To think I’m not the tea bitch?

[Ribrabrob]

Recently started a new job. Fairly basic administration job, although fairly well paid for the role. It’s just a temporary maternity cover role. Not really a job I enjoy or want to do but was rather desperate so took the job.

The job is okay and the people are fine, mostly quite nice. I work closely with the manger in a tiny office, the owner is based in an office nearby but regularly pops in. From the start it’s been made very clear that making tea/coffee for them both is very important in fact in my first interview I asked what was the most helpful thing the previous post holder did for the manager. The manager answered ‘oh it’s so helpful when she gets my drink for me’. I remember laughing thinking it was a joke but it wasn’t

Hints are regularly made about having a drink, at least twice before I get the hint and then I’ll offer. If I don’t offer she’ll then ask outright but always after hunting. It’s annoying, i would rather she just ask. Other people also make little remarks when they visit the office that she (manager) doesn’t seem to drink as much as when the other post holder was here! It’s so weird.

I don’t drink many hot drinks myself, usually just one in the morning and occasionally another later on so it doesn’t always enter my head to make one 🤷‍♀️ But of course I do offer when I am making.

The other day the owner was due in in about half an hour. Manager asked me to have a chat quickly and took ten minutes explaining to me how he’d like his tea and to try and have one ready for him.

Aibu to be annoyed by this or is it just a part of a basic admin role? Aibu to think I’m not the tea bitch?! Aibu to think how I make the tea really isn’t that important? I’ve worked in offices before and the CEO’s would always make drinks like everybody else!

@TurquoiseDragon

If it was so important to the manager that making drinks was to be part of OP's role, they should have mentioned it properly at the interview. If OP had not asked that question, it's likely it would never have been mentioned.

Exactly.

" don’t think it’s skivvying, any more than I think setting up a meeting room or buying masks in or sending a letter is skivvying. "

Those jobs are administrative support tasks, office work that OP was expecting to do. Making tea is catering, not the same kind of task and seen as very old fashioned these days. It's skivvying.

How is it demeaning to make a mug of tea?

It’s demeaning because she’s not employed to do catering. I’d wonder if a man employed in this role would also be expected to make tea.
If you’re serious about about being viewed as a professional in a career I would advise any woman to never fall into the trap of being the brew lady, buying people’s lunch from the shop, or being the only person bringing cakes into the office.

Its not demeaning to make one cup of tea, but to have to make umpteen every time someone drops a hint, to some exact specification, and to not have the favour returned would be pretty demeaning.

Lalalatte

But they made it clear at interview. They employ her to do this. If she finds it demeaning she should get another job.

“ I’d wonder if a man employed in this role would also be expected to make tea.
If you’re serious about about being viewed as a professional in a career I would advise any woman to never fall into the trap of being the brew lady,”

It’s not a very subtle “trap”, is it? “It’s really important that you make tea. Are you interested in the role?” “Yes.” “Damn - they trapped me!”

@flaviaritt

Gwenhwyfar

It’s not. It’s what they employ her for. Anyway, this is getting silly. Have a good evening, I’m going to do something else.

Checking in for an update to see if you made the tea so horribly badly that they stopped asking you to make it for them...

It’s not a very subtle “trap”, is it? “It’s really important that you make tea. Are you interested in the role?” “Yes.” “Damn - they trapped me!”

Like the OP, I would actually think someone was joking if they said that to me.
It’s all about perception, if you’re happy to be perceived as the tea lady then go for it, but it doesn’t command any respect. Especially if there are men in the office.

“... if you’re happy to be perceived as the tea lady then go for it, but it doesn’t command any respect.”

If I’m not, the one thing I definitely will not do is take a job as a tea lady.

I worked at a company and they often asked me to make drinks, my response was it's not in my job description and I don't drink hot drinks at work so don't make them - within a month they got a vending machine

@flaviaritt she didn’t take a job as a tea lady, it was an admin assistant !!

Mellonsprite

And the duties of her role clearly (and from the start) involved making the tea. It’s not very complicated. If you don’t like a job as it’s presented to you or as it develops in the first week or so, leave. This was her role from the off and she’s just moaning because she doesn’t like it. She should let someone else do it who doesn’t feel too important to get paid fair money in a very junior job making tea for their boss.

Might be an age thing, but cannot see a problem here. I made plenty of tea when I started work and If I was busy going into a meeting I might ask an administrator to get me a tea now. Never had any problems with this and everyone would be clear on expectations. If anyone objects that is fine, but if you do you need another job.

I suspect it's a cultural thing also as I only ever noticed the tea thing in the UK. Not so much a junior person being made to do it as but the whole tea round in general seems to be a big thing here. I personally have no interest in tea and so it would be extra annoying to me (now I'm really asking for trouble on MN!) The only other workplace I have seen something tea related was in our Dubai office where it's a persons sole job to serve refreshments throughout our meetings.

Isurvive - this is different from the tea round. This is just OP making tea for her bosses, who are not hosting clients and not rushing from one meeting to another, just sitting at their desks.

If this is a basic temp admin job, what did you do before? Do you not have any experience of admin jobs?

Suck it up or leave but don't start making crap tea. That's just passive aggressive nonsense.

@Gwenhwyfar yeah I got that. My comment was more about the British love of tea

"Do you not have any experience of admin jobs?"

She may have loads of experience of admin jobs. As others have mentioned, making tea for the boss is becoming quite old fashioned, at least when there are no external guests and when we're not talking about a very busy big boss.

"My comment was more about the British love of tea smile"

If it was coffee, it'd be no different.

@Mellonsprite

It’s not a very subtle “trap”, is it? “It’s really important that you make tea. Are you interested in the role?” “Yes.” “Damn - they trapped me!”

Like the OP, I would actually think someone was joking if they said that to me.
It’s all about perception, if you’re happy to be perceived as the tea lady then go for it, but it doesn’t command any respect. Especially if there are men in the office.

Qurius what you industry is?

Curious sorry that was annoying me 😂

At the end of day, a major part of this role is making the tea and getting it right. It's not rocket science.

If you want to command respect then don't do a basic admin job. Tea aside, everyone assumes you have half a brain due to the job title!