How to handle working with a slacker
September 22, 2013 2:26 PM Subscribe
I've been assigned a project with a coworker who has, historically, done as little work as humanly possible. I don't know how to manage this.
I have a coworker, L, who's been suffering from a long-term loss in motivation and who our manager, P, doesn't want to fire because he feels sorry for him (his own words). It really came to a head in August when he spent all of the pre-school year prep messing around on Facebook or just plain disappearing for hour long 'toilet breaks' -- to the point where now one of our coworkers won't talk to him; she even gets up and leaves if he comes into the office -- but now I've been assigned to work with him and I'm not sure how to handle this.
There's a lot of work drama here, so I apologise in advance.
Last year, L was assigned to head a student book club; he asked our supervisor, T, to order the books for him, even though that was part of his role as club facilitator, and then he went to one meeting and decided he didn't want to do it anymore, so T ended up leading it for the rest of the year. (Side note: Last Friday T found out that even though she did all the leading of the club, L was still paid a bonus for it. She wasn't.) This year, L was once again put in charge of the book club, since it's something that's been in his targets for the past two years, and P felt it would be good for L to try again. Because there was a lot of interest, I suggested to L that it might be better splitting the kids up into smaller groups, to which he replied that he didn't want to do the book club anyway so we could do whatever we wanted as long as it didn't involve him. When T told him to email the interested students, he refused, so another coworker, N, did it, and then she asked my help because L was, unsurprisingly, being unhelpful. N and I then sorted the interested kids into smaller groups and started to talk about which books to order.
When T found out the N and I had been doing all the planning for the book club, she told L he needed to be in charge since it was in his targets. He told her that this was bullying that he'd report her. T and P pulled him into a meeting to discuss his attitude. Later, T told N and myself what L had already planned for the book club -- only it was all the work I'd been doing for the past two weeks. The same afternoon, P pulled L, N, and myself into a meeting and told us that L was in charge of the club and that we needed to go through him, but that he (P) would let us handle it ourselves.
I'm at a loss what to do now, because I don't want L to push all of the work onto me like he did to T last year (I have too many other responsibilities and honestly have no time to be in charge of this), but I also don't want the club to fail since that affects the students. I'm also not sure how to make it clear to P if/when L doesn't do the things he's promised to do (lead meetings, order books, arrange rooms, email students) without it seeming like I'm running to tattle on L, given that P said he doesn't want to be involved. Several of us have told P in the past what little work L does, but I don't think he quite gets the grasp of it since we've all stepped up to take over the things that L should be doing.
I'm not sure if I should document everything and eventually take it to P if L doesn't do his job, even though P might ignore it, or if there's some kind of professional phrase I can use on L to actually get him to do his bloody job. We've never worked on a project together before. I genuinely enjoy my job and my team other than this one guy bumming the rest of us out.
I have a coworker, L, who's been suffering from a long-term loss in motivation and who our manager, P, doesn't want to fire because he feels sorry for him (his own words). It really came to a head in August when he spent all of the pre-school year prep messing around on Facebook or just plain disappearing for hour long 'toilet breaks' -- to the point where now one of our coworkers won't talk to him; she even gets up and leaves if he comes into the office -- but now I've been assigned to work with him and I'm not sure how to handle this.
There's a lot of work drama here, so I apologise in advance.
Last year, L was assigned to head a student book club; he asked our supervisor, T, to order the books for him, even though that was part of his role as club facilitator, and then he went to one meeting and decided he didn't want to do it anymore, so T ended up leading it for the rest of the year. (Side note: Last Friday T found out that even though she did all the leading of the club, L was still paid a bonus for it. She wasn't.) This year, L was once again put in charge of the book club, since it's something that's been in his targets for the past two years, and P felt it would be good for L to try again. Because there was a lot of interest, I suggested to L that it might be better splitting the kids up into smaller groups, to which he replied that he didn't want to do the book club anyway so we could do whatever we wanted as long as it didn't involve him. When T told him to email the interested students, he refused, so another coworker, N, did it, and then she asked my help because L was, unsurprisingly, being unhelpful. N and I then sorted the interested kids into smaller groups and started to talk about which books to order.
When T found out the N and I had been doing all the planning for the book club, she told L he needed to be in charge since it was in his targets. He told her that this was bullying that he'd report her. T and P pulled him into a meeting to discuss his attitude. Later, T told N and myself what L had already planned for the book club -- only it was all the work I'd been doing for the past two weeks. The same afternoon, P pulled L, N, and myself into a meeting and told us that L was in charge of the club and that we needed to go through him, but that he (P) would let us handle it ourselves.
I'm at a loss what to do now, because I don't want L to push all of the work onto me like he did to T last year (I have too many other responsibilities and honestly have no time to be in charge of this), but I also don't want the club to fail since that affects the students. I'm also not sure how to make it clear to P if/when L doesn't do the things he's promised to do (lead meetings, order books, arrange rooms, email students) without it seeming like I'm running to tattle on L, given that P said he doesn't want to be involved. Several of us have told P in the past what little work L does, but I don't think he quite gets the grasp of it since we've all stepped up to take over the things that L should be doing.
I'm not sure if I should document everything and eventually take it to P if L doesn't do his job, even though P might ignore it, or if there's some kind of professional phrase I can use on L to actually get him to do his bloody job. We've never worked on a project together before. I genuinely enjoy my job and my team other than this one guy bumming the rest of us out.
Also, you and N need to get together and agree to never do anything that L is supposed to do. Stop all covering for L, even (especially) if it leads to a public failure and embarassment.
Both P and L are exploiting you and N, and you and N are co-operating with it. Stop co-operating.
posted by fatbird at 2:38 PM on September 22, 2013 [7 favorites]
Both P and L are exploiting you and N, and you and N are co-operating with it. Stop co-operating.
posted by fatbird at 2:38 PM on September 22, 2013 [7 favorites]
If L doesn't do what he is supposed to do, then those tasks don't get done. YOU document the heck out of everything.
posted by St. Alia of the Bunnies at 2:42 PM on September 22, 2013 [5 favorites]
posted by St. Alia of the Bunnies at 2:42 PM on September 22, 2013 [5 favorites]
Oh, and when you need L to do something, email him, and send a copy of the email to both your supervisors.
posted by St. Alia of the Bunnies at 2:43 PM on September 22, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by St. Alia of the Bunnies at 2:43 PM on September 22, 2013 [1 favorite]
Document everything but make sure that you are upfront with him about not feeling comfortable doing his share of the work. That way when you take it to the boss, the boss can't claim that you are being passive-aggressive or something.
posted by bookshop at 2:46 PM on September 22, 2013
posted by bookshop at 2:46 PM on September 22, 2013
St Alia is right on the money. Let P see what L is (not) capable of. You guys have been masking it for him. Stop that.
Keep your supervisor in the loop with regular updates on your work and roadblocks. "Still waiting on L to do X" is a perfectly fine status for Task Y.
posted by heatherann at 2:49 PM on September 22, 2013 [2 favorites]
Keep your supervisor in the loop with regular updates on your work and roadblocks. "Still waiting on L to do X" is a perfectly fine status for Task Y.
posted by heatherann at 2:49 PM on September 22, 2013 [2 favorites]
1. Give L non-essential tasks. That way, you get to pretend like he's responsible for something, and he can pretend to work. And the project doesn't go belly-up if he doesn't follow through.
2. Also, yes, P does need to see what L does and doesn't do. You are dealing with a serial underperformer, and nothing will change that. I've seen this situation too many times. There will never be a moment of realization, validation...nothing.
This person is a perpetual slacker, and the slacking has been perpetuated by the work environment. Rather than waste precious energy finding workarounds, or seeking to make your language motivational or professional, accept that this person will not do his job and that you will have to find an alternative solution for getting the work done.
3. Document, document, and cc. Seems like it's only a matter of time for L, anyway.
posted by Occam's Aftershave at 3:02 PM on September 22, 2013 [1 favorite]
2. Also, yes, P does need to see what L does and doesn't do. You are dealing with a serial underperformer, and nothing will change that. I've seen this situation too many times. There will never be a moment of realization, validation...nothing.
This person is a perpetual slacker, and the slacking has been perpetuated by the work environment. Rather than waste precious energy finding workarounds, or seeking to make your language motivational or professional, accept that this person will not do his job and that you will have to find an alternative solution for getting the work done.
3. Document, document, and cc. Seems like it's only a matter of time for L, anyway.
posted by Occam's Aftershave at 3:02 PM on September 22, 2013 [1 favorite]
And just as a reminder. It's not your declining to step in when L doesn't do something that's hurting the kids, it's supervision's failure to deal with L's non-performance that's hurting the kids. In the end, you're an employee low on the totem pole, not a superhero. You can't save everyone.
posted by radwolf76 at 3:23 PM on September 22, 2013 [7 favorites]
posted by radwolf76 at 3:23 PM on September 22, 2013 [7 favorites]
Quoted for truth: In the end, you're an employee low on the totem pole, not a superhero. You can't save everyone.
Also, this: "just plain disappearing for hour long 'toilet breaks'"--could there be something else going on here besides slackerdom?
posted by orrnyereg at 3:37 PM on September 22, 2013
Also, this: "just plain disappearing for hour long 'toilet breaks'"--could there be something else going on here besides slackerdom?
posted by orrnyereg at 3:37 PM on September 22, 2013
You have some great advice above, here is what I would do.
1.Write down, with L present, what needs to be done, who is doing what and a timeline for it to get done.
2.Email this to L and cc P and T.
Begin this email with the statement: As we agreed on.....
You said P doesn't want to get involved? Tough shit, P is your manager and that's why P is paid the big bucks.
3. Do periodic updates as to the status of the work.
Heatherann's statement is perfect: "Still waiting on L to do X" is a perfectly fine status for Task Y.
4. DO NOT COVER for L.
When, inevitably, the work does not get done, you have everything documented.
I know you enjoy your job but I would start job hunting.
Your manager won't likely change, and this next bit with L is really going to suck
posted by Snazzy67 at 3:46 PM on September 22, 2013 [1 favorite]
1.Write down, with L present, what needs to be done, who is doing what and a timeline for it to get done.
2.Email this to L and cc P and T.
Begin this email with the statement: As we agreed on.....
You said P doesn't want to get involved? Tough shit, P is your manager and that's why P is paid the big bucks.
3. Do periodic updates as to the status of the work.
Heatherann's statement is perfect: "Still waiting on L to do X" is a perfectly fine status for Task Y.
4. DO NOT COVER for L.
When, inevitably, the work does not get done, you have everything documented.
I know you enjoy your job but I would start job hunting.
Your manager won't likely change, and this next bit with L is really going to suck
posted by Snazzy67 at 3:46 PM on September 22, 2013 [1 favorite]
Document, document, document. Every single time you need L to do something, no matter how minor or even if it just repeats a conversation or phone call, ALWAYS email L and cc it to P, T, N, and every other person in the office. If L emails you, make sure your reply copies everybody, even if L's original email was only to you. If there's a boss above P and T, add them to your cc list. Broadcast the heck out of this situation: you have nothing to hide, nothing to be ashamed of.
The point is to make it crystal clear exactly who is doing (or not doing!) what , and to make sure YOU --- not L --- get credit for your work.
Please note: it isn't "tattling" if you tell your supervisors the truth about how L isn't doing any of the work: it's covering YOUR OWN butt, and hopefully ensuring that L doesn't get another bonus for other people's work.
posted by easily confused at 3:54 PM on September 22, 2013 [1 favorite]
The point is to make it crystal clear exactly who is doing (or not doing!) what , and to make sure YOU --- not L --- get credit for your work.
Please note: it isn't "tattling" if you tell your supervisors the truth about how L isn't doing any of the work: it's covering YOUR OWN butt, and hopefully ensuring that L doesn't get another bonus for other people's work.
posted by easily confused at 3:54 PM on September 22, 2013 [1 favorite]
Oh, and P said he "doesn't want to be involved"? P won't fire L "because they feel sorry for him"?
Tough shit: that's P's JOB. This is why you need to include P's boss in every one of those copied email: to prove that not only is your coworker L dumping their job in your lap, but also that P is knowingly letting the situation continue.
posted by easily confused at 4:02 PM on September 22, 2013 [3 favorites]
Tough shit: that's P's JOB. This is why you need to include P's boss in every one of those copied email: to prove that not only is your coworker L dumping their job in your lap, but also that P is knowingly letting the situation continue.
posted by easily confused at 4:02 PM on September 22, 2013 [3 favorites]
If I get this, then Lazy Coworker is being paid the bonus. Stop doing the work for him. When he tries to fob work off on you say no. Easy Peasy. Book club is not on my targets and I'm busy with the stuff I'm paid to do.
Boss doesn't give a crap about the book club. Lazy Coworker doesn't give a crap about the book club. As a kid who LOVED book club, it's a bummer to lose that. That's your boss's problem and Lazy's problem.
(Also it really easier if you give people fake names instead of initials.)
posted by 26.2 at 5:03 PM on September 22, 2013 [5 favorites]
Boss doesn't give a crap about the book club. Lazy Coworker doesn't give a crap about the book club. As a kid who LOVED book club, it's a bummer to lose that. That's your boss's problem and Lazy's problem.
(Also it really easier if you give people fake names instead of initials.)
posted by 26.2 at 5:03 PM on September 22, 2013 [5 favorites]
I've been assigned to work with him and I'm not sure how to handle this. Do your best to turn this sow's ear into a silk purse. Get Supervisor to be clear about expectations and assignments, in writing. No BS paying Slacker for work that someone else is doing, by the way. Have regular meetings with Slacker, take minutes, and email them to Slacker and Supervisor. Your minutes should show what was planned, and have regular followup on what was accomplished, and by whom. Make it hard for Supervisor to ignore this staffer who's not doing his work. Make it hard for Slacker to get away with it. Encourage any other staffers to do the same.
Is Slacker in over his head? unable to do the work? alcoholic? drug abusing? just an ass? Your employer probably has an Employee Assistance Program (EAP); encourage Slacker to get any help needed. Is there anything Slacker does well? Make sure he gets that work. Be super helpful seeming, and cheerful and nice to Slacker. I'm so worried about you; you were gone for an hour. Are you all right? Want my doctor's number? Be helpful and concerned with Supervisor I need some clarification. It seems that Slacker was assigned responsibility for Book Club, but he tells Colleague and me that he has no interest, and has asked us to assume these responsibilities. Are there some comparable tasks that Slacker can take on, so that everything gets covered?
posted by theora55 at 7:54 PM on September 22, 2013
Is Slacker in over his head? unable to do the work? alcoholic? drug abusing? just an ass? Your employer probably has an Employee Assistance Program (EAP); encourage Slacker to get any help needed. Is there anything Slacker does well? Make sure he gets that work. Be super helpful seeming, and cheerful and nice to Slacker. I'm so worried about you; you were gone for an hour. Are you all right? Want my doctor's number? Be helpful and concerned with Supervisor I need some clarification. It seems that Slacker was assigned responsibility for Book Club, but he tells Colleague and me that he has no interest, and has asked us to assume these responsibilities. Are there some comparable tasks that Slacker can take on, so that everything gets covered?
posted by theora55 at 7:54 PM on September 22, 2013
Response by poster: Cheers for the advice so far, everyone.
FTR, what he's doing on these so called toilet breaks is walking around the college visiting his friends in other departments. I've run into him before while delivering materials or meeting with teachers. He doesn't use drugs or drink. It's not as bad when the students are here, though he does still disappear for short periods of time (maybe 20 minutes instead of an hour).
posted by toerinishuman at 11:17 PM on September 22, 2013
FTR, what he's doing on these so called toilet breaks is walking around the college visiting his friends in other departments. I've run into him before while delivering materials or meeting with teachers. He doesn't use drugs or drink. It's not as bad when the students are here, though he does still disappear for short periods of time (maybe 20 minutes instead of an hour).
posted by toerinishuman at 11:17 PM on September 22, 2013
I see this from a slightly different perspective; from my reading of this is that the slacker still keeps overall responsibility for this? If so, all you need to do is what is specifically directed by slacker manager and let the project fall as it will.
I know it sucks not to be able to do it right; but taking it on yourself seems to me to be setting yourself up for problems; do it all for them and slacker manager will never learn, his boss will never be grateful and you end up doing all the work.
It seems the only person worried about doing a good job here is you! So don't be gut tripped or emotionally blackmailed into taking control and taking this on; just do what your told let the slacker take the lead, keep notes of all the interactions and your actions in relation to these requests and let all the other shit roll off your back, and when the project hits the buffers the lead stands alone - and your arse being covered by your notes you can side step the inevetable attempts at scapegoating!
posted by Middlemarch at 3:18 AM on September 23, 2013
I know it sucks not to be able to do it right; but taking it on yourself seems to me to be setting yourself up for problems; do it all for them and slacker manager will never learn, his boss will never be grateful and you end up doing all the work.
It seems the only person worried about doing a good job here is you! So don't be gut tripped or emotionally blackmailed into taking control and taking this on; just do what your told let the slacker take the lead, keep notes of all the interactions and your actions in relation to these requests and let all the other shit roll off your back, and when the project hits the buffers the lead stands alone - and your arse being covered by your notes you can side step the inevetable attempts at scapegoating!
posted by Middlemarch at 3:18 AM on September 23, 2013
As others have said, email will be your friend here.
Insist on a meeting with Linus and set down all the tasks for the Book Club, and who is going to do what.
Take the lead in doing the documenting of everything, but DO NOT take over doing the work for it.
So here's a proposed list of what needs to be done, and who will do it:
Linus
Order the books
Mass email to Book Club participants
Schedule meeting rooms
toerinishuman
Make coffee
Document progress of tasks to Linus and to Tammy
Every week send an update of the progress, or lack there of, of what Linus is doing.
Then stick to it. If he doesn't order the books, Oh Well. If he doesn't schedule the rooms, Oh Well. If he doesn't email the participants, Oh Well.
Linus is a drain on resources and the sooner he crashes and burns the better. NO ONE should keep his or her job out of pity.
I'd even say to him, "Look, you clearly have issues and that's on you. You're the person getting a bonus for running the Book Club, you're the one who has it in your targets. While I'd hate for the Book Club to tank because you've chosen not to do the work associated with it, I will only do what is appropriate for me to do in this scenario. I am not getting in between your and Priscilla's dysfunction."
Then make good on that.
Both Linus and Priscilla (and Tammy) all need to learn when to fire a deadbeat. Having everyone else cover for him is NOT the answer.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 7:38 AM on September 23, 2013
Insist on a meeting with Linus and set down all the tasks for the Book Club, and who is going to do what.
Take the lead in doing the documenting of everything, but DO NOT take over doing the work for it.
So here's a proposed list of what needs to be done, and who will do it:
Linus
Order the books
Mass email to Book Club participants
Schedule meeting rooms
toerinishuman
Make coffee
Document progress of tasks to Linus and to Tammy
Every week send an update of the progress, or lack there of, of what Linus is doing.
Then stick to it. If he doesn't order the books, Oh Well. If he doesn't schedule the rooms, Oh Well. If he doesn't email the participants, Oh Well.
Linus is a drain on resources and the sooner he crashes and burns the better. NO ONE should keep his or her job out of pity.
I'd even say to him, "Look, you clearly have issues and that's on you. You're the person getting a bonus for running the Book Club, you're the one who has it in your targets. While I'd hate for the Book Club to tank because you've chosen not to do the work associated with it, I will only do what is appropriate for me to do in this scenario. I am not getting in between your and Priscilla's dysfunction."
Then make good on that.
Both Linus and Priscilla (and Tammy) all need to learn when to fire a deadbeat. Having everyone else cover for him is NOT the answer.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 7:38 AM on September 23, 2013
Seconding email to divide up tasks so everyone knows just WHAT L is responsible for, so when it doesn't get done everyone can see that. The documentation will help your boss later on down the line when L is let go (inevitable?). Also agree that you can't expect L to do his job, so make sure the things he IS assigned to do are not totally essential.
On another note, at times in the past I have definitely been "L" at various places of employment. The hour long disappearances are right out of my playbook when I was severely depressed. It doesn't make his behavior ok...but it could be that he needs help. In my case it took all the energy I had just to walk in the door at work. It's a tough situation.
As a contractor I also find myself falling into these patterns of behavior when I take a contract and the work expected of me is not crystal clear. Expecting someone to be "proactive" is a worse bet than proper delegation and clear expectations. Although perhaps that isn't a big problem in this case.
Good Luck.
posted by jnnla at 9:38 AM on September 23, 2013
On another note, at times in the past I have definitely been "L" at various places of employment. The hour long disappearances are right out of my playbook when I was severely depressed. It doesn't make his behavior ok...but it could be that he needs help. In my case it took all the energy I had just to walk in the door at work. It's a tough situation.
As a contractor I also find myself falling into these patterns of behavior when I take a contract and the work expected of me is not crystal clear. Expecting someone to be "proactive" is a worse bet than proper delegation and clear expectations. Although perhaps that isn't a big problem in this case.
Good Luck.
posted by jnnla at 9:38 AM on September 23, 2013
Yes, document.
Next week's status report should look like this:
Status from last week:
Linus
Incomplete: Order the books
Incomplete: Mass email to Book Club participants
Incomplete: Schedule meeting rooms
toerinishuman
Complete: Make coffee
Complete: Document progress of tasks to Linus and to Tammy
Tasks for this week:
Linus
Order the books by Sept 25
Mass email to Book Club participants by Sept 24
Schedule meeting rooms by Oct 1
toerinishuman
Send reminder email to Linus
posted by CathyG at 12:44 PM on September 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
Next week's status report should look like this:
Status from last week:
Linus
Incomplete: Order the books
Incomplete: Mass email to Book Club participants
Incomplete: Schedule meeting rooms
toerinishuman
Complete: Make coffee
Complete: Document progress of tasks to Linus and to Tammy
Tasks for this week:
Linus
Order the books by Sept 25
Mass email to Book Club participants by Sept 24
Schedule meeting rooms by Oct 1
toerinishuman
Send reminder email to Linus
posted by CathyG at 12:44 PM on September 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
FTR, what he's doing on these so called toilet breaks is walking around the college visiting his friends in other departments. I've run into him before while delivering materials or meeting with teachers. He doesn't use drugs or drink. It's not as bad when the students are here, though he does still disappear for short periods of time (maybe 20 minutes instead of an hour).
posted by toerinishuman
Doesn't really matter what else he's doing, he's NOT doing his job.
Don't make excuses for him!
posted by Snazzy67 at 2:22 PM on September 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by toerinishuman
Doesn't really matter what else he's doing, he's NOT doing his job.
Don't make excuses for him!
posted by Snazzy67 at 2:22 PM on September 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
At the end of the day, you hold the cards because P can't fire you because that leaves him with L, who he knows won't get anything done.
posted by fatbird at 2:35 PM on September 22, 2013 [6 favorites]