topic Re: Coworker vent in Kitchen

Coworker vent

cookinfreak — Fri, 02 Mar 2018 19:38:26 GMT

I work in a smaller office with about 40 EE. We have a production warehouse and the majority of the EE work there or are out and about in the field with installation. There are about 12 people in the main office, the majority of who drink coffee as well as myself. I usually get 2 pots of coffee ready in the afternoon for the next morning so the guys who need to get to the job sites can grab a cup and go. They start sometimes and 6am or so and that is why I usually have it ready so they don't have to stand around and wait for the coffee. Here is my vent. The people in the main office will NEVER make a pot of coffee when they take the last of it and just expect that I will do it. Then, they will come back for coffee and complain and whine when there isn't any made. There is even one female who announces to me that the coffee pots are empty. I usually have 1-2 cups when I get to the office and then I am done. Others drink it all day. I have made up to 6 pots in one day all for other people. I have been polite, I have been stern and even put up a joke about making coffee and it falls on deaf ears. This is the only place I have worked that people have this attitude. The places before where I worked, it was understood if you took the last of the coffee, you made a new one. I know there are worse things in the world, but after 10 years of this bull, I'm tired of it.

Thanks for letting me get it off my chest

cookin

PS I haven't made any (or drank) coffee for the last 2 days. Now all of sudden, others can make it.

Re: Coworker vent

Drythe — Fri, 02 Mar 2018 19:43:59 GMT

@cookinfreak

Good for you!

It is very kind of you to think of the people who come in early. Other than for them, I would only make a pot if and when I wanted one.

Too bad some people are this way.

Re: Coworker vent

chrystaltree — Fri, 02 Mar 2018 19:49:23 GMT

Sorry but this is all on you. By your actions, you voluntarily took on the role of the coffee lady. Obviously, you do like doing it and that came through loud and clear. But after a while, you got a little irritated.....and said NOTHING to NO ONE and that irritation grew and grew. That's what happens when you sort of expect people to read your mind. Since you took on the role yourself, its' up to you to post the rules. You haven't made coffee in two days and my guess is, your co-workers don't have the foggiest idea why. So, either stop and let someone else do it or post the rules in friendly way.

Re: Coworker vent

Imaoldhippie — Fri, 02 Mar 2018 19:55:03 GMT

I does not make any difference who started it or did not start it. You did the right thing. Let the others make coffee. Later on you can take your turn.

Re: Coworker vent

newagain888888 — Fri, 02 Mar 2018 19:57:30 GMT

I would create an inoffensive, (but pointed) notice that if YOU partake of the coffee, it’s only FAIR to contribute to the coffee-making and clean-up. Put an interesting (even humorous) graphic with it and have it laminated. Mount it where it can be seen. Often, individuals will respond to visual requests more than verbal ones.

Re: Coworker vent

sidsmom — Fri, 02 Mar 2018 19:58:10 GMT

@cookinfreakwrote:
...when they take the last of it and just expect that I will do it.

Because you will.

But it sounds like the tides are turning in your favor.

Problem solved.

Re: Coworker vent

cookinfreak — Fri, 02 Mar 2018 20:03:05 GMT

@chrystaltree

If you read my post again, you will see that I said I brought it up by being nice, stern and even posting a joke about others making coffee. This has been brought up to others for 10 years!! I was brought up to live by the golden rule and it only seems to get me used and abused

cookin

Re: Coworker vent

chrystaltree — Fri, 02 Mar 2018 20:13:59 GMT

@cookinfreakwrote:
@chrystaltree
If you read my post again, you will see that I said I brought it up by being nice, stern and even posting a joke about others making coffee. This has been brought up to others for 10 years!! I was brought up to live by the golden rule and it only seems to get me used and abused
cookin

I did miss that but it doesn't change anything. If this is something that you've been complaining about for 10 years.....why didn't you stop making the coffee 9 years ago??? Since you continued in your coffee making duties, they tuned whatever you had to say out. It became white noise that they shrugged off. The coffee thing isn't as important to anyone as it is to you. It's just coffee to everyone else. If you don't make it, someone else will or they'll bring their own coffee in when they come.

Re: Coworker vent

roxxy1 — Fri, 02 Mar 2018 20:15:43 GMT

All the coffee drinkers should chip in and buy a Keurig......Problem solved.

Re: Coworker vent

chrystaltree — Fri, 02 Mar 2018 20:16:25 GMT

@Imaoldhippiewrote:
I does not make any difference who started it or did not start it. You did the right thing. Let the others make coffee. Later on you can take your turn.

Bingo! She said someone else was making the coffee now, my guess is that they'll take turns if the coffee is so important to them. The problem seems to be solved. But I suppose the OP misses doing it now.

Re: Coworker vent

software — Fri, 02 Mar 2018 20:25:20 GMT

@cookinfreakwrote:
I work in a smaller office with about 40 EE. We have a production warehouse and the majority of the EE work there or are out and about in the field with installation. There are about 12 people in the main office, the majority of who drink coffee as well as myself. I usually get 2 pots of coffee ready in the afternoon for the next morning so the guys who need to get to the job sites can grab a cup and go. They start sometimes and 6am or so and that is why I usually have it ready so they don't have to stand around and wait for the coffee. Here is my vent. The people in the main office will NEVER make a pot of coffee when they take the last of it and just expect that I will do it. Then, they will come back for coffee and complain and whine when there isn't any made. There is even one female who announces to me that the coffee pots are empty. I usually have 1-2 cups when I get to the office and then I am done. Others drink it all day. I have made up to 6 pots in one day all for other people. I have been polite, I have been stern and even put up a joke about making coffee and it falls on deaf ears. This is the only place I have worked that people have this attitude. The places before where I worked, it was understood if you took the last of the coffee, you made a new one. I know there are worse things in the world, but after 10 years of this bull, I'm tired of it.
Thanks for letting me get it off my chest
cookin
PS I haven't made any (or drank) coffee for the last 2 days. Now all of sudden, others can make it.

Are you serious?? What is she, 12 years old??

No coffee in the pot, guess what???

No coffee for you.

Become the coffee nazi (like the soup nazi in Seinfeld.)

Everyone who drinks the coffee should make the coffee when it's their turn.

Re: Coworker vent

kaydee50 — Fri, 02 Mar 2018 20:28:26 GMT

You've been doing this for 10 years??? No wonder they expect you to do it. Just stop.

Re: Coworker vent

Lilysmom — Fri, 02 Mar 2018 20:34:05 GMT

@cookinfreak, get your own little Keurig and forget the office coffee pot. LM

Re: Coworker vent

x Hedge — Fri, 02 Mar 2018 21:11:23 GMT

Are you sure no one slipped the words "make coffee" into your job description?

No?

Then you are the reason people have the expectation you will make coffee.

What do you think they do when you're on vacation, go without coffee until you return?

Personally, I'd have bought myself a thermos ten years ago.

Re: Coworker vent

nana59 — Fri, 02 Mar 2018 21:57:34 GMT

unfortunately, once you start something, people expect it....glad you stopped...i had the same situation with things i did for relatives...when i stopped, they thought there was something wrong with me......

Re: Coworker vent

jeanlake — Fri, 02 Mar 2018 22:43:07 GMT

Here's a sanity saver. Don't expect others to imitate your good deeds. If you do something generous, that's your good motive. If you need to feel appreciated by others and you're not getting it -- then silently (no complaining at work) change your routine. Life is better now that I've lower expectations of others and don't require a lot of kudos. Good luck to you.

Re: Coworker vent

momtochloe — Sat, 03 Mar 2018 01:08:30 GMT

@cookinfreak your post made me smile. I too was always the coffee maker in a couple of offices I worked in. The first there were a group of us that would get the coffee pots up and running in the morning but there was one morning when one of the sales guy was sitting in the break room waiting for someone to replenish a pot and actually asked me to do it. He's still sitting there as far as I know. At a different job I used to bring in doughnuts to help with morale and it went great until folks started to request specific doughnuts which is fine but then they didn't eat them and they got tossed. Long story short, end of doughnuts but very spirited conversation over who hosed it for the rest of the group . . . sigh.

Re: Coworker vent

GCR18 — Sat, 03 Mar 2018 01:24:26 GMT

Let the others make it. If the topic is brought up, suggest the task gets rotated. I don't partake in the coffee drinking or making at work. There was an uproar a couple years ago and a sign-up sheet was posted. Now two guys make it everyday.

Re: Coworker vent

Gardengal55 — Sat, 03 Mar 2018 02:16:36 GMT

I didn’t read all the posts here but why don’t you make a sign and hang it by the pot stating whoever takes the last of the coffee needs to make fresh, and then let it be. See if it sinks in. Let the others complain. And, either bring a travel mug of coffee in the a.m. from home or stop and get some at a coffee shop. Or maybe management can spring for a Keurig...at least you can bring your favorite cups and keep them in your desk drawer so any freeloaders don’t use them. I actually had to do that at my last job!

Re: Coworker vent

x Hedge — Sat, 03 Mar 2018 21:41:08 GMT

@Gardengal55wrote:
I didn’t read all the posts here but why don’t you make a sign and hang it by the pot stating whoever takes the last of the coffee needs to make fresh, and then let it be. See if it sinks in. Let the others complain. And, either bring a travel mug of coffee in the a.m. from home or stop and get some at a coffee shop. Or maybe management can spring for a Keurig...at least you can bring your favorite cups and keep them in your desk drawer so any freeloaders don’t use them. I actually had to do that at my last job!

Because it's not her job to suggest who, or assign coffeemaking duties to anyone else.

Any form of "transferring of responsibility" on her part, (stern talks, joking, posting signs, etc) only reinforces the assumption that it has Indeed been her job all along.

And typical office politics will read this action as her "dumping her responsibility" onto someone else. So she should never suggest who should be responsible for making the next pot.

She should only make it clear it won't be her.

Did I say, buy yourself a Thermos and take coffee to work?!