Doing Business in India For Dummies®

Respect and Reward Your Staff

If you hire domestic staff in India, your relationship with the staff needs to be one filled with respect. You may not be used to such pampering back home, but in India the domestic role allows your staff to support their families.

Ask around and pay the going rate for domestic services. You may be surprised, but the general pay rate for an entire month is likely to be the same amount of money that a month’s worth of toiletries costs you. Don’t feel guilty; just be generous with festival bonuses once or twice a year.

Also remember that household staff gain vicarious importance from the status of their employers. Working for a foreign businessperson can actually improve their market value and future employment prospects. Think of that every time you feel a little guilty, and also give them a good testimonial when you no longer require their services.

If you run into trouble with your staff, first look into the possibility that the trouble is probably just miscommunication. Figure out how to laugh and to see the funny side of things. Humor is your best coping mechanism.

If discipline problems crop up or things go missing from your home, then you have every right to first discuss this with the staff and give them a warning. If the problem persists or if you don’t want to tolerate it further, then letting them go with some severance pay is fine. I encourage ...