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  Dear Users, Thank you for your continued support. To continue providing the best possible service, we will be revising our subscription fee for new subscribers starting July 1, 2024. Current Step Up users are in luck! If you subscribe by June 30th, you'll lock in your current rate and won't be affected by this fee revision, even for future renewals. Thinking about subscribing? Now's the perfect time to join our community and enjoy the benefits of our service at the current price. If you have any further questions or concerns regarding this fee change, please do not hesitate to reach out. Sincerely, The Step Up Team

The wait is over! Your domestic helper is all set to begin, and you're brimming with excitement. Finally, you will have someone to help with the chores and mind the kids. Your family can look forward to healthy, home-cooked meals. You printed out a schedule for her to refer to and even took a few days off to show her how things are done in your house. You hope your new helper will be motivated to give her best for the next 2 years if you started things on the right note. Setting the Stage for Success This all sounds great. But, for a good working relationship, you must treat it like a corporate HR task. You need to assert your role as the boss and respect your helper as your subordinate. Set boundaries from the start and be clear in communicating the rules of the workplace. Besides the timetable, you should also print out a list of house rules. This should cover the daily hours. It should also cover notes on securing and locking the house, mobile phone use, work clothes, personal ...

Step Up is proud to unveil Genie, the world's first AI chatbot designed specifically for domestic helpers. Powered by cutting-edge AI technology, Genie integrates seamlessly into the Step Up platform, offering unparalleled support to its users at no additional cost. Available in English, Tagalog, and Bahasa Indonesia, Genie serves as a comprehensive resource for domestic helpers, addressing both their professional responsibilities and personal needs. Users have the flexibility to engage with Genie through text or audio mode, with the latter facilitating rapid language acquisition, particularly beneficial for improving English proficiency. Additionally, the innovative "Upload Image" feature enables helpers to snap photos of objects, such as fresh produce at the supermarket, to seek recipe suggestions and assistance. Beyond practical assistance, Genie extends emotional and mental support to domestic helpers, offering a safe space to address concerns that may be difficult to...

Have you ever wondered if AI chatbots could assist domestic helpers in their daily tasks and skill development? Well, let's dive into the potential benefits and challenges of incorporating artificial intelligence, particularly AI-powered chatbots like ChatGPT and Google's Bard, into the domestic help industry. Dispelling Misinformation Currently, if you were to ask ChatGPT if helpers are entitled to public holidays for example, you will get a "Yes" in response. That's not accurate and depends on the terms  and conditions specified in the employment contract. While AI chatbots have their quirks, it's essential to look beyond a single misleading answer. Like any information source, they can have inaccuracies. So, how does this connect to our domestic helpers? Keep reading. Enhancing Efficiency and Skill Sets The use of AI is gaining traction in various industries, and the domestic help sector is no exception. AI can simplify tasks for domestic helpers, from sche...

Are you frustrated by your new helper's mistakes? Do you feel like you're constantly having to show her how to do things? Is your new maid more helpless than helpful? Don't worry, it's perfectly normal for new helpers to make mistakes. They are still learning the ropes and may not be familiar with your household's specific needs and expectations. Here are some common mistakes that new hires make: Mishandling of electrical items, causing failure Not knowing how to handle children Not knowing what to do if not given a schedule or clear instructions Not cleaning or tidying up properly Breaking or damaging household items Your helper's lack of knowledge could lead to costly repair! If you are concerned about your new maid's mistakes, the best thing to do is to be patient and understanding. Provide them with  clear and concise instructions,  and be sure to give them positive feedback when they do something well. You can also use Step Up to help your maid improve ...

Mr Tay Khoon Beng, Director of Best Home Employment Agency Photo: Best Home Best Home is a leading employment agency in Singapore with 26 years of experience in maid-employer matching, training, documentation and mediation. Their maid training program is conducted in-house with trainers providing training to domestic workers at local centres in their home countries. Although this method was effective in producing well-trained helpers, it was also time-consuming and sometimes inconsistent due to varying trainers' methods. In 2022, as the domestic help industry raced to resume operations post-pandemic, Mr Tay Khoon Beng, Director of Best Home started to look at solutions to improve maid training. “I wanted a standard online curriculum that could be used to train MDWs of all nationalities. E-learning was the way to go since all MDWs have mobile phones and can easily access the training materials even back at their home countries.” A comprehensive training curriculum The solution he fo...

Step Up transforms domestic worker training for employment agencies with an innovative online video training tool: Step Up for Agencies. Step Up for Agencies is the ultimate white label solution for employment agencies looking for a full or hybrid online training program for their domestic workers. Our platform offers a simple and easy-to-use admin panel and dashboard for agencies to create worker accounts, manage training, view progress, and monitor results. With Step Up for Agencies, agencies can have their own branded learning websites, powered by our extensive library of over 150 training videos. The videos are available in multiple languages including Bahasa Indonesia and Tagalog, and cover a wide range of topics, including cleaning, cooking, child care, financial literacy and many more, so that domestic workers can acquire the skills they need to excel in their roles. Results Guaranteed! Our platform is designed to save employment agencies time and money while providing their wor...

There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as the best way to train your helper will vary depending on her previous experience, level of skill, and your specific needs and preferences. However, some tips on how to train your helper effectively include: 1. Be clear and concise in your instructions When giving your helper instructions, make sure to be clear and concise. Ask her to repeat the instruction so there's no misunderstanding. Check her facial expression and body language. If she still looks confused, you could use Google Translate to repeat the same instruction in her language. 2. Communicate your expectations Make sure your helper knows what is expected of her in terms of duties, schedule, and performance. It's not enough to just say "Clean the toilet today." Tell her specifically what areas need to be wiped or sprayed with water. Let her know you expect it to be done at a certain time, otherwise she may work on other chores and leave it until the ...

When you are shortlisting and reviewing potential helpers, you will need to look at their employment history. You can find this information on the  MOM website . Do note that this only shows her employment history in Singapore and not in other countries. HOW TO CHECK A FDW'S EMPLOYMENT HISTORY To access this information, you will need your Singpass details. To look up a particular helper, you need her full name or FIN number, date of birth, and nationality. Once you are on the page, you can see "Employment period", "Household size", "Housing Type" such as Landed, HDB, Private flat/apartment, "Cancellation Reasons" and "Expected Job Scope". WHAT TO LOOK FOR Source: MOM website First, look at the employment period column. In Singapore, a helper’s employment contract duration is 2 years. Look at how many contracts she has completed. If the helper has completed more than 1 employment contract, it means she has a good track record. Howev...

Your helper has just agreed to work for you for another 2 years and the next thing to do is to renew her work permit. If you’ve never done it before and don’t know how to go about doing it, this article is for you (or watch the explainer video here ). 2 ways to renew your helper’s work permit.  You can either go to any maid agency to help you with the paperwork for a fee. Or you can do it yourself to save costs. It’s really not that difficult. How to DIY The letter should arrive 8 weeks before the expiry date. 8 weeks before the permit expires, you should receive a letter from MOM. Once you receive the letter, you should do 2 things. #1. Get a new FDW medical and personal accident insurance plan. You also must get a new MOM-imposed security bond, which can be bought from the same insurer. The effective date of the security bond can be post-dated up to 1 day after the expiry date of the existing Work Permit. It will take up to 3 working days for your insurer to send MOM the security...

If you have been looking to hire a maid since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, you would have faced multiple challenges due to restrictions. There are now fewer maids available for hire and you will have to fork out additional fees for Stay-Home-Notice (SHN) and testing.  On top of that, there is also a new rule. From the start of 2021, if you need to hire a maid, you must get her medical insurance with a coverage amount of at least $10,000, This is to cover any medical expenses in the event that she develops COVID-19 symptoms within 14 days of arriving in Singapore. The insurance must be bought before she arrives in Singapore. Demand for maids remain strong Despite the costs, the demand for maids remains strong . Now more than ever, employers hiring new maids want the assurance and guarantee of quality and well-trained maids. It is totally understandable considering the sizeable fee - which can amount to double of what you used to pay. This is why it’s importan t to go with mai...

Channel NewsAsia's "Talking Point" touched on a very current albeit sensitive topic: "Helpers and Mobile Phones: Is there a Win-Win Solution?" . The news program “Talking Point” showed that many domestic workers are accessing social media apps on their smartphones during working hours, uploading seemingly harmless song and dance meme videos. "Should I allow my maid to use a handphone?" The employers interviewed on “Talking Point” discussed imposing rules on the use of smartphones, such as no using of phones in the day or until all chores are done. The most extreme view came from an employment agency that hires only domestic workers who are willing to sign a no-handphone agreement with their new employers.  Many want to impose restrictions on the use of mobile phones as they do not want their personal details revealed unwittingly on social media by their domestic workers. However, domestic workers leave their home countries and do not see their famil...

Just hired a new or transfer domestic worker from a maid agency ? If you are lucky, your worker will be equipped with training as promised by her maid agency. If you are not, you will need to impart skills as she enters your household, starting with the very basic chores. The first barrier to effective training is language. Many times, employers have to use simple English and animated gestures to communicate with their limited or non-English-speaking workers. First, decide which is the language of instruction. Some employers need their domestic worker to get down to work immediately so it is a priority of short-term goals, and in this case, chores. But the long-term objective is to learn how to communicate more effectively with your worker. The key is not to overwhelm your domestic worker with learning a new language and the rules of your household all at once! Here are 4 tips to help your domestic worker get up to speed in a short time! 1. Provide a schedule  Create a weekly...

We are looking to partner with employers who are experts at domestic chores and who can suggest relevant topics to benefit households of various ethnic groups. Contact us for details.

For Immediate Release Just hired a Migrant Domestic Worker (MDW)? You’re in luck. An innovative app, Step Up, has launched an easily-accessible online video training app that guides MDWs on what it takes to care for homes and family members. The videos are narrated in the workers’ native languages. Set to deliver great benefits to both employers and domestic workers alike, Step Up is created by a progressive video tech company, Infini Videos. There is no other training technology for MDWs in Singapore to increase their skills. The Need for Training & Education While training is crucial for any job success, most employers of domestic workers are usually families with many of the members having full-time jobs. Training their domestic workers is currently done face-to-face and can take up to a few months to achieve competency. And when a MDW makes poor personal choices such as borrow from moneylenders or fall for scams, her actions could also directly impact the employer’s family, esp...