An Indian woman residing in Dubai, Anamika Rana, has sparked significant controversy on social media after posting a video in which she expressed her discontent with her maid’s behaviour. In the clip, Rana filmed her maid “slouching” on the sofa and using her phone during work hours, prompting her to seek advice from her followers on how to establish boundaries.
In the viral Instagram video, Rana stated, “I just caught my maid on camera. She was literally slouching… and kind of like chilling on her phone.”
She acknowledged that many might see this as a trivial issue but emphasized the generational differences between herself, a millennial, and her maid, who she identified as part of Generation Z. “I’m not very pro at maid handling,” she admitted, expressing uncertainty about how to address the situation without jeopardising their working relationship. Rana also added that the house helper used her bed to relax at times.
The video quickly garnered attention and elicited a wave of reactions from viewers. Many commenters were critical of Rana’s perspective, questioning why it was an issue for her maid to relax on the sofa. One user remarked, “Why can’t she sit on the sofa? That’s where people are supposed to sit!” Another added, “If you have so much issue with her being not ‘clean’ enough to sit on the sofa or bed, how are you okay with her doing your chores?”
However, others who understood her concerns expressed solidarity with her arguing that it was important to set boundaries with people and in this case between an employer-employee. Some suggested that while sitting on the sofa might be acceptable, slouching and appearing too comfortable could cross a line.
Others added that the bedroom and the bed were boundaries to be set.
However, the majority of responses leaned towards advocating for more humane treatment of domestic workers. Many users shared their own experiences of treating their maids with respect and allowing them to take breaks in shared spaces.
