Understanding Communication Dynamics During Social Isolation – A Hermeneutical Study of Filipino Domestic Workers During COVID-19

Abstract

Purpose: Foreign domestic workers (FDWs) engage in intercultural and interpersonal interactions day in and day out, but the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted their communication dynamics as social isolation from the lockdown and restrictions created limitations on their communication channels and tendencies. This study aimed to examine and understand the “stay-at-home” experiences of FDWs with foreign employers, especially their challenges in communication, in the multicultural landscape of Singapore.

Methods: Interviews were conducted with 5 Filipino FDWs with employers of varying ethnicities. Their narratives were recorded, analyzed, and interpreted through a qualitative approach, particularly using hermeneutical phenomenology.

Findings: Three main themes emerged from the participants: (1) Silence as a Reluctant Yes, (2) Striving for Multicultural Coexistence, and (3) Interpersonal Communication During a Double Pandemic. These were further explained and expounded under seven sub-themes.

Conclusion: From the constant and lengthy togetherness of the lockdown, shifts in communication dynamics were primarily involving power inequalities and differences in cultural perspectives inside the household. As these were emphasized, violation of worker rights, especially on the FDWs’ rest days became prevalent as they struggled with boundary negotiation. Reading body language and emotions served great importance in navigating through barriers of effective communication, achieving multicultural coexistence, and overcoming loneliness from social isolation.