Good daily instructions tell a domestic worker what matters, where the task happens, how your household wants it done and whom to contact when something changes. Use one short handover sheet alongside demonstrations and respectful conversation. A long message containing several unrelated requests is harder to act on than a clear set of priorities.
Set the priorities
Identify essential tasks, flexible work and the contact for questions.
Show the method
Demonstrate equipment, locations and household preferences.
Record the handover
Note completed work, moved tasks and practical issues.
Resolve and update
Agree the next decision and revise the plan where needed.
Original household handover workflow: a short cycle supports clear priorities without creating a new employment term.
Begin with the outcome and the priority
Write instructions for the day’s actual work, not an unlimited description of everything that could be done in the home. Put essential duties first, then list flexible work that can move. A useful instruction is “prepare the agreed school bag using the list in the drawer,” rather than “get everything ready.” Add the relevant location and the household method where those details make the instruction usable.
The UAE Government domestic-worker guidance links instructions to agreed work and safety. Keep this daily sheet within the existing role; a handover note does not replace the contract or establish a different occupation.
Copy this daily handover structure
The example below is an original organisational tool. Adapt it to the duties already agreed for your household. Put private access codes and sensitive family documents in an appropriate separate channel, rather than copying them into a general task list shared with several people.
| Field | What to record | Example of a clear entry |
|---|---|---|
| Date and main contact | The day and the adult directing changes | Today’s date; agreed household contact |
| First priority | The task that takes precedence | Prepare the agreed child handover items |
| Task and location | The action and the area involved | Fold the dry towels in the laundry area |
| Household method | A demonstrated preference or relevant label | Follow the garment care label and shown method |
| Timing or trigger | A genuine deadline or sequence | Complete the preparation before the agreed handover |
| Flexible task | Work to move if priorities change | Cupboard organisation after essential tasks |
| Completion note | Done, moved, or a question needing a decision | Laundry completed; damaged item set aside for review |
| Follow-up | The next decision and responsible contact | Ask the household contact before changing the method |
Describe exceptions clearly. If an appliance is not working or an item needs a specialist, the useful instruction is to set the task aside and contact the named adult. It is not to find an unfamiliar workaround simply to complete the list.
Demonstrate the method, then check shared understanding
Show the worker the relevant appliance, storage location or household routine. Use a short written note as a reminder after the demonstration. Invite the worker to describe the next step in their own words or show the agreed method. This checks whether the instruction was understandable without turning the conversation into a test of accent, nationality or confidence.
For a new arrangement, use the first-week orientation guide to introduce the home gradually. Where communication needs affected candidate selection, the skills and language assessment guide addresses that separate decision.
Keep the completion note factual and useful
Ask for a brief account of completed work, tasks moved because of a changed priority and practical issues needing attention. A factual handover might record a missing supply, a broken handle or a delayed delivery. It should help the next person continue the routine, rather than invite personal criticism or require unnecessary photographs of the household.
For childcare duties, the Early Childhood Authority competency framework highlights communication and confidentiality. Share child-related information with the appropriate adults and use the agreed communication channel. Record a parent’s actual instructions without expanding the worker’s role into clinical advice.
Have one person coordinate changes
When several adults give instructions, agree who resolves conflicts. A new request should identify which earlier priority moves. Review recurring unfinished tasks together: the cause might be unclear instructions, unavailable supplies or a schedule that needs adjustment. Update the sheet rather than adding the same unresolved task repeatedly.
Use the household duties guide when a change alters the role itself. Contact INAYA with the current routine and the support you need so the service discussion starts with a clear, practical description.
Customer questions and answers
Should I write every household task on the daily sheet?
Write the agreed priorities for that day and separate flexible work. Keep the full household routine in a wider plan so the daily sheet remains usable.
How can I check that an instruction is understood?
Demonstrate the relevant method, then invite the worker to explain the next step or show the agreed approach. Use the written note as a reminder rather than relying on a long verbal list.
What should be recorded when a task is not completed?
Record the practical reason, such as a changed priority, missing supply or appliance issue, and identify who will make the next decision.
Does a handover note authorise new duties?
No. Keep instructions within the agreed role. Review any meaningful change of responsibility through the applicable service and employment arrangement.