India’s housekeeping workers go digital as instant home services surge

Email: online@newsofbahrain.com

New Delhi: India's largely informal housekeeping industry is swiftly digitalising as companies bring household help to online platforms, allowing customers to schedule staff for housework in minutes.

For decades, domestic workers in India have mostly found work through word of mouth, local networks, and personal referrals. However, organisations like Snabbit, Pronto, and Urban Company are attempting to manage the industry through app-based bookings. Similar to ride-hailing platforms, the services let clients to seek assistance with jobs such as cleaning, washing dishes, laundry, and other household chores, while workers receive assignments via their phones.

A large market is being utilised by the platforms. An estimated 30 million people, mostly women, are employed in India's domestic service sector, which has traditionally lacked institutional structure and job security. The new model offers workers more flexible hours, training, digital payments and, in some cases, higher earnings than traditional domestic work. Before beginning work, employees receive training on domestic chores and safety protocols.

Convenience is what attracts customers. When a regular domestic worker is not available or when residences require extra assistance prior to events or during busy times, a worker can be scheduled on demand. Some services provide help in ten to fifteen minutes, making domestic work an additional component of India's quickly growing ‘instant services’ economy.

However, the rapid expansion of app-based domestic employment has sparked worries about job stability, salaries, and worker safety, especially because many workers are entering private houses. As India's instant-services economy grows, businesses strive to strike a balance between client convenience and stronger labour safeguards.