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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think a work experience should make the tea?

189 replies

LouiseD29 · 31/05/2013 12:39

I work in a large-ish agency in central London. It's fairly competitive and as a result we have a steady stream of youngsters all keen for a work experience placement. Some good, some not so good, but I am increasingly noticing that most of them NEVER offer to do a tea round for the team!

It's not like I'm expecting them to be churning out six rounds a day for 25 people, but AIBU to think that it shouldn't be beyond them to spot that 1. People here like tea; 2. If you do a nice thing for people it shows manners and team spirit and they're more likely to remember you and bear you in mind for future vacancies and 3. Everyone else has made a round today so GO AND PUT THE KETTLE ON!

When I was starting out I was constantly looking for opportunities to impress and wouldn't have dreamt of letting someone more senior make me a cup of tea.

AIBU and hopelessly old-fashioned, or do these youngsters have no clue?

OP posts:
livinginwonderland · 31/05/2013 12:42

I'm 24 and honestly, it would NEVER occur to me to do that unless I was asked specifically, or I'd been told that it was my duty to do so. I work in an environment where if you want tea/coffee, you get it yourself or ask someone to get it for you if you're too busy.

kim147 · 31/05/2013 12:43

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

natwebb79 · 31/05/2013 12:43

Aren't they there to gain experience of the work rather than be the office tea slave?

CorrStagnitto · 31/05/2013 12:44

YABU they arent there to make the tea, and it is very old fashioned to not let let someone senior make the tea, if they want a cup of tea they can make their own

if you have tea clubs where everyone takes turns then invite them into the tea club and tell them its there turn when it comes around, you can just expect people to want to make tea for you

Trills · 31/05/2013 12:44

If they have observed that people generally "make a round of tea" they should join in with the ritual.

Learning how to observe and participate in societal rituals is an important part of the "experience" that they are hoping to gain.

GrendelsMum · 31/05/2013 12:44

So do you mean that everyone else takes a turn to make a round of tea, and they take the tea and don't make it in return?

Yes, they should take their turn unless they don't actually drink tea, but I think correct tea etiquette one of the things you learn on a work experience placement!

bugsyburge · 31/05/2013 12:44

yanbu....if it's an environment where people make rounds then I think everyone should take their turn!!!!

lurcherlover · 31/05/2013 12:45

I came home from my first day of WE and my mum said "I hope you offered to make the tea!" I hadn't and was really embarrassed, but I started day 2 by making the whole office a brew.

Honestly, some young people are just clueless. Tell them it would be lovely if they could make people a drink and they'll offer to do it after then, I'm sure.

CrazyOldCatLady · 31/05/2013 12:46

Of course they have no clue, they're new to the whole thing. Just point it out gently to them instead of ranting here because they're not psychic!

EuroShaggleton · 31/05/2013 12:46

My first job was basically making the tea and doing odd jobs within the family business. I think that was the case for a lot of people back in the day. None of the youngsters coming through here ever offer to make a cuppa.

Bananapickle · 31/05/2013 12:46

YANBU. I would hope that a work experience person would pick up on the status quo of tea making in an office. It's a small thing but I think that it represents a persons attitude and awareness. If I were you I would just tell/ask them to do a round a day like everyone else. They may just need a bit of guidance.

freddiefrog · 31/05/2013 12:48

Yes, in an office where everyone takes turns at making tea, then they should take their turn

However, I don't think it should be 'their job'. I used to have a lot of 6th formers on work experience (not office based), and never expected them to do anything I wouldn't

PollyIndia · 31/05/2013 12:49

Crazyoldcatlady, surely if people offer you and everyone a cup of tea then go and make it, you would pick up that you should do the same when you go and make yourself a cuppa. Surely that is just good manners.

YANBU if that is that case, that everyone makes tea for everyone else. But if you are expecting only them to as a work experience person, then YABU.

AnyFucker · 31/05/2013 12:50

Yabu to refer to a person as a "work experience"

I wouldn't make you a cup of tea either

Pootles2010 · 31/05/2013 12:51

She's not saying its their job, she's saying everyone takes it in turns, apart from these work experience kids?

Yettish · 31/05/2013 12:51

YABU for referring to 'a work experience'.

You do have a point about the tea, if everybody takes their turn. But not if it's always left to the most junior/least well paid colleague to do it.

Trills · 31/05/2013 12:51

Young people (and in fact old people) sometimes are not very observant.

They work in one place where the rule is "everyone makes their own tea" (for example) and get it stuck into their heads that that is how it is done, and so fail to turn on their observation-brain and realise that all of these people making them cups of tea in this new office are doing so on the assumption that at some point they will make a cup of tea back.

Have you noticed that lots of people have made rounds of tea?

Um, yeah.

Perhaps you could also offer to make a round of tea - that's how it works in some places

Oh, duh.

Yettish · 31/05/2013 12:51

Haha, SNAP with AF.

MrsOakenshield · 31/05/2013 12:51

if it's the norm that everyone in the office takes a turn in making a round (rather than people making just their own), then, yes, they should - shows they're not very observant, if nothing else!

quesadilla · 31/05/2013 12:52

I wouldn't have the slightest problem with making tea as a work experience (having done so myself many times), but I don't see why it should be expected and implicitly a black mark if they don't.

It certainly isn't a given that people make endless rounds of tea for one another: I can't remember a single occasion in the 9 years I have worked for my current employer where anyone has done a tea round.

If you want them to do it that much ask them: they are not psychic, they may be shy and not really understand the cultural rituals of the work place.

xTillyx · 31/05/2013 12:53

To be honest I do a job where I'm lucky if I get to finish my lunch in peace and grab a sip of water, so can't really fathom having 'tea rounds' all day at work and no I wouldn't expect them to. This is why I had to leave office work, couldn't cope with that environment

reggiebean · 31/05/2013 12:54

They're not there for serving experience, and they're not there to be the office slave. They're there for work experience. It's one thing if everyone else in the office gets their round in, and they don't, but if it's only being asked of the more junior employees, then yes, YABU.

tiggytape · 31/05/2013 12:54

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

caramelwaffle · 31/05/2013 12:55

You are being unreasonable.

kim147 · 31/05/2013 12:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

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