I could cry from frustration. People have NO respect! *It happened again! But worse this time. Page

[sourland]

Faced with similar situations I cleared everything out of the break room an refrigerator and threw it into the garbage dumpster. Co workers scrambled to get their 'stuff' back and became somewhat more civilized in their behavior. It has come to be accepted that you are the 'clean up girl'. You need to change that perception.

 

[canesisters]

I used to do that. I got to work early, made coffee for everyone and tidied up the kitchen and just generally 'made things nice'.
Then it started. At first, just a couple of dirty cups left in the sink. Then more cups. Then a dirty filter dumped on the cups. Then creamer left out to spoil, sticky drips on the counter, food left out, etc.
It didn't take long before I was making sure that I had NO reason to go in there until lunch. I still came in early - WITH my coffee and danish. I would smile and greet everyone else and be sure that I was BUSY as they came in. If anyone made a comment about the kitchen, I'd say "Really? Gee, I haven't been in there yet today.", and go back to work. It took almost 2 weeks of it getting nastier and nastier before the boss had a FIT! And I mean a FIT. The kitchen stayed clean for a few weeks and I went back to using it (and making coffee). The first time I came in to find it anything other than clean I turned right around and left it for the boss to find.
I figure, it's HIS company, HIS employees, HIS business. And HE can handle it - which, once I stopped handling it for him, he does.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Oh man I wish I had the cajones to do those things bunnylady! Even if I did work up the guts, the main offenders don't even have an office in this building. They are line staff that work out at the houses with the kids. Only the admin's, therapists, and a couple supervisors have offices here.

It is not in my job description, but I have always felt uncomfortable asserting myself in the workplace. The most I ever do about it is mention it to my supervisor, who always says that he will "follow up" without even looking up from his computer while I'm speaking. He is almost as bad as the rest of them. He once bought grapes and left them in the fridgerator for several weeks. He then made me clean the fridge out because the mold from HIS grapes had taken over.

As for my car, I did go back inside and asked if anyone saw anything. They didn't have a camera either So he is off scott free. Ooooh I wish I coulda seen him do it! I'da given him a piece of my mind!

Okay, tell your supervisor that with what is going on you want all the "real" plates and cups GONE. Replace with paper cups. Put a note ON the refrigerator that any food or opened beverage containers remaining in the refrigerator at closing time (5pm?) on Friday will be discarded. Post that early in the week (and ask your supervisor to send it as an email to all staff), then on Friday toss everything the minute that time arrives. You probably won't have to do it more than once.

Also, be really frosty to the main offenders. Polite, but definitely frosty. If they (or anyone else ask why), explain that you are upset with their disrespect for you regarding the kitchen which you graciously try to keep professional looking even though it is not an actual part of your job.

 

[ChicknThief]

OR you can bring it up to your supervisor that EVERYONE would do a week of clean ups in the kitchen. That way everyone would take turns doing the chores and they can not complain if it gets that dirty if they did it themselves in the first place.

That is what happened at my old place at my job I had. The boss' daughter had enough of the girls being slobs and decided to take action....well, everyone in the office had to take turns doing a WEEK of kitchen duties, day in, day out, 36 weeks in a year and you better not complain about it either! It didn't take long for some of the slobs to clean up their acts, putting garbage in proper areas and putting stuff in dishwasher, etc. Its a fun break from the desk as well! In fifteen minutes, spot cleaning, wiping down, its all done and very clean! Its a win, win for everyone in the office, including the boss' daughter, who didn't have to deal with slobs anymore.

I find this funny because I am the boss' daughter. This company was founded by my great grandmother in the 30's. My grampa is the CEO and my dad is the Senior Program Director. This is actually a large part of the reason I am so uncomfortable speaking up. I don't want to be seen as the "whine to daddy" kind of girl. A lot of the staff here are pre-disposed to disliking me anyways because my father is the person who writes up/suspends/fires. This is why I go to such lengths to be "nice".

Faced with similar situations I cleared everything out of the break room an refrigerator and threw it into the garbage dumpster. Co workers scrambled to get their 'stuff' back and became somewhat more civilized in their behavior. It has come to be accepted that you are the 'clean up girl'. You need to change that perception.

That is exactly what I did when my supervisor made me clean up his moldy grapes. Every single thing in the fridge got thrown out, whether it was spoiled or not. I haven't been asked to do that since.

I used to do that. I got to work early, made coffee for everyone and tidied up the kitchen and just generally 'made things nice'.
Then it started. At first, just a couple of dirty cups left in the sink. Then more cups. Then a dirty filter dumped on the cups. Then creamer left out to spoil, sticky drips on the counter, food left out, etc.
It didn't take long before I was making sure that I had NO reason to go in there until lunch. I still came in early - WITH my coffee and danish. I would smile and greet everyone else and be sure that I was BUSY as they came in. If anyone made a comment about the kitchen, I'd say "Really? Gee, I haven't been in there yet today.", and go back to work. It took almost 2 weeks of it getting nastier and nastier before the boss had a FIT! And I mean a FIT. The kitchen stayed clean for a few weeks and I went back to using it (and making coffee). The first time I came in to find it anything other than clean I turned right around and left it for the boss to find.
I figure, it's HIS company, HIS employees, HIS business. And HE can handle it - which, once I stopped handling it for him, he does.

That is pretty much how this started. It is a problem that has gotten progressively worse with time. The only difference is, when I leave it, my boss doesn't get mad at everyone, he gets mad at me. So I still wind up cleaning it, and the mess is worse from my leaving it.

Okay, tell your supervisor that with what is going on you want all the "real" plates and cups GONE. Replace with paper cups. Put a note ON the refrigerator that any food or opened beverage containers remaining in the refrigerator at closing time (5pm?) on Friday will be discarded. Post that early in the week (and ask your supervisor to send it as an email to all staff), then on Friday toss everything the minute that time arrives. You probably won't have to do it more than once.

Also, be really frosty to the main offenders. Polite, but definitely frosty. If they (or anyone else ask why), explain that you are upset with their disrespect for you regarding the kitchen which you graciously try to keep professional looking even though it is not an actual part of your job.

That is one thing that I did implement. All of our coffee mugs have been confiscated and most of the other "washable" dishes. There are only a couple things left that I occasionally have to wash. That is a good idea about the deadline for throwing food out. I will have to ask about that.

 

[MamaRoo]

I don't understand why you even think you should be doing this. Put a big schedule on the kitchen wall with everyone assigned a week to clean. Put your name on the week that just passed,

 

[Stormy Autumn]

If you don't mind me asking- what kind of company is it? You should be proud of your great-grandmother for starting a business in the 30s when there almost NO businesswomen.

 

[debilorrah]

Just recently I left a sign taped OVER the sink that said "Who is the little pigletta that couldn't find the dishwasher? Look down and to your left - it's that thing with the buttons on it." I am NOT a wallflower and I know I clean up after myself and I expect everyone else to do the same.

 

[Abirdbrain]

Sorry to say, from your desription, you VOLUNTEER to be the doormat. If they are not in your building, you are stuck, but do not be intimidated. I have wiped many a counter, and changed many moldy oldy coffee makins. It goes with the territory. As for the key, what right does your guy have to tell you?? Is he your manager? If hes your boss, he is an ***, and should have handled the deal diferently. If you give your time away, so freely, and get harassed for it, you need to change the scenery a bit. Dont give your time to people that do not appreciate it, period.

I have had many jobs, and go beyond what is expected, BUT, if there is no return appreciation, I get very stingy in that respct. I personally refuse to put up signage to remind people of common courtesy, and common sense, that seems so uncommon. Retaliation, in my opinion, is not in the cards. Complaining about piglets walking away from their mess, is totally correct.

I got $1200 damage in a parking lot deal that crushed my bedside on my truck. Some people have no Honor, in an honor system. It is a sign of the quality of the people you live with.

 

[ChicknThief]

Just recently I left a sign taped OVER the sink that said "Who is the little pigletta that couldn't find the dishwasher? Look down and to your left - it's that thing with the buttons on it." I am NOT a wallflower and I know I clean up after myself and I expect everyone else to do the same.

Nice! I think part of our problem is that we don't have a dishwasher.

If you don't mind me asking- what kind of company is it? You should be proud of your great-grandmother for starting a business in the 30s when there almost NO businesswomen.

We are a mental health treatment facility for severely emotionally disturbed youth. She actually started it with her husband. I never met him, so I sometimes forget to mention. Over the years they took on dozens of foster children, and eventually became a registered group home and it grew from there. We now have 10 houses (each with room for 6-7 clients), 2 business offices, and house around 70 kids at any given time.



So you are all going to want to smack me, but I did just clean up the turkey goo. I had to give out one of the turkeys, and a bunch dripped on my foot. Before I knew it I was armed with 409 and scrubbing. I just couldn't leave it

One of my co-workers did come out and help me though. She said she didn't think it was fair that I should have to clean it by myself. I officially like her haha.

 

[ChicknThief]

As for the key, what right does your guy have to tell you?? Is he your manager? If hes your boss, he is an ***, and should have handled the deal diferently.



I got $1200 damage in a parking lot deal that crushed my bedside on my truck. Some people have no Honor, in an honor system. It is a sign of the quality of the people you live with.

The office key? No he isn't my boss or manager. I still don't understand why he wants it locked. There isn't anything in here of any real importance, confidential info etc. He changed the door handle to one with a regular key that I keep on my keyring now.


How did you go about getting damages? I would be very interested in pursueing this if it's possible.