Memo writing--Kitchen

[dwreath]

Okay all you creative writers....I need some ideas on wording a memo regarding doing your own dishes in the lunch room.   We are a small office of about 20 people (including bosses).  The company has stocked the kitchen with dishes that the employees can use...but it's expected that if you use it, you will wash it afterwards.  There are a few employees who apparently think they are above washing their own dishes.   We have posted signs in the kitchen in the past...and slowly the signs have been getting less friendly as we continue to have a problem.  Now the boss is stepping in and has asked me to do a memo regarding this problem.  He has said he wants to include in the memo that if there continues to be a problem, we will get rid of the plates, bowls and silverwear etc. that the employees are allowed to use and employees will have to provide their own.  I am looking for any suggestions.  I still want it to be somewhat friendly...even though we are at the point where we need to get this idea across and UNDERSTOOD.

[smitkit]

Hi there!

Not the answer you were asking for, I'm afraid, just how we got over this problem at a company I worked at.  We used to have the same thing with mugs, plates, lunchboxes (going mouldy ... urgh) etc and tried in vain to get people to look after their own things.

Everyone used to get really exasperated about it and it caused quite a lot of whingeing in the office.  In the end, I suggested adding it to the list of duties for the cleaners we employed, and every night they washed up and put the items away.  It added about 15 minutes onto their shift, so didn't make much difference to the cost.  Solved the problem and everyone was happy!

This may not be the solution in a small office (don't know how often you have cleaners).  It may be worth noting however, that I also worked for a company that wanted to provide plates and cups etc for staff, but we were advised against it as if an employee got sick because they used something that hadn't been cleaned well, even if it was THEIR responsibility to clean it, the company would be held liable.  Needless to say the company decided against it.

Another option would be to buy one of those dishwashers that sit on the sink (about £100) ... last one from the office could switch it on and you'll come into clean plates in the morning.

I know none of the above addresses your request for help with the wording of a memo, but I've found that these sort of things always get ignored by a minority group anyway … and I’m not very good with polite requests when they’ve got to this stage … it’s more of a “you WILL now …”!!!

Hope this gives you some ideas if the memo doesn’t work.  Good Luck!

Smitkit

[Katie G]

Y'know, there's no nice way to say this, but some people are just pigs and nothing you do is going to change it.  How about using very generic paper plates and cups and disposable utensils?  Buying in bulk at warehouse clubs may save $$ and then there's no clean-up issue.  If they abuse that, then they can bring their own.  

No more Ms. Nice Guy!

Did

[donnap99]

Where I work disposable plates & utensils are provided.  However, there's still those foilks who think that if they leave their coffee mug in the sink long enough someone else will wash it for them...  infuriating!!!

I feel for you, but have no real advice - sorry.


DonnaP99

[execsec]

All the above posts have workable solutions.  You could also set up a clean up schedule whereby EVERYONE gets a turn in the kitchen cleaning up.  Put two or three people (or more) in a group and have group 1 do the cleaning the first week of the month, group 2 the second week of the month, etc.  That way everyone has to have kitchen duty once a month.  Just a thought.

[dwreath]

the only problem with everyone taking turns is those of us who don't use a single thing in the kitchen other then the table...What do you do about those people?  And sometimes people just use a spoon or a fork every-so-often.  It would be hard to say EVERYONE must take a turn...and it would also be hard to figure out who should be taking turns if you say those who don't use the utinsels don't need to take a turn.

Did that make sense???

[chris68]

Another problem is if any of your employees travel.  That would make it difficult too, if so and so is out on travel status for a week, then it would make it hard to schedule somethin like that I would think.



Chris68
Deskdemon Forum Board Staff

[laundryhater]

"You mother doesn't work here. Please wash the dishes you use or lose the privilege to use them."

[blufire21]

Date:   1/2/2002
To:   Office
Cc:   Bossie
From:   dwreath
RE:   Kitchen Dishes
__________________________________________________
   In spite of numerous emails, signs and requests, it has become apparent that a few individuals are not cleaning their dishes once they have been used.  As stated before, it is NOT appropriate to leave dirty dishes in the sink for others to clean up.  If this type of behavior does not desist immediately, all dishes will be removed from the kitchen, and employees will be responsible for brining their own dishes and utensils.  ((Just had to get a little nasty While we recognized that the majority of the office is cleaning up after themselves, there are a few people that feel our Admin staff is their maid.  Please wash the dishes once you are through with them.  This is an office, not your home.) Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.

[superninjaadmin]

Here is my $.02...

Think about the selfish, lazy and small-minded audience you are attempting to address.  I suggest that you totally forget about writing the "nicey-nicey" memo...  And forget about writing the "in your face" memo... those memos won't work!!!

You gotta get down to brass tacks with these people!!!! You need to address the issue privately...one-on-one with each individual who is specficially abusing this privelege and tell that person the low-down plain and simple ... that use of the kitchen is a PRIVELEGE and that they must clean up after their own selves or they (and everyone else who works there) will lose the kitchen privelege.  

Unfortunately, it's a shame, but sometimes we must stoop down and talk to adults like children.  

If that doesn't work, another thing you could do is bring in a bunch of those plastic bags from the grocery store.  Take the dirty dishes out of the sink and put them in a bag and place the bag on the guilty party's desk with a note asking them to please clean up after themselves at the office or take their dishes home to clean.       [

Sometimes you just gotta get right down to the nitty gritty to get your point across.    This tactic will work...I PROMISE!  

[mlm668]

Honey,

I like your style.  Like I used to tell some of my male co-workers - "I'm not your mother and I'm not your wife and even if I were, I'd still tell you to get off your rear and clean up your own mess."  

He who made it shall clean it.  

However, in order to keep the peace (to a certain extent), I would just go ahead and remove the nice dishes without notice and when they asked why, tell them plain and simple that apparently certain people couldn't handle the repsponsilibity of cleaning up after themselves.

Just my $.02.


Michelle

[smitkit]

Had another thought last night whilst washing up my mountain of New Year crockery (yes I know it had been there for 2 days but I didn't see much of New Years Day!!!).  How about you get a big black permanent marker pen, and write each persons name on the bottom of the plate, mug etc.  That way, everyone uses their own stuff, and will HAVE to clean their own if they want to use it the next day.  They won't be able to use other peoples as I'm sure the owners will have something to say about it!

Let us know how you overcome this as it would be interesting to see what finally works!