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

Most meetings have a lot of waffle in them and could easily be cut shorter if the meeting chair was actually good at being chair.

I'll let my clients know that waffles is no longer accepted and they have to bring their own drinks when they come in for a meeting shall I 🤦‍♀️

Shame that being rude will only send them to a competitor and the loss of their business means everyone loses on bonuses, but hey at least no one will have to make tea and coffee anymore. They will be so happy to be part of a "modern" and wake business environment

Most meetings have a lot of waffle in them and could easily be cut shorter if the meeting chair was actually good at being chair

The more comments like this I read the more I wonder what people making them actually do for a living.

The more comments like this I read the more I wonder what people making them actually do for a living.

at least it's pretty clear what they do NOT do and what work environment they are NOT in

Most meetings have a lot of waffle in them and could easily be cut shorter if the meeting chair was actually good at being chair

In my experience this is usually true, but it’s not the admin’s problem. If the people paying the salaries want meetings to last an hour and to pay someone to make tea 🤷🏻‍♀️

Pumpkin - oh spare me your self righteous indignation. It is clear asking someone to wipe bums in an OFFICE setting would be wrong. Not in a care setting where it’s there job. I have nothing but respect for these people SO don’t t try and use them to get on a soap box and justify you being too lazy to make your own drink.

As I told you before - I have explained at length why asking an OFFICE worker to make teas is disrespectful to many. It’s all upthread if you bothered to look. But given that by your own admission you are lazy I’ll repeat it for you.

Office workers are employed to do office jobs and hot drinks are a personal luxury not a business necessity. You wouldn’t go up to a barrista in a coffee shop and ask him to write your email while your dictate. That would be treating him as your own personal servant, in the same way demanding teas of your admin staff is treating them as your tea slave.

If you are seriously too lazy, self important and entitled to get off your lazy backside, walk 2 minutes to the kettle and put a teabag in the water once a day, then you are the only pre Madonna here!!!

Pumpkin - oh spare me your self righteous indignation.

Ha!

Office workers are employed to do office jobs

No, the OP was employed to work in the office, INCLUDING making the tea. There’s no law saying she can’t do both. You are confusing reality with what you believe should be the case, again.

“Pre-Madonna” 😂

“Fortunately I’ve always worked in places where my time and contributions were valued to the extent we are supported to do our jobs as well as we can. That includes having someone bring me tea and coffee if desired.

God knows what you’d make of the in-chair massage service; lunchtime yoga classes (far more often taken by the tea maker than those receiving the tea) and other similar perks.”

The yoga sounds great. And the massage too as long as the person doing it has chosen being a masseuse as their job, and not some poor admin worker you’ve dragged to your desk and forced to massage you!

I get the idea behind other people spending time making tea so you can concentrate on what yo ur paid to do. But is it just me that feels really lethargic and sluggish if I sit staring at a screen for, say, more than an hour. It’s surely good for productivity to get up and move?

Admin staff fetching tea seems normal because it’s what offices all did in the past. But it’s a throwback to when men ruled the workplace and treated their mainly junior female staff like personal servants. It’s actually an odd practice if you think about it. I mean, why not have someone push you to and from your desk in a wheelchair while you send emails on your phone, so you don’t waste any time when you could be working?

Flav didn’t think you’d be away for long! Another busy day at the office! 😂 offered a one a tea yet?

Office workers are employed to do office jobs

The OP was employed to, amongst other things, make tea 🙄

hot drinks are a personal luxury not a business necessity

🤣🤣 JFC you must have worked at some really awful places of a hot drink is a luxury. Raise your bar!

Sunnymummy77

Nope.

Sorry, the Pre-Madonna expression is just golden.

It’s surely good for productivity to get up and move?

People get up to stretch and move, they might go and stand at the back of the meeting room if they’re really feeling it, but the idea that we’d break once an hour for people to go and individually make cups of tea/coffee? I can’t imagine anything less productive.

Yes to Sunny and this:

*Admin staff fetching tea seems normal because it’s what offices all did in the past. But it’s a throwback to when men ruled the workplace and treated their mainly junior female staff like personal servants. It’s actually an odd practice if you think about it.

@SVRT19674

Sorry, the Pre-Madonna expression is just golden.

I've never seen it written down before! I always thought it was prima Donna. 🤭

FourPlasticRings

You are in a basic admin role - yes, hospitality is part of your job. Tea, coffee, lunch, cakes, the usual. that’s part of the “basic” thing.
We have male and female directors, and male snd female PAs. tbe PAs(and many are quite experienced and paid very well) do tea and coffee for their direct boss s d visitors (and for everyone who looks stressed). its part of the job.

pegasus and pumpkin you don’t come over very well on this thread. Making snide, derisory comments, belittling other posters and trying to act as though your jobs are crucial to the continuation of the species.

Plenty of time for Mumsnet though I note.

You know, I’ve gone days, weeks, actually many years without imbibing tea or coffee. Sat through plenty of meetings without needing the stuff. It’s really weird to non-tea drinkers to hear people claim these liquids are essential to their lives, rather than a preference.

Pegasus - It doesn’t have to be a tea break scheduled at actual times. But if you have time to get up and stretch your legs, you have time to make a drink is my point.

This argument that “oh I need teas brought to me so I can spend the time doing my job” just isn’t true.

And tea is a luxury in that the business will still run without it. If admin don’t do the post, the filing, update spreadsheets etc things will go wrong. If no one makes the manager a tea - well she may be p1ssed off but the business won’t fail.

You know, I’ve gone days, weeks, actually many years without imbibing tea or coffee. Sat through plenty of meetings without needing the stuff. It’s really weird to non-tea drinkers to hear people claim these liquids are essential to their lives, rather than a preference.

Nobody is forcing anyone to drink tea, or saying they can’t make their own tea. This is a simple matter of an employer choosing to employ someone to make tea. Which is perfectly fine and it doesn’t matter whether or not you like tea.

@TheNewLook

pegasus and pumpkin you don’t come over very well on this thread. Making snide, derisory comments, belittling other posters and trying to act as though your jobs are crucial to the continuation of the species.

Plenty of time for Mumsnet though I note.

You know, I’ve gone days, weeks, actually many years without imbibing tea or coffee. Sat through plenty of meetings without needing the stuff. It’s really weird to non-tea drinkers to hear people claim these liquids are essential to their lives, rather than a preference.

why? Because I had junior admin jobs where I was asked and expected to make rounds of tea and I never felt insulted or inferior? Maybe because I wasn't, unlike some posters on here possibly?

Because I find it insulting to read the patronising comments about "skivvies" making teas - is that how posters view waiters and bar staff then? Some have somehow decided to redefine the standard job description of admin assistant to fit their argumentation
What's next? moaning because you are asked to answer the phone, deal with the post or call a cab?

It's completely irrelevant if my job is crucial or absolutely mundane and non-essential or if I could do something. People make a living from a decision not to do something myself.

I take it that you never go to a restaurant, buy a take-way or sandwich because you can do it yourself then
Talk about Pre-Madonna 😂

Sunnymummy77

you are not important enough to decide what is essential or not for other businesses I am afraid, and what is in the job description of the staff in most companies...

If a manager decides to spend 2 hours on MN instead of dealing with the post and employ someone else for that, it's none of your business either.

Office workers are employed to do office jobs and hot drinks are a personal luxury not a business necessity.

You are confusing your opinion with facts my dear.

Pumpkin -

No one is belittling waiters, bar staff or anyone that makes or serves drinks for a living.

It’s the act of asking someone to do something that ISN’T or SHOULDN’T be part of their job.

Like asking the waitress to schedule a meeting for you.

And it’s also about basic manners. Making someone a drink every now and again if they ask and you can see they’re so busy and stressed - fine. Employing someone in an admin role and forcing them to fetch drinks all day and never offering back (as in OP example), not ok.

And I’m so glad my misspelling made so many of your days. I’m sure there are loads more on my older posts too - Have a good read 😂