One of the most annoying things that has happened in my long career was when a departing employee left their parting mess to be cleaned up.

As the office assistant, the task fell to me with absolutely no prior consultation. I can’t tell you how much I resented them, although I had believed we had a good working relationship. The in-tray, matters and filing left to be sorted took a good couple of days to get through.

I am an older female and have baggage when it comes to being treated like the proverbial tealady or put upon mother. Am I wrong in seeking sympathy? Should I have just consoled myself with the knowledge I was paid to deal with crap?

Rather than see this as a memorable career low-point, it might be worth reframing the whole thing in your mind.Credit: John Shakespeare

To start, I think it’s important to address your final point: whether you just needed to grin and bear this mess because cleaning up after others is what you were paid to do. My question would be simple:........

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