cleaning office comfort room.
By laniekins
@laniekins (4579)
Philippines
June 1, 2010 10:07pm CST
Is it ok with you to clean your small office comfort room? I work as administrative assistant in a very small and starting office. We are 4 employee including the owner and I am the only girl. I clean our comfort room once or twice a week, my boss did not directly tell it to me but who's gonna clean it and the office? So it was me, he don't have the plan to hire for a service since we don't have budget for that. I am not that complaining cause it's hard to earn money and find a job. I've done this before and it's ok. But I cannot continue do it for the rest of my life here.
What about you? Is it ok with you if you have no choice but to clean your comfort room and the office as well?
7 responses
@nangisha (3496)
• Indonesia
5 Jun 10
Hello my friend.
You are seem so nice my friend. I think you boss lucky to have employer like you who wiling to do what is not in her job description. I think you can work there to get great resume while searching for better job.
@laniekins (4579)
• Philippines
7 Jun 10
Hi friend, thanks for the complement. I am really like this when working, I put my devotion and heart. I will just save some money to get passport application and if god's allow me to have that, I will apply to an agency so I can work abroad.
@mspitot (3824)
• Philippines
2 Jun 10
well, the other employees should also clean that. you can have a schedule but don't clean that all the time. try not cleaning it and see if they will clean that. if they don't then ask them politely. if they still don't clean it, then don't clean it again. just clean it whenever you need to use that but not because they will be using that.
@laniekins (4579)
• Philippines
3 Jun 10
They are all nice but they really don't have the initiative cause first they are men and men won't clean a comfort room, second they are in the middle class, meaning they don't clean their own house. If I don't clean it, my boss will remind me for that particular mess.
@mspitot (3824)
• Philippines
3 Jun 10
hmmm....ask them to clean their mess when they use the cr. if there are some mess that they made that your boss noticed, ask them politely who made the mess and advised them to clean it. then, you can clean that not so often. teach them to be responsible of you cr.
@amonyel (122)
• Hong Kong
2 Jun 10
I understand your situation. Would it be better if you construe the whole thing this way: As you're the only lady in the office, you might be the only person who cares about the hygiene of the comfort room and the other areas. Generally speaking, men are "less sensitive" to dirt, mess...than women. Your colleagues might not assume you to do the cleaning, they might have assumed that no cleaning is needed at all. So don't feel that you're supposed to do these chores just because you're the only lady there, tell yourself you'd rather do them for your own comfort because nobody else cares about the hygiene condition and so would not clean the places themselves or arrange somebody else to do it. Would you feel better to take it this way?
@laniekins (4579)
• Philippines
2 Jun 10
Yah but sometimes I am thinking what if I was a boy, who will take the initiative to clean?
@joepat (129)
• Philippines
3 Jun 10
If I were in your shoes, Laniekins, I would suggest to the owner that the task of cleaning the comfort room should be shared among the you three employees. The reason for this is that there are times when people get to be insensitive and resort to unsanitary practices just because they think that there are others who are assigned to do the cleaning. This bad attitude of some people will be stopped if they get to do the cleaning job themselves. This is a matter of teaching self-discipline among employees. You know, it's also like fair is fair. Have a nice day!
@laniekins (4579)
• Philippines
3 Jun 10
I know what you mean and as I said, this two are men and young professional so I don't expect them to clean it. The scheduling does not come in my boss mind. Let's just hope for the better.
@thanks1961 (7035)
• India
2 Jun 10
Cleaning a small office confront area is not an issue and any one can do it. As for as your office, I think it is not an issue because you got only 4-5 people around. But as being an administrative assistant, I don't think your's is the right choice. You need to hire a part time person or a person who is doing the cleaning job for other companies.
Mine is an office where more than 400 people in one floor itself and there are house-keeping people to support. Still, at my surroundings all small tip top jobs I only manage and I will not bother them to do it.
Here in your case, I am to tell you that you can do it once in a while. But if you make it as a habit on your dedication, other will exploit the situation and you may have to continue for the rest of the time. It may require maximum of 3-5 minutes and you can approach any other person to it.
As per the business etiquettes, I think you need to assign someone else for the job for your better future. I know you are a good person form my past 10-15 days experience. But I am sure that other people will exploint your willingness and be little more professional. It will help you in your long carrer life.
Regards,
Thank-s
@laniekins (4579)
• Philippines
3 Jun 10
Thanks for your understanding, that is what's happening right now, they are used to know me cleaning the CR. They are all professional architect so would you expect someone as professional as them will clean it? Ofcourse not, but again they are all kind and nice to me. If there are foods coming for snack, I will be the one to wash the plates and stuff and clean the mess. My boss anticipate that I will be the one to do it. Sometimes I felt like I work as a helper, sorry but my boss ask me to wash plates for them, but not in a rude tone, he do it in a nice way. What I hate much is that whenever I am purchasing office supplies, this 1 ream bond papers is so heavy, and sometimes I am having hard time to carry it. I am 4'11 in height and very thin, I cannot carry heavy things like that, but I do it for the sake of my job. I guess they really need a man to replace me, cause I sometimes do the mans job, carrying heavy blueprint plans delivering somewhere without a car. I really wanted to work abroad, if I had to do that, I will as long as the salary is right.
@thanks1961 (7035)
• India
3 Jun 10
Hi dear,
I can understand you position very well. There are certain situations where we are forced to do. The management and superior staff are like that only. They will exploit the weaker section and make use of maximum utilisation from within. I think at present you cannot think of a new job also. If you do all it is a problem, and if not done, again it will be a problem. So, you just pass through in between. Whatever we do, it will not get appreciated. (in some cases). I know from your words that you are a dedicated and honest person to your office and people. But, if they cannot accommodate an appropriate person, just follow, even unwillingly and show that you are doing it unwillingly. Or show that you are doing all those jobs only because there is no other person to do it.
Or you can ask the management that I am too loaded with all these work and you need an additional person for such jobs. Have they mentioned about the job profile while you jointing for the job? Let me tell you one thing, in many private offices, things are like that only. They will make us to do all the jobs. Sometimes we are helpless. They are aware about it, but unless we demand for it, they will keep quite.
One more thing is that, if you hesitate to do these jobs, some time they will terminate you and keep a capable male person, in your place. Are you scared of this situation? What is your qualification? If you get a better job, try for it and mean time keep work here till you get a new job. Don't worry, things will change and pray for it.
Wish you all the best and good luck.
With love and regards,
Thank-s
@zengy57 (59)
• Philippines
3 Jun 10
hi lanie! its okay cleaning comfort room cause your using it too. and its job.. its hard to find a job this days anyway if its a first job a good start be humble cause there will be something better for you. if youre sincere. keep up the good work ! somebody is watching over you.. Good Luck!!!
@laniekins (4579)
• Philippines
3 Jun 10
Oh thanks for the encouragement. Sometimes i feel frustrates that I am doing it over and over again and the tiles that they are using in the floor gets dirty easily. Honestly I rarely clean CR in our home. I just hope for the better, humility is one of the best traits. I know I will be rewarded soon.
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
2 Jun 10
In a situation like yours, where it's a small company with only a few employees, I think it's a good idea for everyone to pull together and do what is necessary. My husband and I own a small business. It's just the two of us and one part time mechanic and I clean the office and the bathroom because, if I didn't, no one would.
@laniekins (4579)
• Philippines
2 Jun 10
I see, sometimes I cannot do it cause I have workload. The floor of the comfort room gets dirty easily so I have to clean it over again, I just can't be there all the time. Thanks anyways, I must understand that that's the way it goes.
