Coworker vent - Page 5

Shogirl · ‎12-06-2010

Cookinfreak, this is what I've noticed about working in an office environment for 43 years (mostly men) with regards to coffee (or doing any other mundane task) - once a person starts doing a task, everyone else expects that person to continue doing the task, and that's for the duration of their time spent in the office. The only way to stop this way of thinking is to do just what you did - stop doing it.

Ketra · ‎02-16-2018

@cookinfreak You’ve handled it the right way. Bring your thermos of coffee in and enjoy it. 😊 It’s a shame some people don’t have manners, but I’m glad to hear you’re no doormat.

Fiero Woman · ‎10-02-2017

I worked in a military environment for years, mostly pilots. Oh yes, I made coffee a few times and it was pure awful, just awful. I just can't make coffee, period. After a week, they no longer said a word and they made their own coffee. I would not have minded and was totally embarrased at my attempts. I did bake cookies once a week; but, those guys earned every cookie, still think of them. Anyway, thank goodness for Keurig.

NYC Susan · ‎03-13-2010

@BeccaLouwrote:
@NYC Susanwrote:
@BeccaLouwrote:
@NYC Susanwrote:
@chrystaltreewrote:
@BeccaLouwrote:
@Soonerwrote:
@chrystaltreewrote:
No man and no person under the age of 50 would ever have this problem.....because they would never have started that coffee foolishness to begin with. OP is part of the generation of women workers who felt that they had to "mother" the office. Even though no one ever asked them to do it. It's generational, we see less and less of that type of thing. All she has to do is stop making the coffee and let people take care of their own caffeine fix.
On the mark comments! I am not a coffee drinker thank goodness and never got involved in the issues surrounding it's production. I never understood why some people obsessed over who makes coffee, when and how. Just do it or don't do it and don't make it your problem.
Becca Lou Wrote: Can't they all chip in and get a Kuerig ?

That would just present another problem. Keurigs don't manage themselves. Who buys the coffee packs? Who stores them? Who collects the money from people? Offices are not homes and that coffee business is an old fashioned, old timey thing that doesn't belong in today's workplace.

I agree.

I love my Keurig, but I don't see how that would work in this situation. Are they each going to buy their own k-cups and keep a good supply? If not, who decides which k--cups to purchase and how will that be managed? Are they going to get upset because the last person didn't fill the water tank? Keurigs sometimes clog, and they also need to be descaled, have filters changed, etc. Who will take on that responsibility?

I worked in an office where this would have worked. We were very good about dividing responsibility, and no one ever took advantage of anyone else. It was true team spirit all the time. That doesn't exist everywhere, though, and in the situation described by the OP, it seems that keeping things as simple as possible would be best.

In any case, I don't think she should even consider getting involved in obtaining a Keurig. Otherwise, she'll end up having to mastermind everything and coffee will become her responsibility once again. I really think she should pull out of anything having to do with coffee there completely.
Becca Lou Wrote : I was just picturing my mini, it has no tank to fill. So each person would have to fill it each time. I don't think that would an added expense to anyone that way, the k cups would be only theirs at their desk drawer. No filters to purchase.But a measuring cup for water would have to be a necessity, so it wouldn't make a mess with some people trying to use their cup to fill it. Oh well maybe they could just get their own and put in on their own desk. Just a thought, maybe no fix to the problem .
I don't think even a mini would work for an entire office. And even if it did, there would still be potential problems. Anytime anything is shared, it becomes someone's responsibility to take care of it. These people are used to coffee brewed in a pot, and might not want a Keurig. There are definitely some good arguments against it - cost, environmental concerns, so some of them might not like the idea of a Keurig for those reasons and also having to keep their own supply of k-cups. Will they be stealing each other's k-cups if they run out? (I'm kidding, but only partly!)

If they already have a coffeemaker with a pot and they all like it, I can understand that they might want to continue using it. They're just going to have to figure out a way to do that without the OP taking care of it every day. Making coffee is really not a big deal.

I agree with you that individual Keurigs sounds like a good idea and would keep everything separate. But things rarely work out that easily! {sigh} In any case, none of this should be the OP's problem. I think she should tell them that she can't do it anymore, and step back. Let the rest of them figure it out. She's served her time. :-)
Could someone tell me also what OP stands for ? Thank-You In advance .