Week of May 24th- personal errands

[beaintheuk]

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

[catsmeat]

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.

[leg_65]

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.  

[uberpa]

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.

[jahdra]

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!

[mlm668]

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

[boober]

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.

Edited by bethalize on 05/08/04 06:31 PM.

[uberpa]

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.

[boober]

I have just been given the job of typing up my bosses speech for his daughters wedding!

[tinkerbell]

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.

[geminigirl]

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 ...

[gee4]

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