Even if your to-do list at home feels never-ending, and the thought of housework triggers you, hiring domestic staff might not be the solution you think it is—no matter how much cash you’re ready to throw at the problem.
Before you shoot the messenger, believe me when I say I get it. You want to reclaim your time, live your best life, and smash your goals, and you probably expect me to cheer you on from the sidelines. But here’s the thing—I’m playing devil’s advocate today, and I need to share a few uncomfortable truths about why hiring domestic help might not be the best idea, especially if you’re on the African continent — a place where we have very blurred lines between right and wrong.
Here’s what I have observed: our domestic staffing industry is still deeply rooted in cultural norms. And while culture can be a beautiful thing, some practices we see as normal and live as a lifestyle end up crossing certain boundaries.
On top of that, the labour policies for domestic workers are far from perfect—they don’t always protect the rights domestic staff or create fair systems, so it is easy to get away with a lot of wrongdoing.
That’s why we need to pause and think carefully about what’s acceptable and what isn’t, and then start to hold ourselves accountable to those things even if the law wouldn’t. And that’s what this article is about.
So, here’s the truth: you might not be ready to hire domestic staff just yet—and here’s why.
- You do not have space to accommodate a live-in staff
The African culture in itself is very welcoming. We value communal living and enjoy the inconvenience of shared everything, especially if it affords us the opportunity of being with the people we love the most.Some of the most cherished childhood memories of the average African millennial are those of full houses with every room occupied by people, including the living room.
But here’s the thing: when you hire a domestic staff, you’re bringing in an employee to their workplace, not inviting a family member to a reunion.
Anyone working in your household has a legal right to decent living conditions and privacy. That means no one should be sleeping under the stairs, on the couch, or in the living room—as I’ve seen happen all too often. Their living space should also be theirs and not something you take over whenever you need an extra room for something else.
So, if you’re thinking of hiring domestic help, it’s not just about being able to pay their salary. If you don’t have a proper, private space for them to live in—free from dehumanizing conditions or constant disruptions—then it’s time to rethink. Don’t hire someone if you can’t provide the dignity they deserve.
- You believe labour laws only apply to corporations not your home, but they absolutely do.
Asides the issue of accommodation, here are a few laws your household isn’t exempted from
– A defined starting and closing time.
– No work for more than 10-12 hrs daily, with at least 2hr breaks in between.
– A well written contract with terms and conditions that both parties understand and agree to, covering a wide range of specific areas like feeding arrangements, leave days and notice periods to remuneration, penalties and termination.
There are many individuals who are offended and even contribute to conversations and public discourse on unfair staff treatment at work, but if you truly stand against exploitation, that belief shouldn’t stop at your front door. - You undervalue labor that falls outside of your view of dignity.
Our generation promised ourselves we’d never be like our parents, who only seemed to value careers in Engineering, Medicine, or Law. If a job isn’t in tech, doesn’t come with a fancy title, or doesn’t involve dressing up in suits and climbing some “ladder,” it’s hard for you to fully respect it.
If you think that’s not you, here are a few signs that might say otherwise—and why they could mean you’re not ready to hire someone in this type of work:
- You don’t value their time. You feel like they should always be available, anytime you need them, no questions asked and no hesitation shown.
- You think they’re asking for too much. Even though their pay is less than others doing similar work, you still feel like it’s too high.
- You don’t take their ideas seriously. If they offer an opinion or suggestion, you’re quick to brush it off because it’s coming from them, not because it is not valuable.
- You downplay their work and do not think it deserves any formality. You think their job doesn’t take much skill, so finding someone else wouldn’t be a problem. You also do not think you need to follow a structured process in their hiring or management.
- You put their needs last. When making decisions, you don’t stop to think about how it’ll affect them—and if in fact you come to realize that it impacts them negatively, you assume they’ll just deal with it.
Does any of this resonate? If it does, it might be time to rethink your hiring decision.
4. You are reluctant to invest into their work.
This is a product of the point 3 mentality. Because you neither value them nor their work, you do not care if they have to work twice as hard to get the work done. For example, you do not see the need for training even when you understand that an upgrade in knowledge will improve efficiency and results.You struggle to invest in technology that would make their work easier because, you see through a cultural lens that makes you think that anyone in their line of work should not need any additional help. You believe that the whole point of this kind of work is very hard labour.
Here’s the crux of the matter: while we take pride in our culture, it’s time to let go of the parts that don’t align with basic human rights. We need to ask ourselves the tough questions—and be honest with the answers.
Yes, the entire domestic staffing system is flawed, but there are parts of it that lie within your control and that is where your focus should be. Change starts with you, and there’s no way to delegate the responsibility that’s yours to carry.