Athens Home Services Becomes the First Greek Company to Join EFSI

"When I first mentioned in 2008 that I wanted to start Athens Home Services, people told me:
-'What?! With your skills and background, you want to work with cleaning ladies?'
That phrase made me more determined.
I realized that this 'invisible' sector needed someone to speak for it."

What is EFSI?

The European Federation for Services to Individuals (EFSI) is the voice of the home services sector at the European level. Founded in 2006, it represents national associations, employer organizations, and companies operating in personal and household services across 21 EU countries.

The PHS sector includes everything that happens inside the home:

  • Care services: childcare, babysitting, elderly care, assistance for people with disabilities
  • Household support services: cleaning, ironing, gardening, minor repairs

EFSI's mission is to make the sector more organized, more recognized, and to push for policies that support it.

AHS EFSI 2025

The Announcement: First Greek Company in EFSI

We are thrilled to announce that Athens Home Services has officially become a full member of EFSI — the European Federation for Services to Individuals.

We are the first Greek company to join this network.

The decision was made at EFSI's Extraordinary General Assembly, after 4 years of close collaboration. This is not just a distinction for us — it's a significant moment for the entire sector in Greece.

A Dream Come True

In Greece, personal and household services — what Europe calls Personal and Household Services (PHS) — is a sector without structure, without rules, and largely without social security contributions. Workers operate "under the table." No one takes them seriously. And often, they don't take their work seriously either.

But I believed — and still believe — that this sector deserves to become a profession in the full sense of the word.

Today, this conviction has reached a new milestone.

AHS EFSI 2025

Alongside Europe's Leading Names

As a member of EFSI, Athens Home Services now stands alongside leading organizations in the sector:

National Associations: DOMINA (Italy), AESPD (Spain), Almega Hemserviceföretagen (Sweden), Fédésap (France), Federgon (Belgium), AHDW, VHBP, BHDU (Germany), Hyvinvointiala (Finland), UZS (Czech Republic).

Company Members: Oui Care, Edenred, Pluxee, Group Daenens (Belgium), Medical Link Services.

It is both an honor and a responsibility.

What This Means for Greece

This is not just recognition for Athens Home Services. It means:

A Voice in Europe

Greece now has a seat at the table in discussions shaping the future of the sector at the European level.

Access to Know-How

We bring to Greece standards, methods, and practices that already work in other European countries.

Pressure for Change

With EFSI behind us, we have a stronger platform to demand regulation and recognition of the sector.

Network & Partnerships

We enter a community of people doing the same work across Europe.

Building the Future of Home Services Together

VIEW OUR SERVICES
AHS EFSI 2025

With the EFSI team at the European Parliament.

The Road Ahead: Our Priorities

In Greece, the PHS sector still has a long way to go. The majority of work is done "under the table." Workers have no protection. Employers struggle to find reliable, trained professionals who stay in their positions. There is no organization — the sector operates without clear structure or regulation.

Our participation in EFSI is a commitment to change this picture. Our priorities:

For Workers:

  • Promoting training programs and professional certification
  • Fair working conditions, legal protection, and higher wages
  • Clear contracts with job descriptions

For Employers:

  • Incentives such as vouchers to make legal employment more affordable
  • Tax relief for those who declare workers
  • Standardized contracts with clear roles and responsibilities
  • Access to trained care professionals

For the Sector:

  • European standards in the Greek market
  • Pressure for policies that recognize the sector
  • A voice for a profession that no one took seriously

The goal is simple: make legal work the easy choice — cheaper for the employer, better paid for the worker, better for everyone. And above all, the professionalization of a sector that finally deserves to be treated as a legitimate profession.

Acknowledgments

None of this would have been possible without our team, our partners, and our clients who trusted us from the beginning.

We thank EFSI and all its members who welcomed us.

This is only the beginning.

Smaro Maniati, Founder & CEO, Athens Home Services

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The childcare recruitment service covers exclusively five-day employment i.e. from Monday to Friday between 9.00 and 18.00 at the latest. In case you need different hours, AHS can of course serve you but outside the Eurobank schedule.

By simply registering through the interest form. As soon as we receive your request, we will contact you (Monday to Friday, 10.00 to 18.00).

We, in AHS can replace the girl within a period of 6 months from the date of the start of your cooperation. There is a replacement in this space.

This check requires gov codes and the application must be made in person Usually it is ready in a few hours.

If you have more questions you can email us by clicking here.

You can find out about theurl link through thesite ofEurobank in the sectionMyAdvantage BankingAHS

The childcare recruitment service covers exclusively five-day employment i.e. from Monday to Friday between 9.00 and 18.00 at the latest. In case you need different hours, AHS can of course serve you but outside the Eurobank schedule.

By simply registering through the interest form. As soon as we receive your request, we will contact you (Monday to Friday, 10.00 to 18.00).

We, in AHS can replace the girl within a period of 6 months from the date of the start of your cooperation. There is a replacement in this space.

This check requires gov codes and the application must be made in person Usually it is ready in a few hours.

If you have more questions you can email us by clicking here.