Title: Week of May 24th- personal errands
Post by: andream on May 24, 2004, 09:02:13 am
When are personal errands just too frequent or too personal? And where do you draw the line? Are you asked to pick up dry cleaning, walk the dog, arrange for the cute kid of bossie to go on his school trip…
Or is your employer more business like, and seldom requests that you perform personal errands?
Do Tell…
Title: Re: Week of May 24th- personal errands
Post by: Cozwaz on May 24, 2004, 09:29:54 am
My boss is also the owner of the company and during the 11 months I have worked with him I have never had to do any personal errands for him. He very much keeps his personal and business lifes separate, and vary rarely does he talk about his personal life in the office either. It seems to work well. At the end of the day he has me to assist him with work, and at home he has his wife and family.
Coz
Coz
Title: Re: Week of May 24th- personal errands
Post by: gee4 on May 24, 2004, 09:57:27 am
Yeah same here - my boss conducts himself in a business-like and professional manner and I prefer not to have to run personal errands. I find it changes a relationship with your boss and I don't like being that personal with someone. However it all depends how long you have both worked together and know each other and whether your boss wants you to be involved in his personal life.
G
G
Title: Re: Week of May 24th- personal errands
Post by: raindance on May 24, 2004, 01:31:09 pm
Current bossie never requests that I do personal errands.
Raindance
Raindance
Title: Re: Week of May 24th- personal errands
Post by: peana on May 24, 2004, 02:22:32 pm
Not heaps of personal errands, but I have had to wait in his flat for the plumber to arrive (he lives close to the office). He regularly asks me to withdraw money from cash machines for him, despite admitting he wouldn't trust his own son with the PIN code! Other than that I've just booked the occasional restaurant / theatre trip for him and his wife / friends.
One odd one was work related - going to his flat to remove the cables from his plasma screen TV to bring them to the office so that we could screen the world cup for staff (IT couldn't find the correct leads)!
One odd one was work related - going to his flat to remove the cables from his plasma screen TV to bring them to the office so that we could screen the world cup for staff (IT couldn't find the correct leads)!
Title: Re: Week of May 24th- personal errands
Post by: joysmile60 on May 24, 2004, 04:01:02 pm
I've never been asked to do anything objectionable. Former boss would ask me to research rental car prices for his vacations, and send overnight packages to his son; not a big deal because I work for an overnight delivery company. The only thing my present boss has asked me to do is pick up a gift certificate for the local mall for his wife for Mother's Day, and only because I told him I was on my way there to pick one up for my own mother. And if I'm running out to pick up lunch, I'll ask if he wants anything; not really an errand, just being courteous!
:)60
:)60
Title: Re: Week of May 24th- personal errands
Post by: hgray on May 24, 2004, 04:28:56 pm
I don't get asked to do anything I would object to.
I normally get asked to source & book flights / car rental etc. for his holidays, but apart from that it's business only.
I've worked for him for 10.5 years so I don't mind when he asks - which he always does never assumes!
Helen
I normally get asked to source & book flights / car rental etc. for his holidays, but apart from that it's business only.
I've worked for him for 10.5 years so I don't mind when he asks - which he always does never assumes!
Helen
Title: Re: Week of May 24th- personal errands
Post by: donnap99 on May 25, 2004, 06:33:17 pm
I, too, have never been asked to do anything objectionable. There was once a sometime regular errand I would run for an old boss, but I was always at liberty to say no. This task was to pick up lunch for him - only on extraordinary days when he could not get away. Always the same place, always the same order. I would have done it anyway, but he always gave me a $20 bill and told me to get lunch for myself for the trouble. When I first started and didn't get myself lunch the first few times, he would actually bring in some snack or candy the following day. I figured out eventually that it would save him the trouble of bringing something in if I would just get myself lunch, so I did. That made him happy. :-)
DonnaP99
DonnaP99
Title: Re: Week of May 24th- personal errands
Post by: jahdra on May 26, 2004, 02:31:09 am
My bossies keep it mostly business. Occasionally, one of them will ask me to check fares for a family trip, but they book the trips themselves. Or their wife does!
I once had a bossie who had me exchange his theater tickets, get his watch battery replaced, pick up lunch, those sorts of small errands, but he usually gave me his extra theater tickets and bought me lunch if I picked it up for him, so we were even.
I once had a bossie who had me exchange his theater tickets, get his watch battery replaced, pick up lunch, those sorts of small errands, but he usually gave me his extra theater tickets and bought me lunch if I picked it up for him, so we were even.
Title: Re: Week of May 24th- personal errands
Post by: sobriquetnic on May 26, 2004, 07:13:34 am
My boss seems to get almost embarassed if he asks me to do a personal errand - and that has only happened twice! He is very professional and knows that I am there to assist with his working life.
Having said that, he does confide in me at times in relation to his personal life. Whilst, like G said, you have to keep things on as professional a level as you can, he feels he needs to keep me in the picture in order to explain some of his moods!
All the best,
Nicola.
Having said that, he does confide in me at times in relation to his personal life. Whilst, like G said, you have to keep things on as professional a level as you can, he feels he needs to keep me in the picture in order to explain some of his moods!
All the best,
Nicola.
Title: Re: Week of May 24th- personal errands
Post by: peacelily54 on May 26, 2004, 09:44:20 pm
Hmmm, only 1 boss beats all the rest. Wonderful guy, very bright and very busy. Among the personal things I've done for him:
1. Run home and get the extra car keys from his wife because he left the Mercedes running in the company garage with the doors locked.
2. Go to his home at lunch and let the doggies out so they they "do their thing".
3. Be contact for him while he and his wife are on vacation, business trip, etc. His mom is in a nursing home in another state and I would screen the calls and relay the message to him..in all fairness, most calls didn't need to be passed along. His mom had Alzheimer's and didn't remember that he had recently visited.
4. Daughter was in college near my home and sick with the flu. He asked if I would go to the pharmacy and get a prescription and deliver it to her.
There are many more but those are a few of the best!
Current boss keeps personal and professional separate.
Once in a while the situation is such that they really do need a hand - stuff happens, and I am truly glad to be of help.
1. Run home and get the extra car keys from his wife because he left the Mercedes running in the company garage with the doors locked.
2. Go to his home at lunch and let the doggies out so they they "do their thing".
3. Be contact for him while he and his wife are on vacation, business trip, etc. His mom is in a nursing home in another state and I would screen the calls and relay the message to him..in all fairness, most calls didn't need to be passed along. His mom had Alzheimer's and didn't remember that he had recently visited.
4. Daughter was in college near my home and sick with the flu. He asked if I would go to the pharmacy and get a prescription and deliver it to her.
There are many more but those are a few of the best!
Current boss keeps personal and professional separate.
Once in a while the situation is such that they really do need a hand - stuff happens, and I am truly glad to be of help.
Title: Re: Week of May 24th- personal errands
Post by: Jackie G on May 27, 2004, 09:49:23 am
Interesting thread this. I don't actually have a problem with most of the things mentioned and have probably done most of them at one time or another - not the dogs though! Simply because I've never worked for anyone who had one!
If your title of 'Personal Assistant' doesn't mean just that, then I don't see how you can be that. I also can't see how a boss can totally separate business and personal life - it just can't be done. Depending on the level of your boss, it's almost nigh impossible to separate the two and that's where a good PA comes into their own because really, my view is that you do whatever needs doing to get the boss to wherever they need to be/do/have at that particular time.
A friend who posts here sometimes had a boss who had 2 homes and she regularly tracked things like his tux because it was no good being in the southern home if it was needed at a do in the north and vice versa - I think he eventually got two because it was easier, but she liaised regularly with his wife on stuff like that. If she reads this, no doubt she may post something later...
Jackie
www.iqps.org
Peer Moderator
If your title of 'Personal Assistant' doesn't mean just that, then I don't see how you can be that. I also can't see how a boss can totally separate business and personal life - it just can't be done. Depending on the level of your boss, it's almost nigh impossible to separate the two and that's where a good PA comes into their own because really, my view is that you do whatever needs doing to get the boss to wherever they need to be/do/have at that particular time.
A friend who posts here sometimes had a boss who had 2 homes and she regularly tracked things like his tux because it was no good being in the southern home if it was needed at a do in the north and vice versa - I think he eventually got two because it was easier, but she liaised regularly with his wife on stuff like that. If she reads this, no doubt she may post something later...
Jackie
www.iqps.org
Peer Moderator
Title: Re: Week of May 24th- personal errands
Post by: bethalize on May 27, 2004, 10:03:57 am
I used to be dead against doing personal stuff, but then I though: 'I expect my company to be supportive in MY work/life balance, surely my boss has the same right as I do?". There is a significant difference, however, between doing things occasionaly or even often and all the time.
Bethalize
Peer Moderator
Bethalize
Peer Moderator
Title: Re: Week of May 24th- personal errands
Post by: gee4 on May 27, 2004, 10:50:43 am
I disagree Jackie - an employer hires you as a PA to be that manager's personal assistant in a "working environment". I do not apply for jobs thinking oh yes I'll get to do all my bosses personal errands. I am employed to work and provide a service to my boss, his managers and the business in a professional company. I am not his maid nor his wife nor his personal shopper.
Some may argue that I am wrong but I do draw the line at personal matters.
(0.5p's worth)
G
Some may argue that I am wrong but I do draw the line at personal matters.
(0.5p's worth)
G
Title: Re: Week of May 24th- personal errands
Post by: galaxyblue on May 27, 2004, 06:45:45 pm
I haven't 'as yet'
I always offer to get his lunch when I pop out but he likes to go out himself.
A PA at my old job did most of the organising for her bosses wedding !!!!
"Experience is simply the name we give our mistakes"
I always offer to get his lunch when I pop out but he likes to go out himself.
A PA at my old job did most of the organising for her bosses wedding !!!!
"Experience is simply the name we give our mistakes"
Title: Re: Week of May 24th- personal errands
Post by: beaintheuk on May 28, 2004, 12:16:04 pm
I don't mind the odd errand but they hardly ever happen in my present job.
I dropped him off once or twice at the garage to pick up his car.
I organised his private US trip two years ago and I might help him book his holidays.
Bea
I dropped him off once or twice at the garage to pick up his car.
I organised his private US trip two years ago and I might help him book his holidays.
Bea
Title: Re: Week of May 24th- personal errands
Post by: catsmeat on May 29, 2004, 08:22:10 am
If it's somthing quick and simple that would make his life easier, I'll gladly do it - he's good enough to me! He also travels overseas a lot, so I have to do odd things for him whilst he's on the other side of the pond. One of the oddest was cancelling an appointment .... with a tattooist!
However, I think if we got into the realms of choosing wife's/kids' presents, I would have to say no. Although I know them all, I don't feel I know them well enough to do that sort of thing.
However, I think if we got into the realms of choosing wife's/kids' presents, I would have to say no. Although I know them all, I don't feel I know them well enough to do that sort of thing.
Title: Re: Week of May 24th- personal errands
Post by: leg_65 on July 31, 2004, 09:14:52 am
I can't believe I missed this a few days ago. Very interesting thread. My last job, work and personal life were kept separate. The boss asked me twice to go get his lunch because I was supposed to see the client, who owned a restaurant, for him but he bought me lunch in return. I did not make his coffee either. We both decided on that, since I did not drink coffe but he did. He made it himself. When he hired 2 new workers, they bent over backwards to do everything for him, yes, including making his coffee, getting him lunch each chance they got. One of them even made him birthday cake. I did his filing for him and was accused of making brownie points, hey, I was doing my job, right? Anyway, my boss and I kept the relationship business and knew and respected the boundaries where the other girls tried hard to be friends with him as well as their employer. I agree in keeping things business and personal separate. I am currently working for a friend who is also my boss and it is hard. This person was my friend first and I regret working for them. You tend to see them in a different perspective.
Title: Re: Week of May 24th- personal errands
Post by: uberpa on August 02, 2004, 04:50:51 pm
When I had two bosses just a little while ago one would ask me to do things like arrange to have his car fixed or check how many frequent flyer miles he had. Though not business related I didn't see them as overly personal but I did draw the line when he wanted me to stand in line to get tickets for ballet for him.
If I can do it from my desk in a reasonable amount of time I am not that bothered but it makes too much use of my time or company resources then I will complain.
In the past I've had jobs were I worked directly for the owner so they would often overstep the line with personal errands or tasks I tried very hard not to get volunteered to do personal things I would have refused to get dry cleaning, walk a dog or pick someone's child up from school but I have gotten someone's prescription or written their personal checques for personal bills. It's a fine line deciding what is acceptable and what isn't.
It's helpful if you can get it writing as part of a job descrip or contract but most employers probably won't want to do this. I think the important things is to find your line and draw it and don't waiver. They shouldn't be allowed to fire you for not running personal errands unless it is specifically your job. I find the more corporate the setting (at least so far) the less of this goes on as it's seen as a waste of company time, money and resources and if a PA were to complain you could look very bad for making her do personal errands.
Working for very small, single propreiter companies can be an issue in my experience as the boss sees the business and their personal life wrapped up together and may find it hard to distinguish what is really best for business when it comes to personal errands.
Some people think they can't say no to personal errands but I think if you turn it back on the requester by saying "is this really best use of company time, money and resources?" or "I don't feel comfortable running errands as personal as this"
Again my personal motto is as long as it can be done from my desk and does encroach on MY personal time or breaks and doesn't use up precious time for doing real work then I may consider it. If it's something I don't want to get involved in then I just say no.
If I can do it from my desk in a reasonable amount of time I am not that bothered but it makes too much use of my time or company resources then I will complain.
In the past I've had jobs were I worked directly for the owner so they would often overstep the line with personal errands or tasks I tried very hard not to get volunteered to do personal things I would have refused to get dry cleaning, walk a dog or pick someone's child up from school but I have gotten someone's prescription or written their personal checques for personal bills. It's a fine line deciding what is acceptable and what isn't.
It's helpful if you can get it writing as part of a job descrip or contract but most employers probably won't want to do this. I think the important things is to find your line and draw it and don't waiver. They shouldn't be allowed to fire you for not running personal errands unless it is specifically your job. I find the more corporate the setting (at least so far) the less of this goes on as it's seen as a waste of company time, money and resources and if a PA were to complain you could look very bad for making her do personal errands.
Working for very small, single propreiter companies can be an issue in my experience as the boss sees the business and their personal life wrapped up together and may find it hard to distinguish what is really best for business when it comes to personal errands.
Some people think they can't say no to personal errands but I think if you turn it back on the requester by saying "is this really best use of company time, money and resources?" or "I don't feel comfortable running errands as personal as this"
Again my personal motto is as long as it can be done from my desk and does encroach on MY personal time or breaks and doesn't use up precious time for doing real work then I may consider it. If it's something I don't want to get involved in then I just say no.
Title: Re: Week of May 24th- personal errands
Post by: jahdra on August 02, 2004, 06:58:31 pm
Bossie is scheduling a trip to Asia to visit a client in October (client keeps changing their mind about which country, but that's another post!) and bossie is going to take his wife, since it's going to be a long trip. I find an excellent fare, fully refundable, and he asks me, "Can you call my wife and find out if she..." and he trails off and says, "Never mind, that's my job." Good bossie! Nice bossie! 
Title: Re: Week of May 24th- personal errands
Post by: mlm668 on August 02, 2004, 07:54:00 pm
I've been fortunate that I don't really get asked to do things considered overly personal. Sure, I've written letters or make phone calls for personal business for the boss, but as far as running errands, unless I'm already going that way, I don't even get asked.
But on the flip side, they've handled personal issues for me. These were favors done out of kindness so being asked to the do the occasional personal thing has never bothered me with these folks. As long as it doesn't become "expected" and the reciprocation is there, I don't mind it at all.
Michelle
But on the flip side, they've handled personal issues for me. These were favors done out of kindness so being asked to the do the occasional personal thing has never bothered me with these folks. As long as it doesn't become "expected" and the reciprocation is there, I don't mind it at all.
Michelle
Title: Re: Week of May 24th- personal errands
Post by: boober on August 04, 2004, 04:34:10 pm
The company I work for is a family business. I am forever getting caught in the middle of their personal arguements!!! The most personal thing I have had to do for my boss so far is pick up his dry cleaning and organise his tennis/golf lessons.
Do I mind doing it? YES! He's such an ungrateful b@$!@£d.
Do I mind doing it? YES! He's such an ungrateful b@$!@£d.
Edited by bethalize on 05/08/04 06:31 PM.
Title: Re: Week of May 24th- personal errands
Post by: uberpa on August 04, 2004, 04:49:02 pm
I so know how you feel, my last boss(s) were a married couple and often squabled over me as if I were their child.
They still haven't figured out a way to your email to my brain, trying using the CC field.
They still haven't figured out a way to your email to my brain, trying using the CC field.
Title: Re: Week of May 24th- personal errands
Post by: boober on August 17, 2004, 09:51:05 am
I have just been given the job of typing up my bosses speech for his daughters wedding!
Title: Re: Week of May 24th- personal errands
Post by: tinkerbell on August 20, 2004, 11:25:45 am
I rang my boss when he was on leave to pass on a private e-mail message that was time-sensitive. He apologised profusely for asking me to reply to it and said “I know I shouldn’t ask you to do personal stuff but” which surprised me. It didn’t bother me one bit but explains why he doesn’t ask me to do much personal stuff except get him a sandwich at lunchtime (which is quite often as his diary can be horrendous).
I am quite happy to do little (or big) odd things occasionally because we have a good relationship and, like Bethalize says, I can help his work/life balance. However, I understand and respect his professional approach.
I am quite happy to do little (or big) odd things occasionally because we have a good relationship and, like Bethalize says, I can help his work/life balance. However, I understand and respect his professional approach.
Title: Re: Week of May 24th- personal errands
Post by: geminigirl on August 27, 2004, 01:17:20 pm
My whole job seems to consist of personal errands - in fact, it's a major part of the job! As such (and I do get paid a good salary for it ;-)) I shouldn't complain though I do get a bit ticked off sometimes. Personal errands vary from dropping off and picking up drycleaning, arranging to get the home boiler serviced, finding a good tennis coach for the wife, finding a tailor to do alterations and making lots and lots of tea. Oh, and there was the time I found someone to build a tennis court ...
Title: Re: Week of May 24th- personal errands
Post by: gee4 on September 08, 2004, 09:43:22 am
Have to let you all know .... boss #2 is flying to Amsterdam today, and on his way to the airport he calls me. When I get in to work I listen to his voice message ..... asking me to order his wife a bouquet of flowers as he forgot their wedding anniversary today!! It's his own birthday on Fri and yet he made sure I flew him back from Amsterdam tomorrow so he could spend his birthday at home. It really made me laugh specially when I called him to say the flowers were ordered and he told me his wife left him a card this morning before he left the house.
G
G