Would you do this at work?

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runnermama81
runnermama81 Posts: 388 Member
in Chit-Chat
I have worked in the same office for five years and in the same field for almost ten. My boss refuses to hire someone to clean the place. She figures we can clean it on our own. Dont get me wrong, I dont mind doing some of it.....(like wiping off counters and dusting products). The problem is we are supposed to clean the bathroom and wash the windows in our dress clothes. The even bigger problem is most of the people in the office just wont do it, but I cant stand to work in filth so I do it. So heres my question, should I quit cleaning? Should I quit my job? Should I just quit caring that no one else seems to care?
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  • Sick_Beard
    Sick_Beard Posts: 407 Member
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    I have worked in the same office for five years and in the same field for almost ten. My boss refuses to hire someone to clean the place. She figures we can clean it on our own. Dont get me wrong, I dont mind doing some of it.....(like wiping off counters and dusting products). The problem is we are supposed to clean the bathroom and wash the windows in our dress clothes. The even bigger problem is most of the people in the office just wont do it, but I cant stand to work in filth so I do it. So heres my question, should I quit cleaning? Should I quit my job? Should I just quit caring that no one else seems to care?

    Just leave it, eventually someone will contract a deadly virus and then your employer will be held accountable for negligence....it's a win win situation, except for the poor soul that will likely die.
  • SVCat
    SVCat Posts: 1,483 Member
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    I have worked in the same office for five years and in the same field for almost ten. My boss refuses to hire someone to clean the place. She figures we can clean it on our own. Dont get me wrong, I dont mind doing some of it.....(like wiping off counters and dusting products). The problem is we are supposed to clean the bathroom and wash the windows in our dress clothes. The even bigger problem is most of the people in the office just wont do it, but I cant stand to work in filth so I do it. So heres my question, should I quit cleaning? Should I quit my job? Should I just quit caring that no one else seems to care?

    I work for the federal government, in our world...everything is driven by a position description. If it ain't in the PD, then some people won't do it and they can't be held accountable for it. That being said, as a supervisor, I look at "above and beyond" what is assigned and at performance...amongst other things of course. Hopefully, your boss/supervisor, recognizes your efforts...don't be afraid, come evaluation/bonus time, to throw that in their face and say you should be getting a little bigger piece of that bonus pie.
  • corn63
    corn63 Posts: 1,580 Member
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    That's crazy. Is there a chore list or some way to divvy up responsibilities? I would quit cleaning, but offer a solution to your boss in the form of a chart or wheel or something to divvy up cleaning. That's insane that there's no structure, it's just expected to get done. Just a recipe for disaster.
  • Scottish_charlene_84
    Scottish_charlene_84 Posts: 986 Member
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    If it wasnt in my job remit then no way!
  • carriempls
    carriempls Posts: 326 Member
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    As long as someone's doing it she's not going to see any need to change. Either accept that you're going to be the one cleaning or stop cleaning up after others and talk to your boss about it again.

    Personally, I would speak up about it and keep speaking up about it. And/or find a new job if my needs weren't being met.
  • odusgolp
    odusgolp Posts: 10,477 Member
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    If this is a small company, I understand not hiring a cleaning service. BUT, then the owner should be the one doing the cleaning. My dad owns his own business, and cleans the office of 5 himself.

    Otherwise, f*** that noise. Quit cleaning.
  • runnermama81
    runnermama81 Posts: 388 Member
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    That's crazy. Is there a chore list or some way to divvy up responsibilities? I would quit cleaning, but offer a solution to your boss in the form of a chart or wheel or something to divvy up cleaning. That's insane that there's no structure, it's just expected to get done. Just a recipe for disaster.
    I agree with you....we have tried charts but still no one did anything. I know.....its pathetic.
  • MoveTheMountain
    MoveTheMountain Posts: 764
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    Get the f* out of there. Your boss is an idiot to have you doing work he didn't hire you for, and it shows he's a not a good business person. Or, if the staff has time for this, then there are too many people in the office in the first place, which also means he's an idiot, since he could probably hire a cleaning crew for a lot less cost than the wasted productivity he's paying for you and your colleagues to do it. (Please tell me you don't do this after hours on your own time, staying late, etc. If you are, you need to stop. Immediately.)
  • SARRY562
    SARRY562 Posts: 123 Member
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    When times got hard at my job and we let the cleaning personal go we had to clean are bathroom.. me and this other girl only cleaned the girls bathroom which we used, we did not clean boys that was up to them.. but when things started to come back up at work then once again got cleaning personal..
  • maddymama
    maddymama Posts: 1,183 Member
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    I would not clean in my dress clothes> Or maybe I would and then send in a reinbursement request with my drycleaning bill after cleaning the bathroom in my professional clothes.

    Why won't they hire someone to clean the bathrooms? What is the reasoning behind it?
  • Pollywog39
    Pollywog39 Posts: 1,740 Member
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    WE HAVE people who clean, but they still don't do it very well.................................

    hmmm :wink: :wink:
  • juliaamilee
    juliaamilee Posts: 262 Member
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    Keep your own personal stock of lysol and clean before you use only. LOL let the others deal with the filth.
  • cmcollins001
    cmcollins001 Posts: 3,472 Member
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    My company tried that approach once. IF I wanted to clean, then I would have looked for work in the janitorial field. I wasn't hired to clean behind everyone else....I'll pick up after myself and clean my work space, but that's it.
  • beckajw
    beckajw Posts: 1,738 Member
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    Yes, I've done the cleaning at work. Generally, we put up a schedule. That way everyone knows who was responsible (if there is a mess).

    I figure that if they want to pay me to clean, that's their right. I can always look for another job, if I don't like it.
  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,229 Member
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    As long as someone's doing it she's not going to see any need to change. Either accept that you're going to be the one cleaning or stop cleaning up after others and talk to your boss about it again.

    Personally, I would speak up about it and keep speaking up about it. And/or find a new job if my needs weren't being met.

    ^This!
  • HMToomey
    HMToomey Posts: 276
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    That's crazy. Is there a chore list or some way to divvy up responsibilities? I would quit cleaning, but offer a solution to your boss in the form of a chart or wheel or something to divvy up cleaning. That's insane that there's no structure, it's just expected to get done. Just a recipe for disaster.

    Excuse me, Mr. Manager, could we possibly get a chore wheel up in here? LOL

    This is crazy, I did this in retail but not when I worked in an office! Now I'm a nanny so I cook clean and do laundry in someone else's house and in my own.

    I would think you should bring it up come time for your next performance review!
  • Pinkigloopyxie
    Pinkigloopyxie Posts: 231
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    Don't you have to be in some way specially trained/authorized to clean bathrooms because of diseases and feces? Or at the very least you legally have to be provided with proper equipment which it doesn't seem like you have.

    I wouldn't do it. I'd leave that sucker filthy and go down the street. Chances are a boss like that won't reward you for going above and beyond, they will just exploit you to keep on doing the work while reaping the benefits.
  • secretlobster
    secretlobster Posts: 3,566 Member
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    I'm grateful to have a job. And I keep a clean house. But you would not find me cleaning the bathroom at work because my employer didn't feel like paying a cleaning service.

    Clean whatever you feel comfortable cleaning. Leave the rest. Wait till it comes up in a formal review, and if it does, oh boy.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
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    I don't work for the federal government but I still feel that things outside your job description shouldn't be expected. Asked for and accepted maybe (like "hey Sally, would you mind tidying up the kitchen area for me", "sure Susan, no problem") but not expected. It's one thing if you were paid extra to come in on the weekend if you so chose, in your grubbies and cleaned and were ok with it - fine. But not during the 9 to 5 in your nice clothes. What if you accidentally got bleach cleaner on your best skirt, blouse or shoes? Would your boss replace that? Doubt it... And does your boss partake in the rotation? Sounds like he/she doesn't and therefore it's almost demeaning like you're the employee, you do whatever I say. Bah...

    I worked for a grocery store part time for 4 months over the winter oh 6 years or so ago and they wanted me to clean the bathroom one day when it was slow. I just looked at the supervisor and said "No way! I don't remember that being in my job description!" I fully expected one of the managers to approach me and try to get me to do it and I was fully prepared to say "go ahead and fire me, I'm not doing it!" but no one ever said a word. This was not my bread and butter job and I sure as hell wasn't going to clean up after the unwashed masses! Disgusting!
  • BarbellBlondieRuns
    BarbellBlondieRuns Posts: 511 Member
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    If the dirty office bothers you (and only you) then you either have to clean it or learn to ignore it. I would probably bring a pair of jeans & a t-shirt with me once a week or so and spend the last hour of my shift cleaning if it is something you can work into the end of your day. I would imagine that going above and beyond your job duties would reflect well on you.

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