Would you take offense?

amother

DarkMagenta

Fri, Aug 18 2023, 9:48 am

amother OP wrote:

So this was the executive asking me to do this! If I could work from the reception desk! She doesn't even realize that the way the system is set up no one can sit at someone else's computer, each one is personal.

Can you believe the executive was asking you to sit at the front desk? So demoralizing!
After all you are his assistant and he needs someone to sit at the reception desk while the regular person is out. You are his assistant- but he should do it himself.

This reminds me of Mary Antoinette. You think your so much better that the woman who sits at the front desk that you can’t sit there for a few days?

My boss will take out the garbages when the cleaning crew is off - even though he gets paid a lot more than cleaning crew he knows the place needs to be kept clean.
When my data entry team is backlogged I’ll usually enter the data myself and ask others to help.

One thing I look for when I hire is someone who will work to help the goal of the team.
If someone was annoyed that I asked them to assist with something below their pay grade I would replace them asap with someone else who doesn’t have such an inflated ego.

amother

Firebrick

Fri, Aug 18 2023, 10:39 am

amother DarkMagenta wrote:

Wow chill out. You don’t need to be so rude

Cheiny

Fri, Aug 18 2023, 11:25 am

amother OP wrote:

If you work as an executive assistant, would you take offense if your boss asked you to cover for the receptionist when she was absent?

I don’t think it’s unreasonable as long as it’s for a short period of time.

But the truth is, the title ‘executive assistant’ many times is a glorified way of saying Secretary, so it wouldn’t be out of line for the duties to include reception work.

What exactly does your position entail?

Cheiny

Fri, Aug 18 2023, 11:27 am

amother Bisque wrote:

Wow, what a different perspective. I would imagine being a team player is a valued trait at any company and stepping in to do what needs to be done is something everyone does.

I have a masters degree. I am an LCSW and in the cancer center I work, the receptionist was out unexpectedly and the facility manager asked me to sit at the receptionist desk, answer phones and address concerns as needed and to try to type my notes/make my calls from there, so the desk/position would not be unattended. My response-“sure. Let me know what else I can do to be most helpful”. Maybe it’s because I am 50yo and there is an entirely different attitude with younger people, or maybe I’m just secure in my position and abilities that I don’t feel threatened. To me, it’s about getting the job done and providing the best care for the patients, wether it is answering the phone when they call, helping there find the right hallway and elevator, assisting with insurance, facilitating physical care, or helping them with the emotional challenges of their new reality.

Exactly. There’s value to showing you’re a team player and willing to help out wherever necessary.

I’ve seen bosses answering phones when the need arose. There’s no shame in it.

amother

Begonia

Fri, Aug 18 2023, 11:33 am

amother OP wrote:

If you work as an executive assistant, would you take offense if your boss asked you to cover for the receptionist when she was absent?

We have no context other than this. If it’s becoming more and more frequent that they ask you to do this, there is a chance it’s a step toward a demotion or a way of showing your work is not valued. That’s certainly possible.

amother

Hawthorn

Fri, Aug 18 2023, 5:50 pm

OP it sounds like there’s more than this that’s bugging you about your work.

Personally, as a manager, I have labeled products, carried boxes, etc… and so has the business owner. He will be right there with us doing these things. Being a team player is a great way to grow in a company.

amother

Sat, Aug 19 2023, 9:47 pm

amother Hawthorn wrote:

This. I thought a lot over Shabbat about your post and you got it better than I did.

Vent:

When I started I was supposed to only be an executive assistant.

In my 1st year, they asked if I could just do some tracking on some items for a different department, besides my regular duties. I agreed and I am still supervising the work of this department.

In my 2nd year, they let go of a person in one of the departments and they asked if I could help. I inherited the duties of this person for the next 4 years besides assisting the executives, in addition to the supervising work on year 1.

6th year comes along and they were not happy with the person who was responsible for archiving documents and maintaining a spreadsheet on another department . They asked if I could help for a while. I said yes and that is still being done by me.

In my 7th year I asked for a raise since I had inherited all those duties besides the one I was hired for, duties of 2 other employees that they let go. They barely gave me a raise.

This year they changed their system and while I am not IT or helpdesk, people come to me all the time for help because the IT department takes forever to get to their tickets and I have some knowledge and I sometimes do that as well.

The truth is I should quit and go somewhere else where I am valued. I don't think they value me. Vent over.

amother

SandyBrown

Sat, Aug 19 2023, 10:21 pm

Cheiny wrote:

This. I was so confused because I thought both positions are the same thing. The titles secretary and receptionist arw pasee and executive assistant is used in their stead.

amother

Hawthorn

Sun, Aug 20 2023, 1:52 am

amother OP wrote:

This makes a lot more sense. If you would feel valued and were properly compensated the latest request wouldn’t have annoyed you so much.