While I was working in the kitchen our two maids were loudly talking with each other and one was teasing the other, so I told them that when I'm around, doing something, I don't want to hear them talk. Is this unfair?
There's a negative vibe to what I said, but given her job, I don't think it's too unfair to ask. But what's the Islamic perspective on what I did and the whole situation?
First note that maids or any kinds of employees are non-mahrams so you shouldn't be alone with them if you are of the opposite gender (based on ahadith like this in Jami' at-Tirmidhi.
Secondly I'd like to remind you of the hadith of Anas ibn Malik () -who served our prophet () as a kid-:
I served the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) for ten years, and, by Allah, he never said to me any harsh word, and he never said to me about a thing as to why I had done that and as to why I had not done that.
Abu Rabi' has made this addition (in this narration):" The work which a servant should do." There is no mention of his words" By Allah".
(See for example here in Sahih Muslim, a version in Sahih al-Bukhari, a version from Jami' at-Tirmidhi and a second one from Sahih Muslim)
Note that the prophet () according the statement above never used harsh words and questioned his servant about anything he did.
It is certainly your right to expect people to do their job, but you can hardly expect them not to chat at all in your presence, assuming your presence actually is halal, based on my first sentence. As else you should have a mahram in company when in the kitchen.
Of course you can politely ask them not to be loud or to chat with certain limits etc., but you should have the above hadith in mind and beside this remember they are also human beings that are doing a job and it would certainly be boring without a bit of communication and teasing!
If you would be an employee yourself you would also know that a workplace that is all the time calm and concentrated lacks some heartiness.
Also have in mind the hadith saying:
"None amongst you believes (truly) until he loves for his brother" - or he said "for his neighbour" - "that which he loves for himself."
(See for example in Sahih Muslim and Sahih al-Bukhari)
And treat others as you'd like to be treated!
