Interesting question. I think it all depends on how the villains actually treat their henchmen/minions On Once.
Regina- Regina handpicked her blackguards so knew their names and killed them when they failed her. Her punishments are quite severe including having someone flogged/beaten for being late. She has a lot of hearts in her vault and it’s not specified whose hearts they are or if any are from her blackguards. Not to mention how badly she treated Graham and Sidney.
Rumple- Rumple tends to work alone. He’s using Hook at the moment but intends to kill him for an unspecified reason once Hook has served his purpose. Rumple did have that tall henchman in Skin Deep that hasn’t been seen or mentioned since.
Cora- Cora’s whole modus operandi is to take hearts and force people to work for her. She can crush their hearts at a moment’s notice if the mood takes her.
Peter Pan- Pan had GOAT killed once they served their purpose. However, he was actually friends with Felix and only killed him in order to cast the curse.
Zelena- Zelena turns her minions into monkeys.
Ingrid- Ingrid works alone so whilst she may enlist people’s help and let them go on their merry way, like Sidney, that doesn’t stop her from screwing you over if it serves her plans.
Overall, I think I would prefer to work for either Rumple, Pan or Ingrid.
All magic comes with a price!
Keeper of Felix