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I work for a non-profit agency. Among other services, we pay parents' child care expenses, in whole or in part, depending on their eligibility. The reason I'm singling this service out is due to the two individuals who work in that department. They alone are the offenders of office etiquette that I'm referring to. I work at the front desk. We can, at times, be busy with phone calls and walk-ins. These two employees will come out to talk to their clients or potential clients and stand at my desk (because they feel that's what front desks are for) to do so. Sometimes they are there for 10 minutes or even longer, have clients stand there and fill out paperwork ("it's the perfect height!") and spread out paperwork all over the counter. When I get a phone call, it's difficult or sometimes impossible to hear the person I'm talking to. Also, when someone else inevitably walks in, the counter is taken up by the worker, at least one client, and all their papers. Also, I feel it can be embarrassing for the client; they are sharing confidential information and sometimes are upset, and there I am, right in front of them (literally three feet away). I find this behavior unprofessional and rude. Each of these ladies has office space of their own. We also have a small conference room and a large conference room, and even the lobby would provide a modicum of privacy and keep the front desk clear. I mentioned the issue at a recent staff meeting, citing the above reasons, and all seemed to agree. However, one of the workers from this department recently questioned me about it again, and said "It IS the front desk"... as if it's a universally accepted fact that front desks are specifically for conducting business with clients who may be upset or embarrassed and disrupt the admin. assistant's ability to deal with phone calls and other walk-ins. I'd love some input from others in this position or managers who work in offices. I searched and searched but couldn't find anything in writing; maybe I just didn't phrase it correctly. Your thoughts, please.
Location: RI, MA, VT, WI, IL, CA, IN (that one sucked), KY
41,936 posts, read 37,058,884 times
Reputation: 40635
Quote:
Originally Posted by KayElleCee
I work for a non-profit agency. Among other services, we pay parents' child care expenses, in whole or in part, depending on their eligibility. The reason I'm singling this service out is due to the two individuals who work in that department. They alone are the offenders of office etiquette that I'm referring to. I work at the front desk. We can, at times, be busy with phone calls and walk-ins. These two employees will come out to talk to their clients or potential clients and stand at my desk (because they feel that's what front desks are for) to do so. Sometimes they are there for 10 minutes or even longer, have clients stand there and fill out paperwork ("it's the perfect height!") and spread out paperwork all over the counter. When I get a phone call, it's difficult or sometimes impossible to hear the person I'm talking to. Also, when someone else inevitably walks in, the counter is taken up by the worker, at least one client, and all their papers. Also, I feel it can be embarrassing for the client; they are sharing confidential information and sometimes are upset, and there I am, right in front of them (literally three feet away). I find this behavior unprofessional and rude. Each of these ladies has office space of their own. We also have a small conference room and a large conference room, and even the lobby would provide a modicum of privacy and keep the front desk clear. I mentioned the issue at a recent staff meeting, citing the above reasons, and all seemed to agree. However, one of the workers from this department recently questioned me about it again, and said "It IS the front desk"... as if it's a universally accepted fact that front desks are specifically for conducting business with clients who may be upset or embarrassed and disrupt the admin. assistant's ability to deal with phone calls and other walk-ins. I'd love some input from others in this position or managers who work in offices. I searched and searched but couldn't find anything in writing; maybe I just didn't phrase it correctly. Your thoughts, please.
Sorry, but no sympathy here. I've been an EA (10 years to C level executives) and at times as an EA I managed some AAs and receptionists. In administrative support positions you have to get used to being in the background. Often, very often people hovered near me, stood over my desk and talked to people, in person or on the phone. Guests had conversations with other guests right in front of me or even around me. Other workers hovered over me while I was on the phone because they wanted to get in to see the boss. It is part of the territory. Admin support are supposed to be in the background until needed. While a receptionist has a desk and area for work, it is in large part common space. I'm sorry, but this is part of the job and a huge part of the job is knowing when and where to remain silent.
There is no reason to conduct business at the front desk when other options are available. Can you direct the client to the small room and tell the employee their client is in the small room or wherever?
Sorry, but no sympathy here. I've been an EA (10 years to C level executives) and at times as an EA I managed some AAs and receptionists. In administrative support positions you have to get used to being in the background. Often, very often people hovered near me, stood over my desk and talked to people, in person or on the phone. Guests had conversations with other guests right in front of me or even around me. Other workers hovered over me while I was on the phone because they wanted to get in to see the boss. It is part of the territory. Admin support are supposed to be in the background until needed. While a receptionist has a desk and area for work, it is in large part common space. I'm sorry, but this is part of the job and a huge part of the job is knowing when and where to remain silent.
Thanks for your input, but I respectfully disagree. This is not my first position in this type of role. I worked for another non-profit agency in Anaheim, California, and it was against company policy for other staff to stand at the front desk and conduct business with clients (with other staff was fine); they cited the reasons I listed above. It is completely unprofessional and reflects poorly when someone else walks in and must tell me why they are there from a distance, or when I can't hear the person who calls in because of another conversation going on a few feet from my face. I discussed this with my supervisor and SHE AGREED. I had permission to mention it at our staff meeting and OUR DIRECTOR AGREED. The person contending is one single solitary worker (the other person in her department hasn't said a word about it). So thanks for your input, but I do disagree (and so, by extension, do my superiors).
There is no reason to conduct business at the front desk when other options are available. Can you direct the client to the small room and tell the employee their client is in the small room or wherever?
Thank you, Joe. And yes, when the small conference room is open, I have been directing people into it and then contacting the appropriate staff member. There are chairs and a table in the room, as well as a phone. There's no earthly reason to stand at my desk when this is an option (other options are their offices, the large conference room, and the lobby).
There is no reason to conduct business at the front desk when other options are available. Can you direct the client to the small room and tell the employee their client is in the small room or wherever?
This is an excellent point. You are the first person clients see when they enter the office, right? Could you simply direct them to one of the conference rooms, and then go tell (or call) your coworker "Your client just arrived and is in the conference room."? If you can get them out of the front desk area before their personal papers are brought out, that may help reduce the use of the front desk for those matters.
Edit: Ah, I see you just responded that you have been doing this when possible. I'm thinking you should just always do it - send them back to your coworker's desk or a conference room, or direct them to wait in the lobby if the coworker is with another client.
Location: RI, MA, VT, WI, IL, CA, IN (that one sucked), KY
41,936 posts, read 37,058,884 times
Reputation: 40635
Quote:
Originally Posted by KayElleCee
Thanks for your input, but I respectfully disagree. This is not my first position in this type of role. I worked for another non-profit agency in Anaheim, California, and it was against company policy for other staff to stand at the front desk and conduct business with clients (with other staff was fine); they cited the reasons I listed above. It is completely unprofessional and reflects poorly when someone else walks in and must tell me why they are there from a distance, or when I can't hear the person who calls in because of another conversation going on a few feet from my face. I discussed this with my supervisor and SHE AGREED. I had permission to mention it at our staff meeting and OUR DIRECTOR AGREED. The person contending is one single solitary worker (the other person in her department hasn't said a word about it). So thanks for your input, but I do disagree (and so, by extension, do my superiors).
Then why are you asking here? I don't give much credence to what the director agreed to in front of a staff meeting, honestly. I know how that game is played and do it myself at staff meetings and retreats. If you really think a CEO walking (or any other senior staff person) a client or donor out of the office is going to stop conversing with them, or not converse with them in front of you, because you think it is unprofessional and interrupts your taking a message, well, best of luck. Just confront the senior staff and tell them that or steer them into a conference room. You're severely limiting your mobility in this position by making an issue of this. Good luck.
I totally agree that this is unprofessional and embarrassing for the client.
When your clients are sharing personal information in order to secure a service, it hardly seems fair to them to have to do it in the presence of a third party. And you should be able to do your job without interference from conversations that don't impact you or your duties.
I would have to ask that the interview be taken to another area and mention that this has been discussed in the past. Of course, I'm retired and don't have to worry about losing my job, so you may not be in a position to speak up. But if you do it politely and matter-of-factly, you may be able to get away with it. Good luck.
This is an excellent point. You are the first person clients see when they enter the office, right? Could you simply direct them to one of the conference rooms, and then go tell (or call) your coworker "Your client just arrived and is in the conference room."? If you can get them out of the front desk area before their personal papers are brought out, that may help reduce the use of the front desk for those matters.
Edit: Ah, I see you just responded that you have been doing this when possible. I'm thinking you should just always do it - send them back to your coworker's desk or a conference room, or direct them to wait in the lobby if the coworker is with another client.
Exactly. The conference room is often in use by other staff, which makes it tough, and we aren't supposed to just bring somebody back to their offices (understandable, as they deal with confidential information and clean up before scheduled clients arrive). They have one empty cubicle and I'm wondering they could convert it into a meeting area. Thanks for your input... YES, I'm the first contact. It's entirely tacky for someone to walk in and not be able to approach me because the entire space is 'taken', often with some unhappy, complaining and sometimes yelling client.
Then why are you asking here? I don't give much credence to what the director agreed to in front of a staff meeting, honestly. I know how that game is played and do it myself at staff meetings and retreats. If you really think a CEO walking (or any other senior staff person) a client or donor out of the office is going to stop conversing with them, or not converse with them in front of you, because you think it is unprofessional and interrupts your taking a message, well, best of luck. Just confront the senior staff and tell them that or steer them into a conference room. You're severely limiting your mobility in this position by making an issue of this. Good luck.
I'm asking here to get input from others, which you and others are now doing. I'm also hoping for any resources that are out there on office etiquette that I could use as backup should this become a bigger issue. This is a job for me. I'm well suited for it. There is no "mobility" here, we have 13 employees and the 12 other positions are not anything I'd EVER be interested in.
As for staff walking people out and chatting, yes, it happens. Staff also interact with me and one another. That's not the issue here. The issue is using the front counter, my desk, as a meeting place, when clients often become upset, angry, and loud. If you think it's okay to make a spectacle of people in front of the entire office and anyone coming into or waiting in the lobby, then best of luck to YOU.
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so you may not be in a position to speak up. 
But if you do it politely and matter-of-factly, you may be able to get away with it. Good luck.
