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!

The idea that you can automatically disrespect someone because of their position is utterly toxic.

I would be more interested WHY people think asking someone to make a round of tea is in any way disrespectful.

At my age now I would just say ‘no’ when asked to make tea. Or ‘you do it, I’ll have two sugars, at.’

However when younger and less confident I absolutely mastered the art of making the greyest, luke warmest, shortest cup of tea ever.

I was never asked twice.

*shittest cup of tea.

Would you expect OP to deal to run to the post to send private parcels for her colleagues, or book a taxi for her colleagues for a non-business related trip?

if that's what she was employed for, of course I would.

I can think of a few assistants who are asked either by their boss or their PA to buy private gifts for their boss' partners... It IS part of their job. They can't do some of the PA's role - because they haven't got access, or the knowledge or any reason, so it makes sense to ask them to do something that is helpful at the time.

How anyone would find it insulting is beyond me.

If you don't like it, do another role?

At my age now I would just say ‘no’ when asked to make tea. Or ‘you do it, I’ll have two sugars, at.’

and if it's part of the job, you will rightly not be kept in that company.
It's the beauty of this country and the free market, no one has to accept a role they don't like. It doesn't mean it's not part of the actual job.

At my age now I would just say ‘no’ when asked to make tea. Or ‘you do it, I’ll have two sugars, at.’

And in my office, if I’d hired you to make the tea, you’d be fired.

“And in my office, if I’d hired you to make the tea, you’d be fired.”

Lucky escape! If you Do really have an office..Please tell me while you’ve spent all this time on here, you haven’t been barking at some poor assistant to fetch you tea! Because you’re far too busy (lazy)to get it yourself! 😂

“I can think of a few assistants who are asked either by their boss or their PA to buy private gifts for their boss' partners... It IS part of their job. They can't do some of the PA's role - because they haven't got access, or the knowledge or any reason, so it makes sense to ask them to do something that is helpful at the time.”

To me this isn’t as bad... because you can legitimately see how someone is too busy to shop around online or go the shops. Wouldn’t want to do it personally although am sure loads of pa’s love their job.

The making drinks thing however, come on no one is SO busy they can’t spare a couple of mins to make a drink. Like others have said NEVER offering your staff a drink back and demanding them all the times is just poor manners.

@flaviaritt

At my age now I would just say ‘no’ when asked to make tea. Or ‘you do it, I’ll have two sugars, at.’

And in my office, if I’d hired you to make the tea, you’d be fired.

And if I’d actually been hired as a ‘tea maker’, I’d make the tea.

However, if my job description did not include being your tea skivvy you could swivel 😁😂

Please tell me while you’ve spent all this time on here, you haven’t been barking at some poor assistant to fetch you tea! Because you’re far too busy (lazy)to get it yourself!

exactly The whole point of wasting time and paying to recruit someone, pay their wage and everything around it is to spend time on MN. Isn't life great

the coffee shops down my office (used to, pre-covid) deliver drinks directly to the office too. So maybe we don't need assistants after all...

And if I’d actually been hired as a ‘tea maker’, I’d make the tea.

Cool. But I think telling your boss to “swivel” wouldn’t get you very far.

Lucky escape! If you Do really have an office..Please tell me while you’ve spent all this time on here, you haven’t been barking at some poor assistant to fetch you tea! Because you’re far too busy (lazy)to get it yourself! 😂

None of your beeswax, really.

Sunnymummy77

no one is SO busy they can’t spare a couple of mins to make a drink.

why do you insist on "can", when maybe they just.. don't want to?

I could clean my own house, clean my own windows, clean my own car even, cook from scratch every day of the week. I don't want to. Some people are making a living out of my laziness.

If I want to employ cleaners, assistants, post boys, facility staff, receptionist.. it doesn't matter if I could bring sandwiches or make tea. I don't want to. So what?

It's amazing that some people are so insecure they immediately assume anyone is looking down at others for it. I also pay for service when I go to a restaurant or a hair dresser, why do you think I look down at whoever is washing my hair? I could do it myself too.

Cool. But I think telling your boss to “swivel” wouldn’t get you very far.

On the contrary. I wouldn’t be where I am today if I hadn’t told two petty bosses who treated their underlines like slaves to go swivel.

On the contrary. I wouldn’t be where I am today if I hadn’t told two petty bosses who treated their underlines like slaves to go swivel.

Well, I’m glad it went down well. For me, if I’d hired you, not so much. 🤷🏻‍♀️ But I suspect we’d both be okay with that outcome.

And I’m not petty, just aware that it’s fine to hire someone to do a job and ask them to do it.

@flaviaritt

On the contrary. I wouldn’t be where I am today if I hadn’t told two petty bosses who treated their underlines like slaves to go swivel.

Well, I’m glad it went down well. For me, if I’d hired you, not so much. 🤷🏻‍♀️ But I suspect we’d both be okay with that outcome.

And I’m not petty, just aware that it’s fine to hire someone to do a job and ask them to do it.

Not that great at reading comprehension though huh?

Did you see the part where I said ‘if I’d actually been hired to...’

Badbanana

Doesn’t matter what you’ve been hired to do. If I asked you to do something (reasonable) at work as your manager and your response is “swivel” or “no”, there would be a serious discussion about reasonable behaviour and professionalism, and I suspect within a very short time we would part ways. Because people shouldn’t talk to others at work like that.

Pumpkin I’m Not knocking laziness- but there have been some precious comments on here about the important manager just not having time to make the tea ever which is bs.

I do believe in common courtesy, manners and basic human decency though. And no matter who you are, sitting there week after week, demanding drinks from your staff and never returning the favour is bl0ody rude.

“Because people shouldn’t talk to others at work like that.”

But treating people like glorified slaves is totally cool.

I do believe in common courtesy, manners and basic human decency though. And no matter who you are, sitting there week after week, demanding drinks from your staff and never returning the favour is bl0ody rude.

It’s not a favour. She’s being paid.

But treating people like glorified slaves is totally cool.

This rhetoric doesn’t dignify a real reply.

I don’t treat my employees like that at all, I find a it’s far more productive way if managing. I ask people to do their jobs.

We take turns with things that aren’t anything to do with our jobs...like making tea.

A bit like there being a way of sending food back in a restaurant without getting it spat in...there is a way to manage people without coming across as a jobsworth dick.

We take turns with things that aren’t anything to do with our jobs...like making tea.

But it is to do with her job. It’s been made clear from the beginning, as she says.

YABU, it was made clear that making the tea was part of the role. This is normal in lots of admin roles.

Rather than make it a negative issue make one when you get in and pop it in your diary for say 3 times a day. Use the time the kettle boils to jump on MN etc and make your bosses happy with all the tea. Win win.

Just because you’re paying someone - doesn’t absolve you of basic manners and decency.

Karma is a b1tch. You may not be in the position you are now forever. Do you want everyone who works for you to actually hate you.