working.

OP, was she just standing there for a bit and watching? Or did she have the show on with headphones in to listen to while she worked?
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tichellady




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Apr 26 2021, 2:16 pm
I would find someone else, unless you really are happy with her.
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imaima




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Apr 26 2021, 2:16 pm
amother [ OP ] wrote:
I just asked her to put her phone away 🙈 not my type to be so assertive so I’m proud of myself. It honestly is tons of money and I need it to be worth it. I don’t know if she actually listened. I think she pretends to not understand me sometimes


Check on her more often so she gets that she can't fool you anymore.

Meanwhile look for a new cleaner.
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amother
Blue


 

Post Mon, Apr 26 2021, 2:26 pm
Dealing with the same thing...
I pay $15 an hour and she’s always texting on her phone all day long. She pretends she working and quickly picks up a paper towel when she realizes I’m there but I’m not stupid. She holds her phone in one hand and vacuums for a looong time. Once I found her folding laundry but her phone was next to her and she had an ongoing WhatsApp chat going on with someone. It’s very hard to find someone so I’m keeping her for now. What she does get to she does well but I definitely feel like I’m being taken advantage of. I wish we had the authority to say no phones. I’m sure a lot more work would get done. I remember 15 years ago when cleaning ladies didn’t have cell phones and once in a while they would ask me if they can use my phone to make a phone call.
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