Is outsourcing better? Clients' views on contracting in domestic cleaning services

Abstract

PurposeThe nature of paid domestic work is changing, with the growth in companies delivering domestic cleaning services. Few studies have looked at why people opt to use these services and the underlying drivers. As with the outsourcing of non-core tasks in businesses, outsourcing domestic work is motivated by similar, yet different reasons, which have to do with the personal and private nature of domestic employment. This study aims to establish the reasons why “clients”, who were former employers of domestic servants, opted to outsource domestic work to a domestic cleaning service provider.Design/methodology/approachGiven the limited research on domestic cleaning services in South Africa, a mixed-methods research approach is used.FindingsThe findings showed that there are three key motivations: the nature of the domestic cleaning service supplier, the services rendered by domestic workers and the tripartite employment relationships. These three benefits imply that clients have access to functional and numerical flexibility, unlike employing a domestic worker directly. This study contributes to the literature on outsourcing and domestic work by showing that clients not only look to change the economic structure of the relationship with domestic workers, but it allows them to psychologically and emotionally distance themselves from domestic workers.Research limitations/implicationsThis study shows that some people are no longer willing to have a relationship with the people who clean their homes, and that they believe it is simply not worth the effort to maintain a relationship. This is an aspect that needs further research, as this is the one sphere where women are united in their plight, albeit from different worldviews. Thus, a limitation is that this study only focuses on clients' views of outsourcing. Have domestic workers employed by the outsourced domestic cleaning service supplier become just like assembly-line workers, where they are anonymous to their clients, performing routine tasks with little recognition from those whose homes they are servicing? Future studies could focus on domestic workers' views on outsourcing and the effects it has on their working conditions and employment relations.Originality/valueFirstly, studies mainly focus on the Global North where domestic work and outsourcing have different dynamics, regulation policies and social changes when compared to South Africa. Secondly, few studies have sought to establish why people shift from employing a domestic or care worker directly to an outsourced domestic agency when direct domestic help is available and affordable. Considering these shortcomings, this study aims to provide a better understanding of domestic cleaning service suppliers from the perspective of clients, often omitted from the literature. Accordingly, this study aimed to establish what the benefits are for clients (former employers of domestic workers) who use domestic cleaning service suppliers.

Do Different Types of Households Use Outsourced Domestic Cleaning Services for Different Reasons? An Explorative Study in South Africa

“…Most middle-class households in South Africa continue to rely on outside domestic help to assist with their household cleaning and care responsibilities (Ally, 2010). Whereas many middle-class white households continue to rely on full-time or part-time domestic workers under different live-in and live-out relationships, today, we see a trend in the procurement of outsourced domestic cleaning service companies where trained domestic employees perform domestic work professionally, efficiently, and quickly (Du Toit and Heinecken, 2021: 1158).…”

“…Based on the responses of participants, one of the main reasons why outsourced housecleaning services are used is that they offer convenience and are considered safer than other alternatives. Housecleaning services are considered safe as domestic employees are often monitored by supervisors or managers to prevent theft (Du Toit and Heinecken, 2021: 1156). Interaction between clients and domestic employees are also kept to the minimum to prevent the sharing of personal information or problems (Camargo, 2015: 143).…”

“…Research shows that there are several reasons why outsourced domestic cleaning services are sought after by some people. Outsourcing cleaning and laundering duties to domestic cleaning companies free up time for clients to spend on essential activities, such as income-generating work, family responsibilities, and leisure (Devetter, 2015: 365; Du Toit and Heinecken, 2021: 1156). Outsourced domestic cleaning services can be procured on a flexible ad hoc or regular basis, depending on clients’ needs.…”

“…In the event of dismissal, employers need to comply with the law and, if disputed, can be taken to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) for conciliation or by the Labour Court (Matjeke et al, 2012: 3). Hiring a domestic cleaning service company negates the need to deal with labour disputes or responsibilities (Du Toit and Heinecken, 2021: 1156).…”

“…In South Africa, domestic workers’ full-time and part-time employment were particularly prominent during the apartheid era (until 1994). Although it is still widespread in South Africa today, and in other countries, domestic work duties can now be procured from outsourced domestic cleaning service companies rather than managed in-house or by employing a domestic worker (Ally, 2010; Du Toit and Heinecken, 2021: 1150).…”