To ask them to use the other stairs?

[ThrowAwayQP]

I’m going to be honest, I didn’t think I was bu; but I’m willing to be told if that’s the case.

So I’ve recently started a part time job cleaning for a bit of extra income. It’s in a large corporate environment. The building is quite large with only two stair cases; one at either end; but to be honest I think walking between them would only take five minutes at most.

The other day I was mopping one of the stair cases and two of the department managers came walking down it. They were both looking at a laptop and deep in conversation, so I assumed they just hadn’t seen the wet floor sign. I asked them if in future they could use the other stairs this one was being cleaned and they both mumbled a “sorry” before carrying on.

The next morning one of the senior team pulled me aside and told me he was “sure experienced staff could decide if they wanted to take the risk of walking down wet stairs.”

I was quite shocked at being ‘put in my place’ so to speak? Was I actually being unreasonable? All I asked was them not to walk where I was currently mopping!

@Morondela

more accurately, you are projecting. It's not my fault if you are bitter.

Projecting what? Bitter about what?

You're just deflecting because you know I'm right and you do expect cleaners to apologise to you for having the temerity to be in your way.

If you walk on slippery stairs you could break a leg or worse. I’m not taking that risk.

Let them take the risk and enjoy it if they are unlucky.

Maybe clean one side of the staircase each time. You cant close off an exit. Supposing there was an emergency or a fire. Make sure wet floor signs are visible. If they ignore the sign and choose to walk on the wet side that's their choice.

I don’t have a minute to spare when I’m at work, I wouldn’t be detouring. Having said that I always apologise for walking over where the cleaner is mopping as it feels rude.

True, this cleaners apology would just be one in the long list of unnecessary apologies British people like to give. Like saying "sorry" when someone bumps into you.

I am guilty of unnecessary apologies as much as anyone, but Morondela's statement that 'No cleaner would tell us to stay away from the kitchen when they are cleaning it either - they tend to apologise to be in the way, staff apologises back to be in their way and everybody is happy' really jarred me. There is a clear expectation of an apology from the cleaner and the way she says 'no cleaner would tell us' implies that no cleaner would have the temerity. Really galling. And she thinks I must be a bitter, projecting cleaner, because of course no one can empathise with someone unless they are the same as them

Believe it or not, I used to work as a cleaner when I first arrived in this country. I don't like the job because the actual cleaning bit is not something I want to do, never had a problem with attitude. Most people are actually quite normal and civilised. I don't have a chip on my shoulder so I didn't feel inferior either, it's just a job.

Why wouldn't I believe you? There's nothing unbelievable about that, unless you're the Queen.

Morondela's statement that 'No cleaner would tell us to stay away from the kitchen when they are cleaning it either - they tend to apologise to be in the way, staff apologises back to be in their way and everybody is happy' really jarred me. There is a clear expectation of an apology from the cleaner
There is no expectation there AT ALL! morsels simply reported what "tends" to happen. And that's what tended to happen at my work too. Both parties apologised for being in the way. I've no idea what order they apologised in, and I'm sure it varied. But neither party expected an apology. It was just a smiley interaction that showed consideration for each other.

Morsels? Autocorrect doesn't like mondorela!

YABU to expect adults in the office to not walk on. this is one of those things that just isn't how it was/is at home.

In 36 years of office and kitchen work I have never worked anywhere that employees would go out of their way to avoid walking across a freshly mopped floor. If the cleaner is there, some look sheepish and mumble 'sorry', others make a pretense of hesitation but carry on, others act like tiptoeing way over to one side is better than walking through. But they all walk through. Not just executives, everyone. even other cleaners.

at home, our parents and now we don't want others to leave footprints on the just mopped or waxed floor in hopes it looks good for a few days so walking on wet floors is a big NO. but at work, nobody cares if the floor dries with footprints except maybe the cleaner, and nobody thinks they are the one that will slip and fall, so on they walk. it's just a thing that is, and I'm sorry you had to find out this way.

So if you had just mopped the floor, you'd be cool with someone walking all over it?

Genuine question, how long after cleaning is it OK to walk over a newly cleaned floor?

I think in my work they would close stairs for h&s. What if someone slipped.

Both parties apologised for being in the way. I've no idea what order they apologised in, and I'm sure it varied.

But Morondela clearly said the cleaners apologises first. That's so wrong, when the cleaner is there first, making things nicer for everyone.

OP I understand the upset. I think anyone not concentrating - especially looking at a laptop - while walking down wet stairs is more liable to slip. I would follow up with your line manager to make sure in future you are properly covered by a sign and word of warning. I suspect your two people were checking that as well with their line manager - but you do need it in writing (an email to you?).

Hahaha! Seriously?

Oh @ThrowAwayQP, in what world do cleaners get to dictate to department managers?

If you’re any good at your job, you will be mopping with a damp mop, not wet enough to cause anyone to slip. Get over yourself love, you’re a cleaner, not a health and safety executive!

But Morondela clearly said the cleaners apologises first. That's so wrong, when the cleaner is there first, making things nicer for everyone.

Oh get over yourself. If OH is cooking dinner and I’m in his way tidying up, I’ll apologise. Or he will to me. It’s got nothing to do with who apologises first FFS, it is just people being mannerly.

But Morondela clearly said the cleaners apologises first. That's so wrong, when the cleaner is there first, making things nicer for everyone.

you might be taking my post a tad too literally and forget the part when I clarified that no one EXPECT anything. People just behaved in a civilised manner, not sure why anyone would create a drama there.

OP, I am afraid they think their time is more important than yours. Sorry, but that is the downside of that type of job.

When i put my pay run in i named him as the reason for extra time taken. I worked back 6 months and realised he had cost the company £800 in extra time. Hr and payroll were not happy.

CynthiaRothrock That is excellent. You are a and a too!

It is possible to not think you're superior to a cleaner AND think 10 min is valuable. I work some short days to fit into school hours and try to cram as much as possible into those hours. If i am leaving for the day i don't factor in an extra 10 min as i could be working. Our building has 1 staircase and 1 lift. I'm afraid on my way in, i often shimmy past the cleaner who is hoovering the stairs as the lift is so fucking unreliable and i don't want to be stuck in it

but i would apologise.

I don't think I'm superior to a cleaner, not in any way. But I do often have back to back meetings where I'm leaving one and rushing straight to another one in a different part of the building or another building. Ten minutes could be a whole agenda item I would miss. I don't think I'm U to not want to miss a whole big of a meeting.

@nettie434 had to be done he was one of those people with a massive superiority complex. The kind that clicks their fingers at a waitress and parks his penis extension in parent and child ir disabled spaces. I'm not usually a vindictive person but watching the fallout of him being put in his place was amazing

So if you had just mopped the floor, you'd be cool with someone walking all over it?Well, she can just clean it again, right? No big deal.

You do understand what a floor is FOR? It doesn’t exist to be polished to a sheen so that everyone can stand there in breathless admiration. At what point post-cleaning does it become acceptable to use it for its actual purpose?

So many people on this thread (and MN in general) are so desperate to prove their man of the people credentials that they take things to a ridiculous extreme. Expecting a cleaner to actually do their job, and do to so in the least disruptive way possible, is not akin to viewing them as somehow sub-human.

Re-read your post Moron. You EXPECT the cleaner to apologise for being in the kitchen cleaning up after you and ONLY THEN do you deign to apologise. You clearly do feel superior to her. See my ost above for the CORRECT way to behave when a cleaner is cleaning. Why don't YOU enter the kitchen and apologise for getting in her way? She was there first! FFS some people are entitled. Disgusting.

I wouldn’t be chucking the word ‘moron’ around in your shoes.

Kitchens are there to be used. Of course that means they need to be cleaned. Unless the cleaning takes place strictly after hours, that means sometimes people will use them whilst cleaning is in progress. This doesn’t require a grovelling apology to the cleaner.

Cleaning man at my place would do a cheery the stairs are wet duck careful but that's about it.

Thought Moron was the poster’s name.