Just venting...

[lioness70]

While I was at the reception desk today (BTW, that "issue" from yesterday is over, done with, forgotten about), one of the engineers asked where the admin was that supports her.  I said she's at lunch, she won't be back until 2.  She asked when I would be done.  I said not until after 2.  Some people.  She wanted my office-mate to help her prepare something-but as I found out, it was nothing this highly-paid PROFESSIONAL couldn't do HERSELF.  Sheez.



Also, since I handle the filing, I really get a bug up my a** when people don't have the courtesy to keep the files neat, then expect the ADMINS to clean up the mess, because it's THEIR job, after all.



Meanwhile, people scratch their heads and wonder why young people don't want to pursue this profession.  Gee, I just figured out two reasons why!!!!!!



Gotta go.  I have to pick up my baby (the only reason I type, file, and answer phones) in a few minutes.    

[ozbound]

Our engineers tend to make a mess of the filing here. They have no idea how much work it is for the admins just to keep up with new filing, and go through the yearly file purge ordeal, much less clean up unnecessary messes! That is why we had TWO--count 'em--TWO Brown Bag seminars (with a nice lunch provided as incentive) on filing for them this week!    

[yankeestarbuck]

I used to feel the same way.  Then I kinda came to the conclusion that that's why I'm here, administrative support. I have an engineer who will walk all the way down the hall to my cubicle to hand me a report and drawings for a distribution to 3 people or so, with the distro cover sheet all made out for me and everything.  The copier is acrosss this same hall (3 steps forward) from her office.  I think to myself, how lazy is she?  But then I think to myself, she went to school for however many years it takes to become a structural engineer with the P.E. after her name and I think she's paid her dues. She a manager of a pretty large design and construction part of our project and she's at the level where she can ask the assistant to do something that yes, she can do herself, but she's got more on her mind than some distributions. She's concerned with the members of her staff getting the information, not HOW they get it. To me, no big deal. I'm a necessary person.  I bring order and expediency to the mundane office functions and I keep them functioning at a higher level than they would had I not been hired. Keeps that positive work attitude alive.

[lioness70]

Yes, the tasks I handle ARE very routine and mundane, but the reason people give them to me is because *THAT'S WHAT I'M BEING PAID TO DO.*  It isn't because they don't want to do them.



Still, I think what annoyed me is I *kinda* got the feeling that she expected me to leave the reception desk to help her, which of course, I couldn't.  What always bugged me about being a support staffer is some people just get too reliant on support staff and they can't handle things themselves if no one is around to help them.  I had bosses in the past who literally fell apart when I went on vacation.  I tell you, we really are the underappreciated, unsung heroes of the business world.    

[Katie G]

Lioness --

Unfortunately, there are those folks who don't need an assistant, or a secretary, or even a file clerk...they need a NANNY!  

Didface

[lioness70]

My main job is taking care of my baby...and babysitting adults is not in my job description.  That's the last thing I need to deal with at a job, adults acting more helpless than my 1 year old!    

[bethalize]

I'm all for the theory that my boss's time is worth more than mine, so if I can save him time I will by assisting him in administrative tasks - but when they create a mountain of work for me to save themselves a matter of seconds, by throwing the filing back in the wrong place, or calling me in to pick up their pen, that just annoys me. It appears to me to be selfishness. As Lioness says, I'm not a babysitter when I'm at work. Not that you would think it some times.

[yankeestarbuck]

I agree totally with you on that point, Lioness, that being expected to abandon your primary function for small stuff, no, you're correct on that.  And I feel that if they DO fall apart while you're gone, hopefully it's a learning experience for them.  But I usually keep a coworker up to speed if I'm going to be out for a while to babysit the ones who need nannys.  

[countrigal]

The worst (to continue on the original note) are those folks who aren't admins, who don't have admins, but who use every admin they can as if we are they're private admins with no other job or priority.  I too will do anything (within reason) to support my supervisor/boss, and I willingly help others in the office when possible.  But I draw the line at being treated like a gopher or as someone's personal assistant when it's not my bossie doing it.  For example, if a co-worker (non-admin, non-bossie) asks me to fax something when she's sitting on the phone with her kid, has been for 30 minutes, and asks me to fax because I'm taking a minute break from the computer and don't appear to be busy I do get upset.  What is even worse is when folks walk past the fax to give me something to fax, and again they are not so busy that they couldn't have stopped, dialed, and returned to their chair (and all in less time than walking to my desk, explaining it to me, ensuring that I'll do it, etc).  My boss recognized this problem and has helped me put a halt to these type of incidents, but it's still a sore spot with me.  If bossie wants a cup of coffee, something faxed, a call placed, filing handled, etc. I would gladly do it.  In fact, my bossie is new to having an admin so I'm constantly reminding him that something he's done is something that he could've asked me to do so that he could have been working on something else but he's learning.    I'm in a good position with a good supporting bossie who makes putting up with the rest of the office not quite so difficult.