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AIBU?

To complain about the office cleaning lady?

107 replies

TERFousBreakdown · 28/05/2018 07:24

She seems nice enough, I don't know her personally and I have absolutely nothing against her in general.

But she doesn't knock. She doesn't take no for an answer either. Holding a meeting in the conference room? She'll pop in and start hoovering. Sitting in a room giving a performance review? She'll open the door and begin to dust. She'll also leave the door wide open when she leaves a room - despite there being three companies within this building and our facilities being access controlled (which obviously won't work if the door is left open).

I've asked her to knock a gazillion times. She won't. I've asked her to come back later when she has disturbed important stuff. She'll huff and puff and will need to be asked at least twice before actually stopping whatever it is she's doing. My colleague had a talk, too, about the door being left open for anyone to look right at our whiteboard with confidential calculations for a sale. Nothing seems to work.

And, yes, she does understand. It's not a language issue. She just doesn't seem to be arsed.

I get that this woman is paid a lot less than myself and my colleagues and that she probably has kids or a life to get back to after her shift. I really don't want to get her into trouble. I do desperately want her to be minimally considerate of the people working here, though.

So, AIBU to complain to the building manager?

OP posts:
thatsscottishtender · 28/05/2018 07:26

Yanbu. She has to respect boundaries in her workplace just like anyone else.

sexnotgender · 28/05/2018 07:26

I’d complain, yes she’s there to do a job but so are you.

Raver84 · 28/05/2018 07:27

Like you she has a job to do. Such as clean meeting room x. Dust conference room y. Why should she not do this because of you? Oh yes. It's because you feel your role is more important. She prob has a family to get home to and dosnt want to wait until you have finished your meeting to dust. Her manager has told her what need cleaning she has to do it. At work mine just wipe round us it's no problem at all.

TERFragetteCity · 28/05/2018 07:28

Why not ensure that she cleans after everyone has gone home? She has a job to do and you are all getting in her way.

WelcomeToGilead · 28/05/2018 07:29

No, come on, it’s basic manners!

AlonsoTigerHeart · 28/05/2018 07:30

If she is contracted to work when it's business hours then she has to clean in those hours.

Isthisaproblem · 28/05/2018 07:31

An arrangement needs to be made to allow you both to do your jobs. Could each meeting room be booked out for a period of time each day to allow for cleaning? Then she knows she can work without being disturbed or disturbing others. And the rest of the day the meeting rooms are available for confidential meetings.

Jammycustard · 28/05/2018 07:32

Why is she there during daytime hours? That’s unusual isn’t it?

Slightlyperturbedowlagain · 28/05/2018 07:34

Presumably she works to a fixed schedule so can you not just work around her? For eg we know a certain area gets hoovered at 8am Tuesday mornings so there no point expecting to use it until 8.30 that day. Usually cleaning staff have a lot of space to cover in a very small amount of time so any disruption to this will mean she can’t get it all done (and cleaners often work more than 1 job, so late finishing somewhere not only means issues with organising childcare/personal life but may also mean losing the other job too)

TERFousBreakdown · 28/05/2018 07:34

This is actually the first office I've ever worked at where cleaning wasn't done after hours, hence my insecurity on what the etiquette is. We've recently rented these facilities to run a large project out of that our regular offices can't accommodate due to the number of staff.

And, yes, I get that she has a job to do and whatnot. I just don't want her hoovering in my conference calls (can't hear anything) and I'd like her to be considerate regarding the fact that there's a whole bunch of confidential stuff going on. I wouldn't want the cleaning lady in while I was getting my performance review, either, so I suppose the same goes for my employees ...

OP posts:
Returnofthesmileybar · 28/05/2018 07:36

That's a load of shit Raver, you can't be that thick. It is not ok for anyone to burst into a room with a closed door, anyone, but anyone armed with hoover, ffs. Definitely complain. And don't worry about her having kids and bills, she clearly isn't so why are you?

Twickerhun · 28/05/2018 07:36

You don’t neccasarily need to complain to he building manager so much as talk to them to agree a plan that works for all. They management can deal with any attitude issues you just need a service agreement with them.

Slightlyperturbedowlagain · 28/05/2018 07:37

I wouldn't want the cleaning lady in while I was getting my performance review, either, so I suppose the same goes for my employees ...
Sorry I know it’s not funny but I had to just LOL envisaging the cleaner butting in to someone’s performance review ‘and the state she leaves her desk in, waste basket always overflowing, crisp crumbs all over the floor...’

Slightlyperturbedowlagain · 28/05/2018 07:39

And what Twicker said ^^

LaContessaDiPlump · 28/05/2018 07:41

I'd explain to the building manager that the current situation is not working out and ask if adjustments can be made to her cleaning hours so that she cleans before/after work (ideal) or at least morning/afternoon only, so you can plan client meetings for a safe time of day. I've never worked anywhere where cleaners were around in office hours either tbh.

As for leaving doors open, she is BU about that and needs telling to sort it out!

tava63 · 28/05/2018 07:45

YABU - you do not get that her job is to get the cleaning done under tight timelines. You are asking her to knock on your door and wait each time to get access to your room. The door being left open is likely a way she shows each room done. If you don't want to be disturbed can't you put a sign on door to say 'do not disturbs' - she's not a mindreader. Of course that means your room won't get cleaned that day.

GalwayWayfarer · 28/05/2018 07:48

Like you she has a job to do. Such as clean meeting room x. Dust conference room y. Why should she not do this because of you? Oh yes. It's because you feel your role is more important. She prob has a family to get home to and dosnt want to wait until you have finished your meeting to dust.

The thing is though, in an office environment confidential meetings and performance reviews are more important than cleaning being done at that specific moment in time. Stupid to try and pretend otherwise. It's also absurd to suggest that these activities can take place with a cleaner in the room! You're also conveniently ignoring the other problematic things like her leaving doors open.

I find it very odd that a cleaner is in during the day - every office I've been in has them come in after hours, so totally understand why you find it surprising and difficult OP. I think that since you've tried to address it with her directly and it hasn't worked you should escalate it. Hopefully it will encourage her to be more considerate - or, if she's not the right cleaner for the role, that's just something that happens sometimes.

Slartybartfast · 28/05/2018 07:49

What her her hours?
are you working later than usual on these occasions?

our cleaner used to get pretty pissed off when the offices were still busy on his shift.

WipsGlitter · 28/05/2018 07:51

Our cleaner is there during office hours. It's ridiculous she's a shit cleaner as well.

Slartybartfast · 28/05/2018 07:52

talk to management, ask that she cleans after office hours.

TERFousBreakdown · 28/05/2018 07:56

She works mornings, regular office hours when everybody is in and at their desks / in meetings.

As I said, it's very unusual IME, I've never worked anywhere else with that arrangement - and I see why.

I'll try to agree a schedule with the building manager - especially regarding the conference and meeting rooms.

The desk space I can cope with.

And, yes, the doors being left open is a hard no. I don't care if that's her marker for being 'done' - it's everyone else's marker for 'walk in and have a snoop'.

OP posts:
mumonashoestring · 28/05/2018 07:57

Such as clean meeting room x. Dust conference room y. Why should she not do this because of you? Oh yes. It's because you feel your role is more important

I've read some nonsense on here but that's almost prize-winning. Yes it's a cleaners job to clean things but you don't barge into confidential meetings or shove into people's offices when they're on the phone and start hoovering. Imagine if you were sat in a meeting room being told you were going to get made redundant or asking for time off after a bereavement and someone was dense enough to insist that was the only time the windowsills could possibly be dusted? Any other workplace and that kind of behavior would have you out on your arse with very good reason.

I used to work in a hospital - open 24/7 so there was never a particularly 'good' time for the cleaners to be in the office, but we made sure we left the meeting room diary open so they could see when the rooms would be empty, they knocked before entering offices and everyone in the open office would pick up bags etc and nip off to make tea or get water when they were hoovering around desks.

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xJessica · 28/05/2018 07:59

At my last job the cleaner used to come in during business hours twice a week. It was a small company, 4 of is in the open plan area downstairs and 4 in offices upstairs. She would always ask if it was ok before hoovering the open plan bit and would stop if she saw one of us on the phone, and she never just barged in if the office doors were closed. I get that she probably has a family or another job to get to, but a bit of thought and etiquette wouldn't go amiss.

xJessica · 28/05/2018 08:01

Oh and she always asked "do you want your desk done today?" so if we were busy trying to meet a deadline or something we could say no but otherwise we would go and make a coffee or whatever.

Pengggwn · 28/05/2018 08:02

She won't be in charge of her cleaning timetable. Speak to the building manager but don't complain about her because this will all be stuff she is told to do in order to get the job done.

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