To not want to answer company tenant's phone?

[BeKindToYourKnees]

I am employed as an administrator and answer the phone along with 2 others.

We are renting office space to another company and have been informed that we shall also be responsible for answering THEIR phone (new company will have same phone number as us, we will have to put them through to an extension).

I am not employed by this new company, so why should I answer their phone/take messages etc?

Quite prepared told be told AIBU - it's day 3 Stoptober and I have PMS

The parent company is missing a trick in not charging the tenant for answering services.
Or perhaps they are, but not telling you
I agree with the others that really your employer gets to dictate your duties, within reason of course, and the financial side is their business.

If you've got more to do, surely that makes your job more secure.

Hope you feel less grumpy soon!

If a few extra phone calls causes a significant workload problem then raise it with your manager. I can't imagine it will. If there was a new member of staff employed directly by your company for whom you had to take calls would you have a problem?

Thanks ajandjjmum feeling slightly less grumpy now!

Think what really got my back up was the email from boss saying "Company X are moving in on Monday. They will be on ext Y".

Not "Please could you answer the phone for Company X who are moving in on Monday".

But surely it would be the same for you as if they had sent an e-mail saying 'New employee x will be starting on Monday. They will be on ext y'. It may have been polite for them to phrase it as a request, but the overall effect is the same.

I think this had been handled really badly.

Presumably you answer the phone by saying something like "good morning, company A " when the caller may want company B. That's just confusing to everyone.

Your role seems to require you to liaise with company B in a pseudo-employee relationship. The caller may expect you to take messages if no-one picks up the extension. Will the extension have voicemail? What if the caller didn't leave a message but instead rings back demanding to speak to someone in person?

And you describe yourself as an administrator not a receptionist, so your workload will increase.

This should all be discussed face to face with you and the others affected.

Thank you dedado that's exactly it! I don't know if they're going to have voicemail, if I physically have to take them a message it will involve a 3-4 minute walk there and back.

Now you really are sounding daft. Maybe you should look for another job.

It's quite bizarre that they are not getting their own phone line...Bit lazy.

And surely rather than walk to take them a message, you can ask about implementing a simple EMAIL protocol?!

Greta not lazy at all, it is the clearly the terms under which they have rented the office space. It is not unusual at all.

Yes and surely e-mail rather than walking??

OP you are coming over as something of a jobsworth here.