Do I have the right to speak up?

Question

I am an office assistant. I enter applications and open mail. I also take care of some databases and schedule things.

There is a fridge down the hall that I have never in my life used, nor have the other office assistants. One of the higher ups thinks it smells and wants us to start cleaning it weekly. We have never used it. We have never even been in that side of the office. There are also people who work on that side, who use that fridge, but sit on their butts all day talking to people on AIM on their laptops. We, however, work all day.

(Office assistants use the fridge that we're supposed to use, and we clean that one, it's downstairs)

Do I have the right to speak up? I don't feel like cleaning someone's dirty platters and stuff (yes they want us to clean those too if we find them in the fridge).

Keep in mind that they DO have janitors. I guess they feel awkward asking them.

Answer 1

You certainly do have a right to speak up.

I'd tell them just like you said it here.

You aren't their personal maid or their mother, so why would you clean up their mess???

Answer 2

Unfortunately as an office assistant, you may get stuck with this duty. It doesn't seem fair that you should have to do it, but generally the "assistants" get stuck with many unfair duties. However, that said, I would speak up if it were me. I started as an office assistant and worked my way up to HR Manager of a large company. You shouldn't argue or be belligerent or overly complain about it, BUT you should look after your own interests. You should approach your supervisor (or the higher up) and politely discuss it with with them. Tell your supervisor that you don't feel it's fair since none of the office assistants use that fridge. On top of that, it's not routine office work which could be construed as other duties as assigned. This type of thing is really out of the realm of office work and is usually done on a shared or volunteer basis. Make that point with the supervisor.

In your conversation with the boss, I wouldn't push it off on the janitorial service -- that would look like you're "passing the buck." Instead, offer the solution of a schedule, if the supervisor agrees, then put all of the OTHER workers, the ones always on their lap tops on the schedule, not the assistants. Ask the supervisor (or higher up) if you can write a memo for their signature indicating that a schedule has been put into place for cleaning the fridge. If the supervisor says yes distribute the memo right away (with a copy of the schedule). Also -- put a sign on the fridge that says "You must clean up after yourself!" along with a copy of the schedule. It's better to go in with a solution to the problem than just trying to get out of it.

Also, keep in mind, it may or may not even be appropriate for the janitors to do it depending on what the contract is with the janitorial service. Janitorial duties (with a professional service) very rarely include cleaning refrigerators or dishes, etc.

Answer 3

Tread carefully. You can speak up but do so professionally. Be careful with the words you choose and your tone.

A lot of workplaces tell people that each person is responsible for their stuff and for cleaning up. There isn't a maid service or my favorite, your mom doesn't work here.

Weekly seems a bit much. I've seen it done monthly.

Answer 4

You have the right to speak up.  But you could risk some retaliation.  Perhaps you and another gal or two can take a couple of hours to go and clean it up (after removing all of the lazy-butt's food) and leave a box of baking soda in it.  Feel free to throw out anything you think may be contributing to the stink.  Remember, you are only doing as the boss told you to do.

Answer 5

Yes, speak up. cleanliness is next to being safe than sorry. I think a suggestion would be wise to advise the personnel that they need to clean up after themselves and also I suggest putting a small box  of baking soda in the fridge. It helps absorb the foul odor. The janitor/s, or the cleaning personnel should also make a check on the fridge and clean up on a weekly basis.

Answer 6

yeh u do have to speak up. its not urs so u shuldnt clean it

Answer 7

Yes, you have all the right in the world to speak up. they're abusing their power. Tell them to ask the janitors to do it, after all it is a janitors job to clean up. Maybe you should argue that if the janitors aren't doing their job, then it's a waste of money to pay them. It worked when I was in middle school and I dropped a plate of spaghetti...

Answer 8

I understand your indigence, however, your attitude & how you look at things are very important in all of life's many up's & downs. What if you went ahead and cleaned it, (make sure the higher-up is watching of course or at least knows you did it), you might wind up being promoted to one of the folks on the other side of the office who just sit on their butts chatting on their laptops. They probably make more $ too, & who couldn't use more of that these days.

Answer 9

Well I started as an assistant 21 years ago.  I had the same mind set you did too.  Let me  give some advice no one gave me and I learned the hard way.  Do what is asked of you.  It doesnt matter who does what, you are the OFFICE ASSISTANT.  If you are looking to stay and grow with this company you need to do the things that are asked of you weather you like to or not.  I have been an Asst Mgr, GM, HR Director, and Office Manager and I still clean the frig and clean up where it is needed.  No duty is beneath me.  You should think so as well sweetie.  Believe me complain when you get to your car but when you think no one is looking they are.  Good Luck

Answer 10

yes u totally have a right to speak up its not fair and they should clea their own darn dirty platers u guys did not work hard to get that job to become a janitor and you guys did not fill out that resume to become a janitor!!! so so speaking up would be the best thing 2 do!!!!

Answer 11

I think you should speak up for sure. If you don't use it often than you shouldn't have to clean it... even if you do use it, They provide it for you right? If they provide it for you they should keep it in mind that THEY should clean it. If you go to someones house open there fridge and take out a juice box  or something i shouldn't be expected to clean the fridge.

Answer 12

At my place of work we have taken turns by groups of employees to clean common areas, such as the lunch room including the fridge. I consider it fair if I have access to the fridge, even thou I dont use it. The maintainance staff would also be resposable to empty garbage, sweep and mop floors, as well as empty the fridge once a week when the least amount of staff were left in the building. This happens every Sunday at 6PM anything left in the fridge is throwen out. Of coure there is a notice posted on the fridge stating that this will happen.

When you mention schedule things I assume you mean appointments not staff duties or you could just schedule maintainace to resolve the problem.

We have very open communication among  staff and management and I would never have any problem stating my opinion or objections at this job!

That does not sound like the case at your work place. What is the enviorment like there other wise? I suspect it is not very open. That the managment and supervisors do not except input or critisizime. If this is the case you may NOT WANT to speach out on your own, however; collectively as a group you have more power. Talk to your co-workers especally thous who have been there a long time. Find out if other have spoken out in the past what was there fate. Did this landed the individual in the line of fire or constaint hot water? Then a collective approch  would be more appropraite. Being spokes person is not nessaraly bad in this case as long as eveyone is willing to back you up!

Ask a differant manager if your comfortable with them if the fridge is the responsiblity of the maintenace crew?

Try proposing an equitable solution to the problem even thou you are not a contributer to the problem. Stay calm do not react personally but remain proffessional. How is the cleaning and maintenace of the Office Assistant's fridge controlled and managed. Transfer the effective program here to the other section. If done with the proper finece it should improve your position at work. If none of this works out be prepare to find a job where you will be apprceated.

***Caution do not rock the boat too hard, if you are counting on this job for your survival, However; Don t let fear stop you from making something positive happen as a result of this opportunity!***

Hope this helps and you can turn this into a win win situation, good luck!

Answer 13

You said "us" but you dont' identify them.

If you are an office assistant who are the people that are IMing on AIM?  does your boss not have a firewall up in the office? Maybe you should suggest it be set up so that a virus doesn't get into office computers?

That would stop the AIM'ing and then they would have time to clean their frig :-)

Answer 14

Definetally.  There is no harm in speaking up.  If it is not your job to clean, then it is not your job to clean.  Unless you utilize something, and you apparently do not.

Answer 15

WOW!  I thought my office was bad.  It's nothing like working with a bunch of nasty lazy slobs that don't like to clean up behind themselves.  Yes you have every single right to speak up.  If you are worried about the backlash you might receive, because some offices do have these issues, then be a little more subtle.  I put up a sign in our kitchen asking people to please clean up behind themselves and to take their dishes home.  Sometimes you have to treat grown ups like kids.  You have to tell people to clean up behind themselves.  Good luck!

Answer 16

speak speak SPEAK!!! I would be angry and go to those peoples desk and SLAM there laptops closed. ( Okay I wouldn't but thats how mad I would be =p) But you have to speak up or else, it shows how much people can't stomp on you.

Good Luck

Answer 17

You are at work right?

Answer 18

Your business should do like ours did.

Every person cleans up their own mess.  

Then once a week, someone cleans out the whole thing, throwing away everything except condiments, and wipes down the whole thing.  That was usually the cleaning crew.

In your case, a good suggestion is a schedule, to have someone be the 'cleaner'.  And make sure EVERYONE is on the schedule, so everyone can get a 'taste' of what it's like to have to clean it.  If they don't do it, then they have no longer have Fridge usage.   If everyone fails to do it, then they could just take the Fridge out.

So YES, speak up.

Answer 19

Speak up for yourself and those in your department, or work class... it is not fair to ask someone to clean something they have never used... you have every right to say something... tell them you clean your fridge that is in another location and that you and the other assistants feel the people who use that fridge should clean it... you might even through in that if they weren't so busy on IM they might be able to clean it themselves... from having worked for the government at one time, I know using IM on company time is NOT allowed... good luck

Answer 20

yes explain the situation to them

Answer 21

Sure feel free. Then clean the fridge like you were told or get another job!