Is “job hopping” really a thing?
There has been a lot of press lately about the problem of helpers job hopping. Is this something you should be worried about? The answer is “Yes, and No”. Let me explain. Job hopping was a thing during the pandemic, because the Immigration Department allowed helpers who were terminated to stay in Hong Kong while applying for a visa to work for a new employer. There was a severe shortage of domestic helpers because flights were often suspended due to travel bans, quarantines made hiring from abroad expensive and the process was unreliable due to the pandemic. To alleviate the shortage Immigration allowed helpers to change employers without having to return to the Philippines. That was then, this is now. Now helpers who want to change employers must wait in the Philippines while Immigration decides on their visa. That is not the biggest problem they face. The biggest reason that helpers won’t change employers is because “few people want to hire someone who breaks their contract”. We all think “I’m not a perfect employer. If she quits on them, she may also quit on me.” Hiring a helper is expensive so I’m going to spend that money on someone who has not broken a contract.”
“I’m not a perfect employer. If she quits on them, she may also quit on me.”
Hiring a helper is expensive so I’m going to spend that money on someone who has not broken a contract.”
Job hopping is not a real problem that you should worry about. But QUITTING IS STILL A BIG PROBLEM. Filipino domestic workers will resign if they find their work situation intolerable, but they won’t change employers; instead they will leave the job market altogether and stay in the Philippines. When a helper leaves your employ they end up going back to the Philippines. Domestic helpers are not leaving their employers for “greener pastures”. They are leaving because they find the working conditions intolerable. Changing the laws to make it more difficult for a helper to quit won’t solve the problem. What is needed is education for both employees and employers, so that Filipinos know what to expect when they come to work in HK, AND so that employers know how to effectively manage Filipino workers.
When helpers ask us for help, we teach them coping skills because we want them to finish their contract. That is what is best for them and best for our customers. Arrow’s Overseas Standard Package includes an evening orientation for employers on how to manage a worker from the Philippines. What are the main issues that they need to cope with (as reported by the helpers):
long work hours (anything more than 12 hours a day is too long)
not enough food or frequent interruptions to their meal time
nagging or overly critical supervisor, and micro-managing
asking them to work on their day off
When these issues pile up too high, the helper resigns. We try to convince them to stay because we know they need the money, but they never do. They are not hopping to another job, they are escaping a work environment that they can’t handle.
If you don’t want your helper to hop back to the Philippines, what should you do?:
Don’t overwork them. If they work late, give them time off during the afternoon to rest and contact their family
Ask them about their meals, make sure they are getting enough food that they like
Don’t interrupt their meal time
Respect their day off. Don’t ask them to work on their day. If they do some chores, thank them for doing so.
Be civil with them. When they make mistakes point them out calmly and keep your correction short and to the point. Don’t lecture.
Job hopping among domestic workers is IMHO a “fake” issue in Hong Kong. The real issue is Employee Retention. By doing our best to make our workplace a pleasant place to work, we can reduce the risk of our domestic helpers resigning and returning to the Philippines.
What do you think? Leave a comment.
Allan @ Arrow
