Sorting out leaving cards, tea rounds and birthday cakes at work? Women, just say no

Many women have experienced being ‘mum’ at work. We do it, because we worry about what’ll happen if we don’t, writes Salma Shah

It seems churlish and unsociable not to offer to make cups of tea for colleagues, but I’ve always found it an unproductive use of time (Getty)

Are you always the one who offers your colleagues a brew? Do you spend ages rounding people up for the collection for the latest leaving gift? Are you left to make the last minute dash to M&S to get the final remaining (and rather smushed) Colin the Caterpillar cake for a colleague’s forgotten birthday? Well, I have some good news for you. You’re allowed to say no.

A new book by four academics claims, women in particular, spend 200 hours more a year doing “office housework” than their male counterparts. Professors Linda Babcock, Lisa Vesterlund, Brenda Peyser and Laurie Weingart have written The No Club: Putting a Stop to Women’s Dead-End Work.

They argue that this type of behaviour actually prevents women from doing the more promotable, managerial tasks that get them up the career ladder, which is a very plausible thesis. Many women have experienced being “mum” at work. In addition to picking up after kids and partners at home, they are stuck with the emotional burden in the office too. There’s no thanks at the end either, no acknowledgement of their efforts – just a stack of paper plates and dirty mugs left at the end of a hard day’s work.