Tag Archives: cross cultural communication

How to get the best cleaner

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1293173_excellenceIt can all seem very straightforward when you decide to get domestic help. You think through a list of requirements and either write a brief add to go on your local shop window or call an agency. However your initial interview with a cleaner, whether agency sent or found through other sources, quite often can become a one way communication with clients firing out requirements and failing to listen or ask. This then very often leads to problems in future and eventually cleaner leaving. There are lots of factors that might determine your decision on which cleaner to choose such as experience, knowledge of language, general attitude and many more.

If you are going through the agency and pay an agency fee you expect to get all the factors named above taken into consideration and all the requirements met in return.

One of the most common requirements for clients will always be having a cleaner come on a specific day and time. Here at Amy cleaning we have discovered that most of the clients would like their house cleaned before the weekend. Therefore Thursdays and Fridays are our busiest days. Good cleaners get fully booked for those days very quickly. We do of course understand and follow your preferences at all times, however our aim is to offer a cleaner who will stay with you long term. Flexibility with day gives clients a much wider spectrum of cleaners to choose from and therefore possibility of getting the very best that the agency has to offer increases dramatically. Clients would often choose end of the week regardless and we are very happy to serve such clients too but we always advise to take the above into consideration before making your final decision.

Clients do also prefer cleaners with fluent English. Most of the agencies will not have cleaners who do not speak English, however it is important to understand that levels of their knowledge might vary greatly. Poor English may not necessary mean a bad cleaner. In fact, it is often quite the opposite. Cleaner who does not speak well, will always try her hardest and will go the extra mile for client as she will be aware that there are others with better language skills who can replace her very easily. Such cleaners are also more likely to look at cleaning as long term job rather than a temporary stop over between changing jobs therefore they will stay with clients a lot longer.

Here at Amy Cleaning we also have a very multicultural office staff that is always happy to help with passing on instructions or any specific messages to your cleaner in their own native tongue in those rare cases when you may have trouble communicating to them.

Cross cultural communication (3)

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Do’s and don’ts to avoid a fight with your foreign domestic cleaner:

1- Do not think that there is only one right way (your way!) to communicate.

2- Learn from generalisations about your cleaner’s culture, but do not use these generalisations to creat stereotypes.

3- Practise, practice and practice!. If you don’t, you do not learn.

4- Do not think that communication problems happen because other people are on the wrong. Always search for new ways to make that communication work.

5- Listen actively and empathetically. Put yourself on her shoes and you will improve your communication skills.

6- Try to look at the situation as an outsider. Analysing the situation as a “third person” will give you more in depth and will help you to resolve the problem quicker.

7- Remember that cultural norms might not apply to the behaviour of your particular domestic cleaner. We are not only shaped by our culture; the ethnic background, the family or the education influence how we grow as individuals.

Cross cultural communication (2)

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On this post you will find some explanations about why your cleaner does not act and react on the same way as you do. Please, do not learn them by heart; as with all researches regarding culture and human behavior it is impossible to decipher the truth. Use them as a way to start knowing and understanding your cleaner with open mind.

1- Communication styles. Cultures use language on different ways. A yes in one part of the world can mean a no on the other side; this can create communication problems. Non verbal communication is also important. A gesture can be rude in one culture or a sign of friendship in another. For example, it may be that on the first meeting with your domestic cleaner you will consider appropriate to keep a physical distance between you two, but in some cultures, such as African or Hispanic, people tend to get closer from the beginning as a sign of friendliness and acceptance of the other.

2- Attitudes toward conflict. Some cultures consider conflict as something that has to be avoided; other cultures think that it is a positive thing. In a lot of European countries, conflict is consider embarrassing and needs to be tackle quietly, avoiding discussion. So, there are more possibilities of an east European domestic cleaner accepting quietly your concerns or complains regarding her work than someone from a Latin culture, who will try to speak with you to find a common solution. Again, this is a general idea and does not mean that there are cultures that will find conflict at any cost leaving their work on one side.

3- Approaches to completing tasks. Asian and Latin cultures tend to consider more important to develop relationships at the beginning on a new job, leaving the completion of the task for the end. European Anglo-Saxon cultures tend to concentrate on the task first. An Asian or Hispanic domestic cleaner would tend to speak with you more often, not because they do not want to do the job, but because they consider essential to get to know you better. This does not mean that domestic cleaners from different cultural backgrounds are more or less keen to do their job or value relationships more or less; it just means that they do their tasks differently.

 4- Attitudes toward disclosure. In some cultures, they consider that being honest about your own feelings or thoughts is not appropriate. Keep this in mind when you are talking with your domestic cleaner regarding a complaint or any other issue of her work; be aware that your domestic cleaner may not be comfortable revealing some information and a question that is so common or natural for you may not be for her.

Hope this helps a little bit on your way to understanding your domestic cleaner. Do not use these cultural differences to create prejudices but to create a better relationship with her.

Keep checking the blog for some tips on how to positively develop your cross-cultural communications with your domestic cleaner!

Cross cultural communication (1)

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Knowledge is the key for an effective cross cultural communication with your domestic cleaner.

How many times did you have issues with your domestic cleaner because she did not react on the way you expected? Do not worry! It is not the end of the world! It does not mean that your cleaner does not listen to you! It is just Culture.

In the UK there are a lot of domestic cleaners from all over the world, from East Europe to South America. At http://www.amycleaning.co.uk there has been a lot of issues regarding cross cultural communication. Recently, a customer called us concerned about her new domestic cleaner. She considered her too loud and invasive while on the first meeting. When talking with the cleaner, from a Mediterranean origin, she was confused; she did not understand what went wrong!

Communication between people of different cultures can cause anxiety. Yes, it is your cleaner, but most of the times you do not know a lot about her; sometimes you cannot even locate her country on the map! This “knowing nothing” cause a lot of uncertainty, thus making you scared and destroying the bases of your relationship.

Therefore, to avoid uncertainty and problems with your domestic cleaner you will need to know what the differences are between your culture and hers.

Culture differences can be found on:

1- Communication styles (how people talk and interact with others).

2- Attitudes toward conflict (how people resolve problems).

3- Approaches to completing tasks.

4- Attitudes toward disclosure (how people express opinions).

Would you like to know more? On the next post I will explain a little bit about each of them. Don’t miss it! It may give you the answer you were waiting for!