Do you wash up at work? Was this a bit cheeky?

[Whatagoodplacetobe]

Have been working as a temp as an assistant to 3 more senior staff members.
There is a small staff kitchen, I usually just wash my own pots up as I go along.
For a few days in a row, the senior staff would have various cups of tea/coffee/, toast, biscuits etc. And just put their stuff straight in the sink.

Twice one of the women asked me at the end of the day to wash all their pots. I thought it was a bit lazy and like they saw it as beneath them.
I wouldn't mind if it were on some sort of rota basis but not washing theirs all the time.

I did it once but just left it on the next time so she ended up doing theirs (not mine)

Am I being petty?

Does sound a bit cheeky, unless it's in the job description!
People are generally pretty slobby about cleaning up after themselves at work I find.

Unless its your job to clean up don't do it

The job description says tidying up the area but surely it's in theirs too. Course they'll have unlimited tea and toast If someone else is washing it

I'm not there as the cleaner or kitchen porter or anything. I'm glad i just left it the next time she asked.
I was also asked to chuck all their old food out for the weekend

I think it's rude of them, but is it possible that there's an understanding there that assistants wash up for more senior staff?

How senior are you talking, like the director of the company, or just a grade or 2 above you?

Did your line manager mention anything about this as a duty, or anything about kitchen etiquette, when you began? Can you ask them about it now?

Workplace kitchens are a nightmare as there are always a few dickhead who will assume that someone else will do their washing up for them if they leave it. Then little passive aggressive signs have to be posted reminding everyone that it is their responsibility to do their own washing up....signs the dickhead will ignore.

They're a grade or two above me as opposed to directors or anything. I do their admin work mainly.
Just think it would take them a second to wash their own cup or whatever

Wow I could be Elon musk and i still wouldn't ask someone to wash my plates & cups?! That's terrible!!

Hmmm

Sounds like cleaning is part of your job role though? You’re assistant to them so they wouldn’t be cleaning the kitchen?

Agree it’s bloody lazy though, people at work are gross and their lack of home training shows

As the most junior member of staff, its your remit unfortunately.

Yeah that sounds like they're taking the piss. I'd ask your line manager if you're expected to do the washing up for all other staff. Hopefully the answer is "of course not."

There's an employed cleaner that comes in at the end of every day

The key think is whether keeping the kitchen clean is part of your job description.
It sounds like it might be, in which case the people are not being cheeky.

you should really clarify this.

hmmm I was going to say they were BU, everywhere I've worked the expectation is that everyone just does their own dishes/mugs, however I've also never seen an admin job where tidying up the kitchen is actually listed on the job description, and would think it even more unlikely, if they are senior enough to have their own admin/assistant that it would be on their job descriptions too, so tbh it does sound like it is expected as part of the assistant role.

Personally I think it's very old fashioned and would still do my own stuff if I was them but if it is in your job role and they clearly expect you to do it I'd think you have to.

If you were male I guarantee they wouldn't ask you...

100%

I work for a small business and the director washes up more than anyone

As a directors PA, if my boss had asked me to wash up for them I’d do it no questions asked. Washing up isn’t a good use of their time amd your paid to assist them!

I'm the boss. I wash up my own mug and plate every day and bring in the milk twice a week. Some mornings I come in and there are 10 mugs and six plates in the sink (not many staff use the kitchen) I know who they are. I will wash up a whole sinkful once a week and about once a quarter raise the kitchen at a team meeting. Team of about 20.

Never, ever would I expect the most junior staff to do the washing up and if I got wind of one of my managers expecting this they would feel the sharp end of my tongue.

When I worked in a shop with a small kitchen, we took it in turns to wash up at the end of the day - everyone from the young lad on work experience to the area manager.

I'm not sure that it's the cleaner's remit to scrape food and wash dishes.

I’d be mortified if my assistant did my washing up! But if “tidying the area” is actually in your job description then it sounds like you work somewhere where it’s expected unfortunately. (And no, I can guarantee you that more senior staff won’t have it in theirs too).

YANBU.
I own a business and would never expect my staff to wash up after me (although I got a dishwasher so that nobody had to do it). When I worked in HR for a big company loads of people would leave their dirty plates and cups in the sink. We would put signs up asking for people to do their own and put away after but although a few did, most didn't. We used to end up doing a stack at the end of the day. So we had enough, got rid of all the supplied cutlery, plates and cups and everyone had to bring their own. Funnily enough as soon as they purchased the stuff with their own money they looked after it!

Lazy gits

I had an assistant at work and would never in a million years have asked them to wash my pots up!

Bloody hell such lazy bastards, saying that one professor I worked with used to take his washing up home for his wife to do 😳. Also I often wash up and am one of the most senior people in my department but if anyone asked me I'd be pissed off (I'd never ask anyone either!)

It is usual that these things fall to the most junior office staff IME especially if they're female

That said in all the best run places I've worked, the most senior manager has made a point of very ostentatiously cleaning the kitchen, when it's left in a state. It get the point over quite well.