Managing Maid Mobile Phone Usage – 5 Best Tips

Manage maid phone usage – congratulations! You have successfully got your maid from your maid agency at long last!

But your joy soon turns into nightmare as you see her constantly on her earpiece, messaging her family and friends, and watching youtube videos…

You think of taking away her phone, or cutting the wifi connection access for her…but you are unsure about what you are allowed or not allowed to do.

How can you better manage maid phone usage? Here are some ideas to keep cell phones at bay, the right way!

1. Give stipulated phone usage windows

Set a time window during which they are allowed to use their phones.

Giving your helper a clear time during which she CAN use her phone will help her focus on not using her phone during the proper working hours.

A good rule of thumb to follow is:

• 30 minutes during lunch
• 30 minutes during dinner
• Anytime after 830pm or 9pm
• Additional time windows at your discretion

This tip is especially useful if you are hiring maid for new parents.

2. Set penalties if this rule is broken

If she does not abide by these windows, you should also have a clear, written agreement with her on what the penalties are.

Potential penalties would include:

• Forfeiting of one of the time windows above
• Reduced cell phone time
• Additional tasks to her current workload

Be sure to NOT do the following as they infringe on several MOM regulations and you could get in trouble:

• Cancelling of off days (they are entitled to one off day per week)
• Confiscating of phone (this can be seen as removal of her right to her own possessions)
• Deducting her pay (this is strictly not allowed and does not comply with your original employment agreement with her)

3. Manage the WIFI network password

Internet usage without the wifi can be costly. Restrict access to the wifi  to limit wifi usage for her device to certain hours.

Here are the step by step instructions to doing so:

1. Type 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1 in the address line of an Internet browser.
2. Enter your username and password when prompted and you will have access to the router setup menus. (this is usually “admin” and “admin” by default)
3. Depending on your router, find the menu for either Router Access Restrictions or Parental Controls.
4. Within this menu, you can set time frames to allow or disable Internet access for each device. For example, if you want to disable your user’s Internet access on weekdays after 8:00 PM, simply select your user’s device and set the access restrictions for the time you want.

4. Using a work only phone

If all else fails, purchase a cheap phone and disable usage to only calls and sms.

With Offtime, you can block periods during which the phone can be used. You can also measure how much activity is used for each of the apps and block access once a certain amount of time is used for each app.

You can also get a simple call only phone. This only allows her to make calls and receive smses and not other mobile apps.

See an example of this here.

5. Make Use of CCTV

You can also use CCTV around the house to monitor randomly how much time she is on her phone when you are not at home.

However, beware! Make sure you inform her on the presence of such CCTVs to be fully compliant to MOM regulations.

Have any questions on any of the above tips on managing maid phone usage? Speak to us and we are more than happy to answer any of your queries!

Also, if you are hiring a maid directly, be sure to check our Reliable Maid’s available packages! Our pricing structure is fair and transparent and guaranteed to be the most affordable on the market. Fill up the form below and we will get in touch.