Female employees serving drinks

From watching japanese dramas, I've noticed that female employees usually serve tea/coffee. If it's the receptionist that's serving it, I would understand it a bit more. But what I'm puzzled with is a female employee that has the same title (maybe even more senority) getting the coffee/tea. Why don't the guys get it themselves?

I'm probably to westernize to understand it, but I would be ticked off. I wouldn't want to serve coffee/tea especially when I have the same responsibilities and duties as everyone else around me. It's not that hard to go and get your own coffee.

In dramas, they might show female bosses serving tea to their male subordinates as a way to show informal office environment, or to emphasize that THAT woman in the drama is capable of fulfilling all job responsibilities (the same ones required of men) AND at the same time has the heart to offer a bit of extra "kind-hearted" stuff for others - or emphasize the character of capable women plus not being hard-nosed but also kind. That might be part of the characterization, so I would not equate the drama stuff with reality.

In real life, I haven't seen women of higher position serving tea to their male/female subordinates. That would be unthinkable unless as a special treat from the boss. Among equal colleagues, it is possible but by now is getting less likely. For assistant-type of female workers (not just receptionists), for example, all guys in the office are sales staff who go out to visit clients, and the women are the back-office staff, it is well possible that that kind of job facilitating, supporting role is expected of them.

At the school (junior & senior private high school) I used to work at the women teachers took turns making tea for everyone every day. The thinking was that only women would be able to make good tea.

Among equal colleagues, it is possible but by now is getting less likely.
"POSSIBLE"? More like Expected or Required, that is if you ever wanted to be considered for promotion.

Sure things are changing, but there is still a looooong way to go.

Traditionally speaking, respectful ladies are supposed to serve drinks to ANYONE who seems thirsty. It's simply something like the way Western gentlemen performs "ladies first" or stands up as a female joins/leaving their table. It's a way to show generosity and down-home hospitality to others.

However, just as some modern Westerners question the "standing up" custom etc., a lot of modern females question this old-fashioned custom of serving drinks at the work environment.

For example, when I was working at a very westernized company (back in the late 80s), tea and coffee was generally self-served and disposable cups were provided by the company so that the female workers won't have to waste their time washing cups. However, in the Sales Division, which was more conservative than the other divisions, females were expected to pour tea in those cups and deliver them to the males' desks, and it was the experienced ladies who were encouraging the younger ones to do it, in order to provide a better atmosphere.

So additional to AK's opinion, I think that when you see this scene on dramas, it often implies that the female is trying to make the male at home for some reason, acting like a nice respectful lady, sometimes even trying to ask him a favor or two. Otherwise, the scene might be implying that that office is a conservative one.