To be annoyed cleaner opens the window...

[ImStillMe]

....because of Covid. I ventilate when the office is busier later in the day but early morning it's just me in and it's cold.

But the cleaner walks in and opens the windows. I'm sure she wouldn't do that to the MD sitting in his office.

She popped back in one day and gave me a dirty look as I had shut them. I've already told her that I open them later.

I know I need to just tell her not to open them but I think she's going to answer back and it'll all be very awkward.

What to say?

Maybe she gets hot cleaning and likes fresh air ....

Why would you not want her to open the window. Do you want to sit there breathing in the same stale air for days?

Our cleaners are in our office for about two hours, its their space as well, not just ours. Physical work makes you hot, offices often have poor ventilation, so yes windows should be open as much as possible. If people like the OP are cold they can put a jacket on.

I think it’s fine. A stuffy germ filled office would be horrible. She’s doing her job of cleaning surfaces and the air.

She can’t be in there all day? So the time she is is probably just the time to leave her to do her job properly whilst you add a cardigan and do yours

Haha...if only saying things made them true.

Anyone sat at a desk is going to feel cold more than someone actively cleaning
I don’t think OP is suggesting that she’s superior than a cleaner as some people are inferring if it was the cleaner or the MD she’d still be cold
personally if the cleaner was jumpy about covid and wears a mask gloves and socially distance I’d respect her opening the windows
if she picks and chooses which restrictions she follows is just shut the windows
as others have venting fumes for cleaning products ids rubbish COSH regulation should take care of that most companies won’t allow hazardous products to be used

Absolutely no way would I be working with the windows open in winter. They remain shut, it’s that simple.

If she’s so paranoid about covid she can go and hide away at home rather than inflicting her anxiety and worry on everyone else.

YABU. It's only for a few minutes and buildings need a blast of fresh air or they smell stale.

She has a right to open the windows to feel safe at her workplace. Bring a jumper or blanket.

Covid hasnt finished! Good on her for ventilating while she is cleaning. Do you not like fresh air OP? Why is it so difficult to close windows after some time?

Say “I don’t wanna be a pain but I’m freezing and when you open the windows it make the room cold for ages after you’ve gone. I need them shut.”

I’m confused why she’s cleaning at the same time as you’re working but 🤷‍♀️

Eh, no it hasn't. It's here. It's here to stay. We just have to live with Covid. Like we live with so many other viruses.

It's definitely not finished.

Fine for her to ventilate while she is working. Not fine if she expects you to keep them open afterwards.

Dotcheck

How?

Would you REALLY just walk into someone’s office and open the window?

She would only be in the office for a short while when she cleans- it’s rude of her to open the window in someone else’s space and expect them to keep it that way”

It’s the cleaner’s work space too, she has as much right to open the window as anyone else working there.

I'm kinda on your side and I don't think you're looking down at the cleaner as some pps have suggested.
We have cleaners throughout the day, massive office building, we're open 24/7 but they flit in empty the recycling bins, flick a cloth over filing cabinets and wander off, big jobs are done at night, they've never opened the windows in our offices as we regulate the temperature as we're sat there all day, if they did I'd ask them not to, not because they're "just the cleaners and lesser people than us" that's ridiculous, we all talk to each other as equals (all our cleaners are lovely people).
Otoh they spend most of their time in the break out rooms and they always open the windows in there, we wouldn't shut them as we just flit in and out getting coffee etc.
Some people are just arseholes regardless of their jobs, she clearly realises it annoys you but does it anyway.
I'd just say please can you not open the window, covid is no excuse, there's 900+ people in our building and the windows only open a crack, enough to let a cold, uncomfortable draft in

I am literally shaking and crying at the thought! Maybe some screaming at the ceiling or open window would help?

For those saying that OP doesn't 'feel superior' to the cleaner - she talks in her post about the cleaner 'answering back'. Suggests a sense of superiority to me!

Deal with the root of the problem, the fact you have a cleaner who answers back and isn't completely subservient to the people who do the actual work like you.

Take it to your boss and report back to us what he says, it'll be interesting to know which one of you is looking for a new employer.

What a disgusting, snobby attitude. A cleaner isn’t doing “actual work”?! What are they paying her for then?! And a cleaner doesn’t have to be subservient to a random office worker who is not the CEO of the company.

It's disturbing to hear an adult talking about another adult responding as 'answering back'.

Actually this is a very god point.

*good
😶

Yanbu. Covid has finished now

Tell that to my friend who's recently tested positive and is very poorly

Could you not just put a jumper on until she’s gone?