Title: Week of January 12th- coffee, tea or milk?
Post by: andream on January 12, 2004, 10:09:07 am
the beverage du jour will be different in your country of origin, however around the world, the job of getting the office refreshments most often falls to the support team. The question(s) this week:
Do you get coffee for the boss and do you view it as part of your job?
And even further, there are some support professionals who consider beverage fetching to be demeaning. How do real world office professionals feel about this task?
Andrea
Do you get coffee for the boss and do you view it as part of your job?
And even further, there are some support professionals who consider beverage fetching to be demeaning. How do real world office professionals feel about this task?
Andrea
Title: Re: Week of January 12th- coffee, tea or milk?
Post by: gee4 on January 12, 2004, 11:47:08 am
Interesting one - in my current job, I make my own tea/coffee and so does the boss. It's a very relaxed atmosphere so getting off your seat and going to the kitchen is as much a break from your desk/pc, as it is having a chat with anyone on the way or even while in the kitchen. I have no objection however providing hospitality for meetings which I have done on several occasions in the past.
G
G
Title: Re: Week of January 12th- coffee, tea or milk?
Post by: unique on January 12, 2004, 12:04:59 pm
My current MD gets his own tea/coffee. I make my own tea/coffee.
My previous Chairman would get his own, and make me coffee from time to time, as I would too for him.
In our office, tea/coffee is taken as/when we want - no set break times - so it's quite a relaxed atmosphere.
I've no problem in providing the hospitality for anyone whether visitors/VIPs to employees.
Pam
Pam
Peer Moderator
My previous Chairman would get his own, and make me coffee from time to time, as I would too for him.
In our office, tea/coffee is taken as/when we want - no set break times - so it's quite a relaxed atmosphere.
I've no problem in providing the hospitality for anyone whether visitors/VIPs to employees.
Pam
Pam
Peer Moderator
Title: Re: Week of January 12th- coffee, tea or milk?
Post by: carrielgreen on January 12, 2004, 12:44:38 pm
In my previous job as PA to the MD, i was politly asked by bossie to get him coffee whilst in the office - even if i wasnt getting any for myself. It wasn't to much of a pain as he was only in the office two or three days a week - and it gave me a break from my desk. He also thought it best if i got him coffee for any meetings he had rather than rely on our office junior.
However in my new job (Office Manager for a small IT Consultancy - 5 employees) we all take it in turns to get the coffee, as i only drink one cup first thing I end up not making or drinking much.
I dont think beverage fetching is demeaning unless it's taken for granted and seen that only the admin can do the coffe/tea run. I feel that providing coffee & biscuits for guests gives a good first impression - especially if you serve nice biscuits.
However in my new job (Office Manager for a small IT Consultancy - 5 employees) we all take it in turns to get the coffee, as i only drink one cup first thing I end up not making or drinking much.
I dont think beverage fetching is demeaning unless it's taken for granted and seen that only the admin can do the coffe/tea run. I feel that providing coffee & biscuits for guests gives a good first impression - especially if you serve nice biscuits.
Title: Re: Week of January 12th- coffee, tea or milk?
Post by: supergirl on January 12, 2004, 01:07:17 pm
Everyone prepares his/her own beverages at my office, the only exceptions being when we have guests (when I am happy to pitch in) or before our weekly admin team meeting (when our development director prepares a big batch of drinks for all). People prefer so many different drinks these days and at various times of day--it is just easier for us to do it ourselves.
Title: Re: Week of January 12th- coffee, tea or milk?
Post by: raindance on January 12, 2004, 02:15:10 pm
Bossie gets her own coffee and makes tea for me, too (she's well trained and only seven months in the job 
) and I do the same for her. We ask each other if we want tea/coffee whenever we are making one. I make coffee for our Chairman when he's in the office, but he usually gets his own.
We have meeting rooms with coffee/tea machines which are always available so people get their own drinks. If visitors come to the CEO's office, where I work, then I usually prepare their refreshments - dust off the best china and tray and put biccies on plates etc.
Making refreshments is not part of my job, but I don't think it's demeaning.
Raindance
) and I do the same for her. We ask each other if we want tea/coffee whenever we are making one. I make coffee for our Chairman when he's in the office, but he usually gets his own. We have meeting rooms with coffee/tea machines which are always available so people get their own drinks. If visitors come to the CEO's office, where I work, then I usually prepare their refreshments - dust off the best china and tray and put biccies on plates etc.
Making refreshments is not part of my job, but I don't think it's demeaning.
Raindance
Title: Re: Week of January 12th- coffee, tea or milk?
Post by: hgray on January 12, 2004, 03:10:05 pm
I get my own tea/coffee. If bossie wants one when I'm on my way I'll get his and that works the other way as well. All quite relaxed and he'd never expect me to get his beverage du jour
If we have visitors/external meetings I actually order tea/coffee/biccies/water through our catering people and then just collect when it's ready.
Helen
If we have visitors/external meetings I actually order tea/coffee/biccies/water through our catering people and then just collect when it's ready.
Helen
Title: Re: Week of January 12th- coffee, tea or milk?
Post by: bethanial on January 12, 2004, 03:36:12 pm
Around here, it's pretty much every one for himself (I'm the only her), but if we've got guests, I'll volunteer to fix something.
Peer Moderator
Peer Moderator
Title: Re: Week of January 12th- coffee, tea or milk?
Post by: Jackie G on January 12, 2004, 03:58:39 pm
It's never bothered me - I used to organise all our boardroom coffee etc.
when it was just me and a boss - we quite frequently made for each other
And now some of my clients make me tea when I'm in their offices!
Jackie
www.iqps.org
Peer Moderator
when it was just me and a boss - we quite frequently made for each other
And now some of my clients make me tea when I'm in their offices!
Jackie
www.iqps.org
Peer Moderator
Title: Re: Week of January 12th- coffee, tea or milk?
Post by: spitfire78 on January 12, 2004, 04:05:14 pm
I am the only tea drinker amongst a bunch of coffee drinkers. So, I established long ago that I was not getting involved with the coffee! One of the other admins usually makes the coffee since she's the first one in the office in the morning, though if she's not here, one of the bosses will make it. I certainly have no objection to handling beverages/refreshments for visitors (in fact, I consider that part of the job). When we're working on a project and everyone is putting in extra effort, I certainly don't mind fetching coffee and/or sandwiches. However, being a product of the women's lib movement of the '60's and '70's, I would strenuously object to having coffee making added to my daily responsibilities.
Title: Re: Week of January 12th- coffee, tea or milk?
Post by: ControlledChaos on January 12, 2004, 05:21:06 pm
In our office everyone takes it in turns to make the drinks, whoever wants a drink asks everyone else whether they want one or not, even the bosses. In my last job it was the same as well.
Any meetings are catered for by the Receptionist who fills the urn with water and provides tea, coffee and sugar for the attendees so that they can make their own.
Personally, I see it as part of my duty and I don't have any problems with providing refreshments.
Any meetings are catered for by the Receptionist who fills the urn with water and provides tea, coffee and sugar for the attendees so that they can make their own.
Personally, I see it as part of my duty and I don't have any problems with providing refreshments.
Title: Re: Week of January 12th- coffee, tea or milk?
Post by: claudiamag on January 12, 2004, 06:04:14 pm
Our receptions makes the coffee as she is in the office before everyone else. Bossie gets his own coffee or tea. If he has a visitor, I will get the visitor something. For larger meetings we have a catering company downstairs that will bring up large pots of coffee/tea/juice and edibles. I rarely drink coffee myself.
Title: Re: Week of January 12th- coffee, tea or milk?
Post by: catsmeat on January 13, 2004, 10:16:32 am
Tends to be me, but then I'm usually alone in the office, so I have no choice! Bossie tends to make "flying visits" where he doesn't need a cuppa but, if he does, it tends to be me that makes it - and also on those occasions when he has visitors. However, he is fully au fait with where everything is, and does chip in with tea-making when the need arises!
I don't think it's demeaning generally except when it's intended to be - bossie clicks fingers and expects tea to be brought to their desk immediately sort of scenario. It's just another part of the job as far as I'm concerned.
I don't think it's demeaning generally except when it's intended to be - bossie clicks fingers and expects tea to be brought to their desk immediately sort of scenario. It's just another part of the job as far as I'm concerned.
Title: Re: Week of January 12th- coffee, tea or milk?
Post by: chris68 on January 13, 2004, 02:25:08 pm
I will occasionally if bossie is extremely busy and can't get time away enough to take that short break for a cup of tea, coffee, or water even. I don't mind at all as it doesn't happen very often.
Visitors if there is more than one is usually handeled in our conference room and that has thermoses to keep everyone happy if there are groups of people involved. If it applies to my group I have no problems providing it, however, there is another secretary who is in charge of the conference room so she usually handles that for us.
We have a coffee service that I am in charge of ordering supplies for. Not a problem, it's a once a week call and they ask how are supplies are and I fill the basket of goodies by the coffee pot. We have regular tea, decaf tea, hot chocolate, and the sweet n low, and equal in a little basket along with the stir sticks of course. They are spoiled on "real" cream instead of the powdered stuff; however, I do keep both in stock as some people prefer one to the other. We have a budget of x amount of dollar per year and they just lowered it as I have been doing fairly well ordering all the supplies and saving money in the last year.
Chris68
Peer Moderator
Visitors if there is more than one is usually handeled in our conference room and that has thermoses to keep everyone happy if there are groups of people involved. If it applies to my group I have no problems providing it, however, there is another secretary who is in charge of the conference room so she usually handles that for us.
We have a coffee service that I am in charge of ordering supplies for. Not a problem, it's a once a week call and they ask how are supplies are and I fill the basket of goodies by the coffee pot. We have regular tea, decaf tea, hot chocolate, and the sweet n low, and equal in a little basket along with the stir sticks of course. They are spoiled on "real" cream instead of the powdered stuff; however, I do keep both in stock as some people prefer one to the other. We have a budget of x amount of dollar per year and they just lowered it as I have been doing fairly well ordering all the supplies and saving money in the last year.
Chris68
Peer Moderator
Title: Re: Week of January 12th- coffee, tea or milk?
Post by: peana on January 13, 2004, 03:00:54 pm
Bossie never ever gets a drink for himself - he just plain forgets! I'm always nagging him to drink more, hence I'm always the one to get the drinks. I don't mind - I rarely drink tea or coffee, but if I do I'm very fussy about how strong / sweet they are - unless I make them myself I often can't drink them! However, I used to get cross with a previous boss who I always made drinks for but who never even offered to get me a glass of water when he went to the kitchen to get his own!
I make drinks for meetings (which I don't mind at all) for which we use plastic stirrers rather than spoons as we are always running out. What I hate is when I come to clear away and 9 times out of 10 someone has broken a stirrer into pieces and deposited them into the dregs of a cup of coffee - I then have to pick these out to stop the sink getting blocked. I'm going to have to invest in a sieve!
However my pet hate is men (and it always is men - I've never noticed a woman do this) who spill drinks all over the kitchen work top and then fails to wipe up after themselves. My office is close to the kitchen, so I'm always clearing it up - to the point that someone from another part of the business thought I worked for our facilities department who are supposed to clean the kitchens!
I make drinks for meetings (which I don't mind at all) for which we use plastic stirrers rather than spoons as we are always running out. What I hate is when I come to clear away and 9 times out of 10 someone has broken a stirrer into pieces and deposited them into the dregs of a cup of coffee - I then have to pick these out to stop the sink getting blocked. I'm going to have to invest in a sieve!
However my pet hate is men (and it always is men - I've never noticed a woman do this) who spill drinks all over the kitchen work top and then fails to wipe up after themselves. My office is close to the kitchen, so I'm always clearing it up - to the point that someone from another part of the business thought I worked for our facilities department who are supposed to clean the kitchens!
Title: Re: Week of January 12th- coffee, tea or milk?
Post by: Jackie G on January 13, 2004, 03:14:12 pm
Euugh plastic stirrers - horrible!
As for it's only men who spill drinks and make a mess, don't you believe it. Women are just as bad.
What worries me is what are their kitchens like at home?!
Jackie
www.iqps.org
Peer Moderator
As for it's only men who spill drinks and make a mess, don't you believe it. Women are just as bad.
What worries me is what are their kitchens like at home?!
Jackie
www.iqps.org
Peer Moderator
Title: Re: Week of January 12th- coffee, tea or milk?
Post by: chris68 on January 13, 2004, 03:24:25 pm
Its a different story at home as its "their" kitchen and "their" responsiblity. At the office it seems not to be the case. I know what you mean cause I'm constantly wiping down the counters all day long as well as our cleaning service each night. I would hate to think what our nice new kitchen would look like by now if I didn't. It's only a year old and I itend to keep it looking new as long as possible.
We have the same issue with dishes, coffee cups, etc being left behind on the counter for days on end. But thats a whole nother thread entirely.
Chris68
Peer Moderator
We have the same issue with dishes, coffee cups, etc being left behind on the counter for days on end. But thats a whole nother thread entirely.
Chris68
Peer Moderator
Title: Re: Week of January 12th- coffee, tea or milk?
Post by: bettylou on January 14, 2004, 12:27:55 pm
I'm glad this has been raised as I've always wondered whether I should be as compliant as I am about having to make coffee for my boss (it is in my job description).
I work in local government and, as far as I'm aware, all the director's secretaries make coffee for their bosses (however everyone else also has an assistant to share this chore with). I think it's a culture/tradition thing - the management here can be quite old school.
To be honest, my boss is quite good to work for so I don't mind all that much but when I started the job it didn't sit comfortably with me. I wouldn't say I felt it was demeaning but making coffee for boss and for meetings and doing all the washing up is definitely my least favourite job (especially since I was told when I started not to ask for a dishwasher). Even now I get a little irritated when my boss asks for coffee (and I privately I think he feels a little awkward asking) and get round it by providing coffee before he asks or offering it to him.
I get the impression from the other posts that I'm in a minority here and wish that my boss could be more modern but I don't feel strongly enough about the issue to raise it with him. In fact, another secretary here made a sex discrimination claim to the Industrial Tribunal arising from being asked to make coffee but lost (although as far as I could see the actual issue of making coffee wasn't really addressed). If anyone's interested I think the details of the case are published on the web.
Bettylou
I work in local government and, as far as I'm aware, all the director's secretaries make coffee for their bosses (however everyone else also has an assistant to share this chore with). I think it's a culture/tradition thing - the management here can be quite old school.
To be honest, my boss is quite good to work for so I don't mind all that much but when I started the job it didn't sit comfortably with me. I wouldn't say I felt it was demeaning but making coffee for boss and for meetings and doing all the washing up is definitely my least favourite job (especially since I was told when I started not to ask for a dishwasher). Even now I get a little irritated when my boss asks for coffee (and I privately I think he feels a little awkward asking) and get round it by providing coffee before he asks or offering it to him.
I get the impression from the other posts that I'm in a minority here and wish that my boss could be more modern but I don't feel strongly enough about the issue to raise it with him. In fact, another secretary here made a sex discrimination claim to the Industrial Tribunal arising from being asked to make coffee but lost (although as far as I could see the actual issue of making coffee wasn't really addressed). If anyone's interested I think the details of the case are published on the web.
Bettylou
Title: Re: Week of January 12th- coffee, tea or milk?
Post by: joysmile60 on January 14, 2004, 06:20:34 pm
I've waited to weigh in on this issue because I wanted to see what everyone else had to say. I have been very fortunate in that I have never really been asked (on a regular basis) to provide coffee for any of my bosses. I think it has a great deal to do with the kinds of bosses I've had the pleasure of working with (more "new school" than old guard). In the past, though, I have made "coffee runs" to the cafeteria of a former job to purchase coffee for meetings (very infrequently), and have made the coffee in an urn for meetings in my present position. Lately, though, if we need coffee for meetings, we just order in a continental breakfast. The gentleman I'm working for now drinks iced tea that he gets himself. The one before that would stop for coffee on his way in (he arrived much earlier than I did!).
All that to say....I don't think it should be in anyone's job description to get coffee, but, if you offer to get it when you're getting yours, or they offer to get yours when they're getting theirs, that's okay. It should be common courtesy that dictates it, not duty. Frankly, I am usually too busy to drop everything to get someone a cup of coffee. Besides, I'm a tea drinker.
But that's just my opinion.
:)60
All that to say....I don't think it should be in anyone's job description to get coffee, but, if you offer to get it when you're getting yours, or they offer to get yours when they're getting theirs, that's okay. It should be common courtesy that dictates it, not duty. Frankly, I am usually too busy to drop everything to get someone a cup of coffee. Besides, I'm a tea drinker.
But that's just my opinion.
:)60
Title: Re: Week of January 12th- coffee, tea or milk?
Post by: newtofl on January 14, 2004, 11:20:48 pm
In my previous job, I would get my own coffee and beverage and ask my boss if he wanted a drink while I was on my way. He also did the same for me when he was not busy so I never mided doing so. I don't ever mind getting coffee or a drink for my boss or guests as long as they are not taking advantage of the fact that I would get it for them.
Title: Re: Week of January 12th- coffee, tea or milk?
Post by: katrybarczyk on January 16, 2004, 08:01:08 pm
We all check in with each other when one of us is heading over to the cafeteria. If someone is getting a soda or coffee of something, they always ask if "anyone else needs anything?"
The fact that we have a really good team atmosphere here seems to help!
:O) Kat the Clerical
The fact that we have a really good team atmosphere here seems to help!
:O) Kat the Clerical
Title: Re: Week of January 12th- coffee, tea or milk?
Post by: sobriquetnic on January 23, 2004, 12:03:29 am
I always make my bosses tea/coffee. It has never occurred to me that they would make their own! They have their drinks at set times of the day and I pretty much view it as part of my routine.
When I worked in the computer department, my boss and I took it in turns, but it was kind of a different sort of relationship to the one I have with my current boss.
I sort of like taking care of him! I don't mean that to sound weird, but I know that it must be really stressful for him running the company so I guess bringing him the odd drink to keep him going can't hurt!
I always make the refreshments for visitors as well. I took someone's advice from this forum about making a note in your Outlook Contacts file about how people like their tea/coffee and it really seems to impress them when you 'remember'!
Best wishes to all,
Nicola.
When I worked in the computer department, my boss and I took it in turns, but it was kind of a different sort of relationship to the one I have with my current boss.
I sort of like taking care of him! I don't mean that to sound weird, but I know that it must be really stressful for him running the company so I guess bringing him the odd drink to keep him going can't hurt!
I always make the refreshments for visitors as well. I took someone's advice from this forum about making a note in your Outlook Contacts file about how people like their tea/coffee and it really seems to impress them when you 'remember'!
Best wishes to all,
Nicola.
Title: Re: Week of January 12th- coffee, tea or milk?
Post by: countrigal on January 23, 2004, 05:58:10 am
Everyone in my office tends to fetch for themselves, as we have a variety of tastes. If we have special events, I'm invariably asked to arrange the breakfast(s) and/or lunches, which I don't mind as it's a break from my normal routine and is not an every-day occurance. If anyone does head to the canteen, we customarily ask if anyone else needs a drink/snack, in case someone doesn't have the time to sneak away, so it's really a team effort at getting beverages.
CountriGal
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CountriGal
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