Dealing with lazy co-workers
By maezee
@maezee (24482)
United States
April 11, 2012 5:59pm CST
This week, I am encountering a new frustration as becoming "the boss" for a short 9 week stint. Whereas last week I was slightly overwhelmed with problems regarding customer service, solving issues, this week has been really light so far in that area. But I am having another problem, as I said. This time it is with employees. One in particular actually.
Basically, she is lazy. I like her personality and we get along great, but we clash when it comes to this one, eensy thing: ACTUALLY WORKING. I find that I am overcompensating for her laziness, which royally pisses me off. I mean, I have enough on my plate without having to do 2 people's jobs. We basically have two parts to working at my job: up front (counter/cashiering/tagging in dry cleaning/customer service/answering phones/etc) and then the "back", which is basically production (we don't do anything on site, but all orders - and we are an extremely busy store- have to be assembled together, bagged, racked into the system, etc). The "in charge" person does the back as well as helps with the front when there isn't anything to do in the back.
Basically, she is not getting her end of things done. And not to say it hasn't been busy, it has, but not more than usual. The worst thing is I will come up front, and see her reading a magazine or playing on her cell phone instead of doing the drop offs that have come in.
It basically has a domino effect. She leaves at 2, and then so I have to rush and try to get caught up (and we start getting busy around 2), and then I have either stay late to get caught up, or leave bags for the night crew. And if the night crew gets extremely busy, they have to leave bags for the next day for me.
I need it to be a team effort and clearly it's not. I have this THING about getting work done - it's my GOAL, even if I am not feeling particularly motivated that day. It's work. We don't get paid to slack off.
Again, I like her personality and as a person but as an employee she is seriously lacking. I am just trying to figure out a way to approach the situation without being TOO bossy and without there being any tension between us?
1 person likes this
6 responses
@sparky3dfan (604)
•
12 Apr 12
You can't compensate for other peoples lazyness for a few reasons.
1: you're only one person at the end of the day, you're gonna drive yourself into exhaustion if you keep that amount of work going daily (you sound pretty busy doing both jobs)
2: shes an adult she took a job on she has the responsibility for filling it
3: shes taking advantage of you not standing up for yourself and saying something about it
4: why let her get a salary for doing nothing?
Since you have become the 'boss' for a few weeks you have a bit more power, maybe not to fire her if she refuses to do her job. But you can scare her or talk to her as the boss. Ask her straight out why shes not doing her duties that she took on when accepting the job. If you are friendly with her you can keep it casual but at the end of the day if anything with her goes wrong it will be on your head seeing as you the temp 'boss'. So you have to look out for yourself and your own career not her feelings on the matter.
I worked with a guy before, sounds like the male version of the girl you're describing. After a few weeks I just ended up losing it with him, although I wasn't 'above him' in any way (boss / manager etc) we both took a job on we both had a responsibility to do our own work. I'd be damned if I let him hold me back on my own work anymore and made me just rush to get things done. Wasn't a pretty sight so I seriously suggest you talk to her before you end up that frustrated by it all.
Goodluck
@sparky3dfan (604)
•
13 Apr 12
Exactly tashh23. The guy I was actually referring to was the bosses son of all people. But I didn't care, he was paid better than I was and to have me do the majority of his work for when he even went on 2 hour lunch breaks with his gf? Didn't go on for long. He could either give me a payrise or help out more which was pretty much what I said to him but in a very frustrated and pee'd off manner. He soon took the hint especially when his dad noticed just how much I was doing compared to his son when he got back from holiday. We had started opening one night per week late to try and drum up extra business. So thats an average of four nights per month. The first 2 months I did every single late night, but noticed I was paid no extra at the end of the month when I was paid. He sat bragging about how he got paid extra for being in early in the mornings. Talk about adding fuel to my fire.. Although he did call their accountant and told them I was under paid I was still very frustrated. He came in early to sit in the back with his gf while she typed up some work for college. Was a joke he wasn't there doing work even early in the morning when he claimed he was. But bosses son what could I do I just put up with it until one day he told me he was taking the day off as his gf was off from college. She was standing there when I flipped out but I didn't care. Truth hurts as they say. I got a nice pay rise for all the work I had been doing and he started helping out but our friendship was never really the same. A few months after that his dad (the boss) was always on my booty over something blaming me for it whether it was me or not. So I personally believe my flipping out played a part in me leaving that job which I thoroughly enjoyed .
@honest_efforts100 (1608)
• India
25 Jul 12
Such people are hard to deal with especially they think you are bossing them around. I have a problem with my boss at work when he leaves me his work to do and expects it complete in the morning. I have my work too and he is not going to help. Sometimes I don’t do it and our superiors get mad at everyone.
@KrauseHome (32345)
• United States
13 Apr 12
Personally if you are supposed to be her Supervisor and Boss now, it is time you have to step up to the plate and be more than a Friend to her now. You need to have a talk with her, and let her know that some things need to change around there and she needs to start pulling more of her weight or you have to start looking for someone to replace her. Personally too many people often try to take advantage and it often can do more harm than good.
@Madona1 (2097)
• Gibraltar
12 Apr 12
I fully understand how you feel as there are always this type of people in the company. We go to work and get paid. There is no way we also work for those lazy people who also get equal paid.
In your case, you can use the encouraged manner to praise those lazy workmate in order to motivate them. Telling them you like the way they have done and wish them keep up the good work and so on. Alternatively, you can assign everyone with the equal amount of tasks so that there is no excuse some people can finish but some don't.
Hope this helps.
@longbangod (1791)
• Philippines
12 Apr 12
This is one great challenge to superiors like you. It is considered one best skill of a boss to be able to deal with his or her subordinates accordingly. Meaning he or she will be able to adjust to certain situations with people around him/her, and be able to successfully change them for the better, I mean for that particular person or employee to improve his/her performance for his/her benefit and for the company as a whole.
It is but normal in a workplace, whether you are the boss or just a plain or ordinary employee wherein you will encounter somebody you don't like. But as I've said, it's each and every one's challenge to be able to promote harmonious relationship among the employee or between employers or boss and the workers.
@chiyosan (29389)
• Philippines
12 Apr 12
You said it yourself, you have nothing against her and i think being friends with her should make it a bit easier for you to go and ask her to help you out and by that you should be able to try and make her do more work, finally and if this does not help you should actually start to make her feel she ain't going to get any help if she is not going to do the right thing at your company and that is to work!
