How can I politely say no to this request?

[Fedupandstressed]

I’m an Ea for our SLT. I volunteered a couple of years ago to be ‘milk monitor’, as in taking their £5/month and buying the milk, tea, coffee and biccies for the 9 of us. No issues so far. I nip to Asda twice a week on the way to work. I get the bus btw and all the money goes via a dedicated tea fund Revolut.

Now a fairly new member of SLT, has asked the other departments (over 100 people) if they want to join to save on the multiple milk situation in the fridge, and asked me to organise this. So I’d have to organise a regular delivery and payment AND be responsible for chasing every single person for their money!

I'm not a purchasing clerk, or what they’re called. I do this for our team voluntarily.

How do I politely say that sorry, but it’s beyond my remit!

Politely’ I can’t do that - it’ll take all week. ‘
the end.
im concern you’re having ti catch a bus as it is - that must take time.
Why are you even doing that?
simeone else should take a turn.
do they pay your bus Faye?

I'd do everything in my power to persuade SLT that basic tea/coffee/milk supplies should be provided by the school as a staff wellbeing initiative and ordered by the kitchen.

As an SBM I have achieved that at all three schools I've worked at. You can also use the Best Value argument, in that all the faffing is very time consuming and not value for money from your time.

Do you not have an office manager or similar who could organise this, given the size of your organisation?

Exactly that! Keep it brief and dont apologise.

’ Hi Marjorie. That proposal would take the current informal arrangement way beyond my job description. I’m happy to continue as is ( if you are) but anything different would need to be done by someone else.”

I've just realised you might not be talking about a school 🤣 but the same applies. Employer should be providing this stuff and having it delivered.

Tell them that they can organise it.

If you want to go ahead with this idea - that’s fine let me know I can stop doing the voluntary thing I have been and please let me know who will be organising it all so I can pay my contributions to them. Thanks

i have never worked anywhere where tea coffee and milk wasn’t provided automatically….

Just say “I’m sorry, but chasing 100 people for their contribution and keeping track won’t leave any time for any of my other work! If the company is willing to provide milk for everyone I’m happy to set up a regular Tesco delivery for every Monday morning”

It’s not a school. Emergency services

I like this answer

No chance of it getting supplied.

The bus is easy , I go past the stop anyway, so get off and buy milk then get on next one. I get a work discount on my pass.

I work for social care. Everyone buys their own brew stuff. Not everyone has this provided by their employer at all.

Yes this. Via email and copy in office manager and add but feel free to organise yourself.

Tell the new member that since they voluntold you, they can do it themselves.

"You'll have to take over if you want to change it from our current arrangement, that's far too much work and I don't need the headache of it."

Briefly. "no, that is too much for one person"

And leave it at that

just say no
we had a rota for milk
it got a bit out of hand
i just bring my own in, the rota continues without me
carry on with your own system

as they say, if it aint broke dont fix it
they can sort themselves out

I would say that you're happy to continue with the current arrangement but the suggested arrangement would take up a disproportionate amount of your time. Could the new SLT member approach the finance office instead to manage the new system (I suspect they'll knock it back too, if they're sensible)?

Now a fairly new member of SLT, has asked the other departments (over 100 people) if they want to join to save on the multiple milk situation in the fridge, and asked me to organise this.

Really grates my gears when people new in do this, when things are going smoothly all ready.

I'd just say you're more than happy to continue to do things as you have been, but if they'd like to take on the role and change things while doing so you'll take absolutely no offence.

On a practical level, how are you going to carry enough milk for 100 people from the bus?

The OP said So I’d have to organise a regular delivery......

‘That will probably take me approximately an extra hour each week - shall I just submit an overtime claim for that as I don’t have the time to do it within my current working hours. Alternatively is there anyone else who might be able to fit it in without doing overtime?

My office hides our staff tea and coffee supplies in that we get in for visitors and training courses, because the organisation policy is that staff supply our own, but local management disagree and 'tea rotas' waste so much time and cause arguments of the 'I only come in once a week so shouldn't pay the same as those who come in every day' variety.

We just hope that no-one notices that our visitors drink 43 cups a day on average.......

No. Sorry that would be too complicated and take too much time. Tell them to buy a bigger fridge if space is a problem.

Just get a supermarket delivery or use the Staples to catalogue or amazon,

That would be a nightmare. Our place tried this but too many people had their own requirements: only drink water, want pro-rata as part-time, can only drink decaf coffee/herbal teas, dairy intolerance so need almond milk, etc etc.

Why should OP sort it out?