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Original poster

Making coffee in work- non drinker

439 replies

Winchester89 · 14/08/2018 14:59

Right, started a new job couple of months ago. I love it, everyone's really nice. I'm the admin assistant for a small team of 4 other people.
Anyway- I don't drink tea or coffee. Therefore have never offered to make anyone any as I really hate doing it and don't think I should if I'm not also drinking it! Couple of the team made some subtle comments that I've just ignored or laughed off.
So today- my manager is on her way out to a meeting with other team member - mug in hand goes- oh we were just saying we should get you making coffees!
I replied automatically 'not happening' and laughed. And she looked taken aback by it and then carried on to the meeting.
Am I being unreasonable in not wanting to become the tea lady for the team considering I don't even make the stuff for myself!?

OP posts:
whatwouldkeithRichardsdo2 · 14/08/2018 20:55

🤗

Making coffee in work- non drinker
dellie84 · 14/08/2018 20:57

@winchester89 get real - clearly your boss thinks the same. No one wants to make the tea but clearly that’s the deal - your attitude to the responses sums you up and clearly won’t take your colleagues long to get the measure of you and I don’t see promotion in your future.

katielouise3 · 14/08/2018 20:58

OOOOOOO!..., Haven't had them for YEARS! Pink wafer fingers! Grin

katielouise3 · 14/08/2018 20:59

How about a chocolate cake made with cadburys chocolate fingers?! Grin

Making coffee in work- non drinker
ShumpaLumpa · 14/08/2018 21:01

whatwould

Nowhere on my job description does it say 'make tea and coffee'. But to be honest, I'm not precious. I'm really secure in what I do. It's a pleasant thing to make a cup of tea for a colleague. It doesn't break my spirit on the wheels of capitalism. I don't sit there thinking about my wasted degree or gender inequality. Got shit to do.

You're an EA. When you took the job you knew there was a possibility you would need to make drinks for your boss. An admin assistant does not expect to make teas and coffees. You probably earn alot more than admin assistants but tea making is still not in their remit, but it often is in yours.

When I was a PA, I did whatever my boss told me to. I queued for hours at embassies to get his visas for business travel, I made his tea every hour, I made restaurants bookings. Because it was my job.

The difference here is that this is not OP's job!

And you may find it pleasant making tea for a colleague but I bet you'd change your view when said colleague tells you they should get you to make the teas all the time (which is what was being suggested to OP obliquely.

liverbird10 · 14/08/2018 21:01

I find this entire thing childish. I've no issues with making tea for others at work, although I don't like tea. It's being part of a team. No other bugger in my place drinks coffee, just me!

katielouise3 · 14/08/2018 21:01

@dellie84

winchester89 get real - clearly your boss thinks the same. No one wants to make the tea but clearly that’s the deal - your attitude to the responses sums you up and clearly won’t take your colleagues long to get the measure of you and I don’t see promotion in your future.

Pretty much what I was saying.... Wink

katielouise3 · 14/08/2018 21:03

@liverbird10

I find this entire thing childish. I've no issues with making tea for others at work, although I don't like tea. It's being part of a team.

Agree with this. ^

OliviaStabler · 14/08/2018 21:07

An admin assistant does not expect to make teas and coffees.

In every business I've been in they have. If they support a team, that is part of the role.

TornFromTheInside · 14/08/2018 21:08

God I could kill for a Jaffa Cake now

Question is - who to kill? ;-)

ForalltheSaints · 14/08/2018 21:12

Not unreasonable if you do not expect your colleagues to return the favour, though I think a share when there are guests (for them) might be appropriate, depending on your line of business.

katielouise3 · 14/08/2018 21:13

I agree with @OliviaStabler ... Every place I have worked, admin assistants make tea and coffee for people (even if THEY don't drink tea and coffee!) So do P.A.s and most people in secretarial roles. Even the Managers make them sometimes, because they are not bone idle obnoxious individuals who think if THEY don't want a drink, they would never ever make one for anyone else.

What a nasty mean old world it would be if we all said 'I am not going to do a single thing that doesn't benefit ME!' Hmm

ShumpaLumpa · 14/08/2018 21:13

Olivia - I've worked in a ton of places and an admin was never expected to get teas and coffees.

Original poster
Winchester89 · 14/08/2018 21:15

@dellie84
No one wants to make the tea ... but would expect someone not even getting their own cuppa to make it anyway. Ridiculous

OP posts:
dellie84 · 14/08/2018 21:16

@winchester sorry the response isn’t what you wanted to gear

dellie84 · 14/08/2018 21:16

*hear

Albagal · 14/08/2018 21:23

I’m the most senior person in my department and I’d NEVER expect anyone to make my coffee! I’ll offer if I’m making it for myself and my team will offer if they are. But our admin assistant doesn’t drink hot drinks so never makes any, why should she? She’s paid to do admin not be a housekeeper ;) if she’s going to shops at lunchtime she’ll ask if we need anything etc so she’s not selfish. I feel it would be rude to expect her to make tea and coffee for everyone when she doesn’t even drink it herself

WelcomeToShootingStars · 14/08/2018 21:24

I work on many different sites and it is absolutely archaic to think that an admin assistant should make tea and coffee for their colleagues.

It's also bizarre to think that fetching drinks is what makes someone a team player. I tend to judge on someone's ability to do their actual job, rather than their ability to do something which offers nothing at all to the job.

serbska · 14/08/2018 21:34

My first office job had a strictly hirachical and slightly complicate hot drink round system. Juniors made a lot more tea/coffee even if you didn’t drink it. I actually loved it. As a junior it was a break from often boring work and you got to know everyone of all grades in reb department. As I was more senior, I got more drinks made for me than I made which was welcome as busy.

Was a bit of a shock when I moved to a new job and everyone just got their own!

whatwouldkeithRichardsdo2 · 14/08/2018 21:34

Separate arguments running on this thread.

  1. Is refusing to make colleagues drinks (expand the menu to refilled water bottles, squash whatever) acceptable just because you do not want tea or coffee?

No, I think it is antisocial. I also think this is farcical because at some point, one day, OP will want a drink. Or maybe she might be unwell or be upset and one of her parched colleagues will bring her a glass of water. You know, because that is a decent thing to do.

  1. Is it acceptable to expect a junior role to be a skivvy? No, it isn't. But we all knew that 293 posts ago.

Balance people. Balance.

serbska · 14/08/2018 21:35

Fffff typing on my phone makes me looks stupid

TornFromTheInside · 14/08/2018 21:42

Not easy to balance with 7 cups of a tea and coffee in my hands and a stack of Jaffa Cakes

OliviaStabler · 14/08/2018 21:44

ShumpaLumpa Just goes to show how different workplaces can be then.

longwayoff · 14/08/2018 21:50

Keith you are correct as always. Far too much time spent on this already but for what its worth, 8 weeks into a new job is probably not the best time to start declaring independence and putting your manager's back up whilst irritating rest of team.

ShumpaLumpa · 14/08/2018 22:01

No, I think it is antisocial. I also think this is farcical because at some point, one day, OP will want a drink. Or maybe she might be unwell or be upset and one of her parched colleagues will bring her a glass of water. You know, because that is a decent thing to do.

whatwould

I think OP is more than capable of getting a drink herself on that mythical day she fancies a drink!

I also think if a colleague is upset or unwell, OP would happily get them a drink. And if OP is poorly and colleagues decide not to get her a glass of water because she doesn't get involved in tea rounds, then I think that would say alot more aboit her colleagues than OP.

I agree it's farcical, but I think it's this thread that is farcical now 😂