Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not run personal errands for my boss

147 replies

Sundaycoffee · 05/06/2023 00:02

How would you handle a boss asking you to run personal errands when it is not in your job description. I am her personal assistant and also look after 2 other directors (but she is my main line manager), so this is a bit of a grey area maybe due to my job title? Nowhere on my job description does it mention running personal errands and none of the other PAs in the business run personal errands for their managers. (I have asked and they all seem shocked at the things I am being asked to do).

Recently she has asked me to:
Find quotes for taxis to the airport for a personal holiday
Print off personal forms for her husband who doesn't even work in the company.
Research bars for her to go on a night out with friends
Research holiday villas for a girls holiday

I do all these things during work hours and not in my own time but I just feel like this seems really cheeky when I am already run off my feet doing work related tasks.

Is it worth approaching this in any way or do I just grin and bear it?

OP posts:
Catchasingmewithspiders · 05/06/2023 00:04

If you are run off your feet with work tasks you could treat it as a prioritisation exercise

So you only have capacity to do x amount, is her personal request higher or lower priority than Y or Z work task?

LoveBluey · 05/06/2023 00:05

Sounds like she's taking advantage not only of you as a person but of company resources (hate to call you a resource but you know what I mean). You're time could be better spent supporting the business.
Can you escalate it to someone more senior or to HR?

bobblyjob · 05/06/2023 00:06

Hell no. That is not your job! The company is paying for your time not her. Just as she should not be doing these things on company time, nor should you

Original poster
Sundaycoffee · 05/06/2023 00:15

bobblyjob · 05/06/2023 00:06

Hell no. That is not your job! The company is paying for your time not her. Just as she should not be doing these things on company time, nor should you

So how would you approach this?
A lot of the time it almost feels silly pushing back, on the smaller tasks like printing a sheet of paper for her, as replying back explaining that i dont have capacity probably takes longer than the actual printing, but now I just feel like its more on principle than anything else!

OP posts:
declutteringmymind · 05/06/2023 00:19

So you need to set a boundary I guess. I would probably print the odd sheet. I ask my manager to do the odd thing for me and I'm grateful. The others maybe say I'll try if I get time and ignore it. When she asks just say I didn't get round to it. If she pushes then email her would you like me to do x first or your personal request? That should put an end to it.

sandyhappypeople · 05/06/2023 00:31

I may be in the minority but I've never really had a problem doing this when I've worked for people, I've always been good at research and sussing things out, so if a boss asked me to do various tasks I'd just add it on to my list of things, obviously it would effect the 'work' work, but if I got any sort of guff off said boss I wouldn't do any more personal stuff for them. I've never had that problem myself though and a lot of the time I've become the go to person for organising people, it can be a hell of a lot more interesting than actually working!

If you get on with your boss it can stand you in really good stead, as they see it as a bit of a favour and will be more willing to help you out when you need something, and they won't want anything to happen to you as they need you to organise their lives! I can't stress this enough though, I've always worked at small companies, where there is no real chain of command, a bigger company with a hierarchy could be more problematic.

Do whatever you feel comfortable with OP, don't be afraid to say no if something will make you uncomfortable, or if you don't think you should be doing it in work time, it's unreasonable of them to ask if it could get you into trouble.

StarbucksSmarterSister · 05/06/2023 00:56

Until recently I was a PA for many years mostly, but not exclusively, in large international companies in the city.

This was completely normal in every job I worked in (both for myself and all my PA colleagues). The more senior the boss, the more likely it would happen, as they didn't have the time themselves. Nobody thought it unusual but I guess it depends on the industry, boss's job, etc. Have you never faced this in any previous jobs or is it your first PA role?

If you're not happy because you can't get "work" work done, then talk to your boss about prioritisation. If you don't think you should do it at all, discuss that too, with HR if necessary but everywhere I've worked, some personal admin has been seen as part of the job. The fact it's not in the job description may be covered by the catch all "any other tasks as may be required from time to time".

I never had an issue but I had great relationships with most of my bosses and they were always grateful.

Fraaahnces · 05/06/2023 01:17

Can you let her know that you are busy performing work-related tasks for the other directors also, and that personal tasks are not in your remit?

determinedtomakethiswork · 05/06/2023 01:45

Why on earth can't she print a document?

echt · 05/06/2023 03:54

I can sort of see this being OK if it wasn't for the fact that you have two others you work to. Basically any time not doing her work is always to do with the others, so you never have time so far as I can see.

I've changed my mind. My late DH had an EA and he never asked them to do personal stuff. It's not OK. I take the point that in a small company this might be OK, but in his case was huge Government department so definitely not.

The fact that other PAs are shocked tells you everything.

KingofCats · 05/06/2023 04:03

It’s normal in my industry. The CEO told me to make sure I use my PA like this - we work long hours and they don’t want booking your kids doctor appts etc to detract from work! But all depends on the industry I guess.

I

Tanfastic · 05/06/2023 04:46

It used to happen to me a lot when I was a PA in the legal industry but to be honest I didn't mind and my boss wasn't a dick about it, he realised I'd only fit it in when I had the time.

However, I only worked for him.

If I were in your shoes next time it happens and you were rushed off your feet doing work stuff id say something along the lines of, "Are you okay with me leaving that until I have more time as I have X, Y, Z to do today. If they say no do it now and the constant requests mean you are falling behind with your work then I'd be inclined to have a word with the other directors and explain why you are falling behind.

HoIIy · 05/06/2023 05:27

This wouldn't bother me, I'd just do what's being asked.

Netaporter · 05/06/2023 05:44

Normal in my old industry too. My PA/EA used to look after a few bits as she quite enjoyed the variety added into her week. Nothing extremely personal but it was exceptionally helpful especially after returning from Mat leave. It was give and take tho as I did allow her time to settle in her new dog/vets appointments etc which probably wasn’t really within any ‘official’ reasons for taking time off at that time either. If you don’t think this is some sort of power trip, I’d be inclined to keep my powder dry and ensure the favours are returned when you might need them. If she doesn’t express a willingness to let you go a bit early occasionally for a personal reason, then you know where you stand. A PA position is a position of trust as you probably get to see sensitive information, so I think you should try and resolve it on a 1:1 basis rather than involving anyone else.

LiftyLift · 05/06/2023 05:58

I’m a PA in London looking after a team of execs. It’s completely normal for me to do personal errands and I actually quite enjoy it. I get paid well, so think if they want to pay me for booking holidays for them then great! I see the bigger picture that their time can be spent better doing other things and having a PA allows them to focus on their objectives. Completely depends on the company and how they treat you though.

Srin · 05/06/2023 06:05

I think you have to be a bit careful about sticking only to your job description. If you are a bit flexible, others will be flexible with you. I do lots of things at work that are not in my job description but my manager is very accommodating about things like time off and making deadlines that suit me etc.

rookiemere · 05/06/2023 06:11

Is there a diplomatic way you can say to her that you'll put them on the list, but proper work will take priority?
I'd probably not mind as I love researching anything to do with holidays, but it does cross a line.

Yerroblemom1923 · 05/06/2023 06:16

It wouldn't bother me as long as it wasn't affecting what I was actually paid to do. It doesn't sound like she's asking you to do anything difficult and it's not in your own time. As long as she appreciates your help I'd just get on with it.
I do think it's a bit CF-ery when able- bodied people ask you to do something they could do themselves but then I guess that's the role of a PA.
I one worked for a company and a woman above me would often ask me (and others, not just me) to print something off for her. I didn't realise it was a stupid power thing and would always tell her "it's quite simple, you just click this this and this..." and show her how to do it EVERY TIME! I honestly thought she didn't know how to do it. She clearly had the time as would stand next to me as I talked her through it every time!😆

notquitesoyoung · 05/06/2023 06:44

It didn't bother me what I did as long as everything could be done in a work day. I used to sort out stuff for my boss, his wife and two children. I wasn't a PA but it was a very small business.

clarrylove · 05/06/2023 06:46

It always been usual in the jobs I've had. Seems to come with seniority.

rookiemere · 05/06/2023 06:48

Another thing you could do is malicious compliance. So find villas with rubbish reviews, bars where they rip you off and very expensive taxi quotes.
If asked say you're not much of a holiday expert - shrug shoulders - sorry about that.

Summerfun54321 · 05/06/2023 06:53

I've worked as a PA in London for 2 directors. One I did personal errands for, the other I didn't. I can't see what the harm is unless these personal errands mean you aren't getting other work done. "This isn't in my job description" isn't going to do you any favours, just prioritise it last and get on to it when you have done everything else.

AgentProvocateur · 05/06/2023 07:00

I think this is standard for a PA - at least, it was when I was last in a role where I had one, which is a few years ago.

FloofCloud · 05/06/2023 07:03

I take it this business isn't her own business?! Is she one of the most senior people in the company or middle management?
I'm of the ilk that personal stuff you do yourself, I'd never get my administrators who work for me
To do anything personal foe many reasons, but one guy in a team I used to work in did do this (including asking a PA to pick up luggage he'd left in Europe!! Although she did make full use
Of the preflight lounges lol!)
I'd say play cautiously but don't hide it from others that you're doing these types of thing and perhaps the other people you're assistant to will have a word with her

TheMerryWidow1 · 05/06/2023 07:06

I used to have this with one particular boss, didn’t mind at the time as he was a great boss, that was until his Wife started trying to do the same thing including getting me to sort out their child’s passport, then I had to push back, wife didn’t work for the company!