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!

I'm really surprised they ask this of you during a pandemic

How else are they failing to keep the workplace Covid-secure?

I had this back in the mid 1980s. There was me and a bloke who were the same grade of clerical support staff. Yet it was always me who was asked to make the tea and coffees for meetings, never him. One day I was up to my eyeballs with work when I was requested to provide our Director with tea for him and his guest. I made the tea and then had to do something urgent for the Director's boss. I then delivered the tea and he got snarky because the tea was a bit cold and he had to apologise to his guest.

I just suggested that he perhaps should have asked my male colleague to make the tea as he was free whilst I was busy. He just looked utterly baffled that a man could make and deliver hot drinks. It was my first job in the Civil Service and makes me smile that I'm now far more senior than him and that things have changed so much.

Nobody would want to drink my tea.

No one needs tea or coffee to be able to do their job. It is a nice to have or an extra, not a must have. Therefore, each person should be responsible for making their own drinks. It’s not an admin job to pander to hot drinkies for people in the office. All these busy people in Zoom meetings all day can get themselves sorted with a flask. The same for lunch - this is an individual need of someone, it is not work related, so everyone needs to get their own lunch by either sorting it out before coming in, or going out and getting it.
The only exception for this is if there is a business meeting that involves refreshments, in that case someone appointed to do this as part of their role or as part of a rota should sort these refreshments. But that’s for business meetings, not individuals. People obsessed with hot drinks should make their own. So yes this would piss me off especially if it is a very busy role and you have other stuff to get on with. The hinting would really annoy me.

@Hopoindown31

Most people's job descriptions will have a little line that says you need to perform any reasonable management request. Asking the office temp to make the brews may not be the way it works in many modern offices (partly because making a brew gives you a break from your screen) but it is far from an unreasonable request. As others have said, you are paid the same rate for making brews as anything else, do you really think it is beneath you to do it?

I don’t think it’s beneath OP and OP didn’t come across like that. But why can’t the boss make their own bloody tea after a couple of cups!!

Bloody cheek.

I don’t know what to suggest OP other than look for another job in the mean time. I think your boss is taking advantage tbh.

Being a 'tea bitch' is exclusively a female issue it seems. Speaking from personal experience I havent witnessed a male peer being asked to sort the tea round.

I can understand that it must be very irritating, but please don't be tempted to go down the Graham Young path...

They just sound old-fashioned, to be honest. The printing out emails is a big red flag. Ridiculous in this day and age. There’s not much you can do however since they made it clear that it was part of the job at interview. That would have instantly sent me running from the job, personally, but if you need the job then I suppose you can just deal with it for a while and then move on!

Find a way to ask if it’s part of your job to make tea.
If they say it is then tell them you have to be asked to make it. That you are missing the hints the drop about making it.

Make it horrendously bad.

I've never worked in an office but I think it's appalling that people don't just make their own tea!

I can't see the problem, you went for a job, they said job involves making tea, you get the job and they ask you to make tea!
Also I do not see why people are saying make it badly, how childish, I suppose when it's not their job to lose they are all mouth.

If you don't want to do it then don't. Refuse or talk to your boss. However, please don't sabotage the drinks in any way. That's not funny, it's horrible.

@PumpkinetChocolat

YABU

The manager did tell you when you interviewed and there's nothing shameful about making tea

You sound ridiculously precious calling it being the "tea bitch". From your OP, it sounds like the job if below you and you are too good for it. It might be true, but no one forced you to accept it - and if you are so good, you could find better surely?

It doesn't matter what your title is, some boss expect their assistant to make them tea or coffee. It's annoying if they try to drop hints instead of ordering you around, but take it the right way - or quit and let them employ someone else who will be happy with the job.

Agreed!

@Didkdt

Wow whatever happened to sucking up the role you have and working towards a better one, yeah go ahead sabotage or spit in it but during your teak break Google the consequences of that. What super skills do you have that make this beneath you?

What a nasty, unnecessary comment. The OP never once said or hinted that she thinks this is beneath her! It is massively old-fashioned to assume the office temp is there to make tea. Thirsty? Get up off your arse and make your own cuppa!

In a Temp admin job I would be more than happy to make endless cups of tea.
I would potter around the office chatting to everyone for hours on end.
Does it stop you doing other work you have been set? Break your day up into chunks of time - an hour admin, 30 min tea making on repeat.
Keep everyone so topped up with tea that they are in the loo more often than they are at their desk.

I would ask them to write a schedule for when they want tea. Just say that you find it tricky to pick up hints and you would prefer them to schedule times or just ask directly. They probably drive their husband/ wife crazy like that too. Then stick to the schedule, just see it as part of the job like filing. Writing it down might make them think about how often they are asking. Or get them a flask!

I was a secretary in a bank and one incident really made my blood boil. My Manager stood by the coffee percolator, gesturing with her cup and saucer in her hand for me to stop what I was doing, walk across the room to pour her usual black coffee. She was a nasty, controlling cow who made my life hell but I really needed the job.

You are now in a War of Wills. How much value do you place on your job?

Pretend you're the waitress in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: put your headphones on, make the tea with your back turned, and imagine the men having a huge fight behind you.

I used to love making tea/coffee for my boss- put them in a good mood so why wouldn't I

They made it pretty clear in the interview op I think YABU

Just explain that with covid19 you really shouldn't be making drinks for other people as its a risk of cross contamination

Its your job... you work in an old fashioned place but its your choice to stay or leave... but in the meantime they are not being outrageous, they told you at interview, they've told you face to face, just make the tea!