Affordable domestic help is one of the luxuries of expat life in China. Whether you need a driver or someone to help with childcare and household chores like cooking and cleaning, domestic help will make life easier. As your employees, they will help you and your family to navigate some of the more challenging aspects of living in Beijing. When it comes to dealing with maintenance guys, tracking down missing parcels, or sourcing produce you just can’t find in your local store, they’ll prove invaluable during this period of transition.
While drivers may be assigned to executives by their company, domestic helpers (known in Beijing as ayis) will almost always be hired by the family, either directly or via an agency. You’ll need to do an interview, so it’s a good idea to ask someone to act as a translator so that both you and the prospective ayi are clear about expectations and benefits.
Do your research by browsing expat forums on the Internet, asking around your compound or building management, and seeking advice from other parents. Get a benchmark for ayi and driver working hours, average pay, overtime rates (if any), and the range of duties they can be expected to perform.
Once you have a list of applicants, start by checking their references and don’t hesitate to contact previous employers. Ask as many questions as you feel are necessary. This person will have a significant place in your family’s life, so find out exactly what you want to know and clear up any issues that may arise. Communicate your expectations clearly and emphasize what’s most important. If you’re looking for help with childcare, experience in looking after foreign children is a must. If you’re looking for someone to shop, prepare, and cook most of your meals, they need a repertoire that goes beyond fried rice.
The interview is a good opportunity to see how much English the applicant speaks, if any. You might consider asking the prospective ayi or driver to go through a trial. Perhaps the ayi could prepare a meal or do some cleaning, so you can get a better picture of whether she’s what you’re looking for and will be a good fit for your needs. With drivers, hire them for a day to see their driving style and general familiarity with Beijing. It is customary to pay the applicant a day rate for any trial.
Looking for an Ayi or Driver
June and December are prime relocation times, and many employment contracts will end then. These are the best months to find full-time help. Recommendations from outgoing families in your work community are a great place to start, and ayis or drivers may feel more comfortable staying on with employees from the same company.
If there are no such leads, look in the classified sections of expat magazines like the Beijinger and Yahoo! Groups such as Beijing Mamas and Beijing Café. Many ayis will post employment ads at foreign supermarkets and in expat-heavy apartment compounds. Bear in mind that the ayi didn’t necessarily write the ad herself; in fact, it’s quite rare to find an English-speaking ayi. Sometimes, the building management will also have leads.
An ayi agency can potentially simplify the process, but this requires an evaluation of the agents first. Your company may recommend an agency vetted in advance. Going through an agency will likely increase the cost of the hiring and perhaps monthly rates, although it’s easier to change ayis if the first one isn’t satisfactory. Be sure to clarify how the fees are split between the agency and the ayi to ensure fair treatment and avoid any misunderstandings. Going through an agency can take some of the guesswork out of the process, with background checks, health checks, and training sometimes offered. When interviewing an ayi who has come through an agency, it’s best to use your own go-between rather than rely on the agency’s translator. Agencies generally require a membership or management fee, but the monthly pay goes directly to the ayi. Agency websites are a great resource for pay ranges, which are clearly outlined according to qualifications, language ability, hours and other criteria.
Along with establishing expectations for routine tasks, it’s also important to discuss holiday periods in advance. How much time will the employee have off for Chinese New Year and other national holidays? Will they receive a guaranteed bonus (often referred to as a “13th-month bonus”)? Many ayis will expect this. Will they receive full salary while you are away on vacation? Will you need her to travel with you, including out of the country? Different ayis have different strengths and experiences. Expect to spend a fair bit of time showing them what “clean” means to you. At the beginning, demonstrate down to the cleaning product how you would like tasks to be done, including laundry, ironing, and tidying.
If you are interested in a particular posting or referral, contact the candidate immediately; good ayis are always in demand. Remember, if you’re happy and your ayi is happy, that’s all that really matters. It may take a try or two to get it right, but putting in the effort to find and train your ayi will yield positive results for all concerned.
Drivers usually own their cars, so start by considering the type of vehicle you need and what it will be used for (e.g. commuting, school runs, weekend outings), followed by the applicants themselves. Buying a car in Beijing is highly restricted, so often a driver is your only choice for personal transportation. They can be hired directly or through a car rental company; the latter have certain certifications and requirements for the people they employ. Car rental companies also have a pool of vehicles to choose from.
As a point of reference, car rental companies charge between RMB 4,000 and RMB 6,000 per month for an English-speaking driver. This does not include gas or toll fees. Standard hours for drivers are 7am to 6pm from Monday to Saturday. If you need a driver off-hours, expect to pay overtime – around RMB 10 per hour during the week, RMB 20 per hour on Sundays, and RMB 30 per hour on holidays. Also, be considerate. If you plan on using your driver for night outings, you may want to give them the next day off – they had a long night too.
Questions to consider when hiring an ayi:
• Does she speak English? If so, how well?
• Do you want her to speak English with your children, or help them develop their Mandarin?
• Has she worked with foreign families before? If so, were their customs and background similar to yours?
• Has she undergone a recent health check? If not, you may want to insist she does so, although you would have to cover the cost.
• Is she certified in CPR and first aid?
• How old were the children she has cared for in the past?
• How much experience does she have caring for babies?
• Is she available for babysitting and/or on weekends?
• Does she have any experience looking after pets? Does she have any allergies?
• Do you need her to cook? Do you want her to cook western food?
• Do you want a live-in ayi? If so, what living requirements does your ayi have and can you accommodate her needs?
• Does she live close by? This can affect her availability, should you need her off-hours.
• Do you want a trial period? This is normally a minimum of three weeks and a maximum of three months.
• Is she trustworthy? Was she referred to you by a friend? If not, can you keep a copy of her Chinese ID card?
• What exactly do you want your ayi to do? Be specific about the daily responsibilities required, as well as a list of additional tasks such looking after the children at birthday parties.
• Discuss all aspects of money and time, including pay, overtime, raises, bonuses, holiday leave, and sick leave.
Questions to consider when hiring a driver:
• How many years of experience do they have as a personal driver?
• Do you need them to speak English?
• Do they have any experience with expat families?
• Have they ever been involved in an accident?
• What kind of car do they drive?
• How much will their salary be? Will there be overtime pay?
• How much will their annual bonus be?
• What will be their standard working hours?
• What holidays will they be entitled to? With full or reduced pay?
• Do they know the city and suburbs well?
Glossary
Here’s a collection of the various terms and functions applied to the people who make life easier:
Ayi 阿姨
This is how an older, unfamiliar woman is addressed in Chinese society – especially by children – but in this case refers to a female domestic helper. It specifically applies to domestic helpers (both live-in and part-time) who help with cleaning and housework.
Yuesao 月嫂
Yuesao specialize in caring for mothers and newborns, typically doing everything from cooking and cleaning to feeding and even
serving as a lactation consultant. Most are contracted through agencies and demand premium prices due to the specialized nature of their work.
Jishi 技师
Typically addressed as shifu (师傅, “master”), jishi are the skilled repairmen you call when your toilet clogs up or your air conditioner stops working. There are more specific terms for plumbers (管子工, guanzi gong) and electricians (电工, dian gong).
Wuye 物业
The building management (or wuye) is responsible for managing your residential compound or apartment block, including the general upkeep of the buildings, grounds, and facilities. Although many are quite professional, bear in mind that property management companies don’t make money from extensive repairs.
Xiaoshi Gong 小时工
Xiaoshi gong are cleaners paid by the hour who work freelance, for an ayi agency, or wuye. Hourly wages usually range from RMB 25 to RMB 30 and go up for labor-intensive tasks like floor waxing. For smaller apartments and young professionals, xiaoshi gong may be a better choice than a regular ayi.
Resources
Ayi Agencies
Beijing Ayi Housekeeping Service Co. Ltd.
北京家福来劳务服务有限公司
Mon-Fri 9am-5pm. Rm 220, Sanxia Zhaoshang Dasha, 11 Jiuxianqiao Lu, Chaoyang District (6434 5647, 6434 5648, 139 1136 3252, service@bjayi.com) bjayi.com 朝阳区酒仙桥路甲11号三峡招商大厦213A室
Beijing EX-PATS Service 北京易杨家美信息咨询有限公司
Mon-Fri 8.30am-5.30pm. Rm 6003, 6/F, Ambassador Mansion, 21 Jiuxianqiao Lu, Chaoyang District (6438 1634) expatslife.com 朝阳区酒仙桥路乙21号国宾大厦6层6003
Beijing Sunnyhome Housekeeping Service
北京午后阳光家政服务有限公司
Mon-Sat 9am-5.30pm. Rm3022, 3/F, Shiyi Hotel, 1 Jiuxianqiao Lu, Chaoyang District (5288 4727, 133 6636 9720) bjayiservice.com 朝阳区酒仙桥路1号世一休闲商务酒店3层3022室
Beijing Huijia Ayi Housekeeping Service Company
北京汇佳家政
Daily 8am-10pm. 16 Qianquhe, Gaoliying Zhen, Shunyi District (6040 9096) beijingayiservice.com 顺义区高丽营镇前渠河16号
Nanny Beijing 和锐森国际家政服务
Rm 901, Building 3-3, B-Area, Regal Court, 23 West Da Wang Lu, Chaoyang District (5642 9208, 159 1050 7956, nannybeijing@hotmail.com) nannybeijing.com 朝阳区西大望路23
号珠江帝景B 区3号楼3单元901
Car and Driver Agencies
Beijing Top Rated Car Rental Service
北京首选顺达商务服务有限公司
Daily 24 hours. Rm 1012, B Tower, 39 Dongsanhuan Zhonglu (6504 7266, car-rentl@live.com) sxsdcar.com 朝阳区东四环中路39号B座1012室
Beijing TOP-A Vehicle Service 途安汽车租赁
Mon-Fri 8.30am-5.30pm. Rm 6003, 6/F, Ambassador Mansion, 21 Jiuxianqiao Lu, Chaoyang District (6438 1634) expatslife.com 朝阳区酒仙桥路乙21号国宾大厦6层6003
Beijing North Star Car Rental Company
北京北辰汽车租赁公司
Mon-Fri 8.30am-5.30pm. 2/F, Bldg 14, Anyuan Beili, Chaoyang District (800 810 2280) 朝阳区安苑北里14号楼2层
Beijing North Car Rental 北京北方汽车租赁有限公司
Mon-Fri 8.30am-5.30pm. Rm 1031, New Fortune International, 71 Chaoyang Lu, Chaoyang District (5136 8096) 朝阳区朝阳路71号锐城国际1031室
First Choice Car Rental Service 北京嘉驰商务服务有限公司
Daily 24hrs. Rm 507, Partview Center, 5 Fangyuan Xilu, Dongcheng District (6434 0778, 6433 7408) fccars.cn 东城区朝阳区芳园里西路5号丽园中心507室
AAA Expatcar
Daily 9am-5pm. 18 Liyuan Beijie, Tongzhou District (8152 3060, sales@expatcar.com) expatcar.com 通州区梨园北街18号院
This article originally appeared in the 2015 beijingkids Home and Relocation Guide. Click here to read the issue for free on Issuu.com. To find out how you can get your own copy, email distribution@truerun.com.
