To be assertive about lazy work colleagues

[RareDoll]

If anyone has been in this position I would very much appreciate your view. I work with two colleagues who are incredibly lazy. I am not their line manager but my line manager has asked me to pass work to them. They are lazy, inept and uninterested. They spend most of the day chatting to one another.

I have managed against the odds to be nice to them and try to encourage them with little success. I gave one of them a task to do recently and was let down in a big way. I managed to salvage it at the last minute by the skin of my teeth. I told her how disappointed I was and she freaked and shouted and me. I just completely ignored her and walked out of the office.

I tried to explain something to the other colleague and she took umbrage because I was being very direct and went and told my line manager that she did not like the way I spoke to her.

My line manager's suggestion is that we meet to agree a way further. I have already told her that they are not capable . Should I take this to HR? I have been told by others that they are dangerous and worth watching? Alteratively I can pretend it didn't happen and just not pass them any work at all?

I need this job so badly. The Unit I work in is pretty dysfunctional and you have to keep in with the bosses by licking their arses.

Apologies for the length of this post. Thanks for reading.

Could your line manager delegate specific jobs for each of you.

I've been in a similar situation. You send the colleague a work email (and you copy in your line manager), saying that the line manager has asked you to pass the work on to them and when they finish it, will they please let the line manager know.

That way, everyone is clear about who is responsible for doing the job.

WRT first part: send them work by email as a follow up after telling them to do tasks.

Dear X,

As discussed, this needs to be completed by COP this Friday.

Do let me know if you have any issues.

Kind regards,

xoxoxo

As to HR issue, remain calm in the meeting and be factual. Say that it is frustrating that they let you down on a very important task, etc.

Brilliant advice, thank you very much for posting. I already feel more positive about the situation, thanks again!

Just as an update since I first posted. My line manager asked the colleague who screwed up the work to meet with her and explain why she didn't carry out the instructions given to her. The colleague would only go to the meeting so long as other colleague accompanied her. The other colleague had nothing to do with the job the first one screwed up.

They both went in and told Line Manager that I shout at them all the time, am hostile, crap at my job and make mistakes that they have to correct.

Not only was I not hostile I was endlessly patient and kept trying to train them. My Line Manager assured me that she has no problems with my work at all and that no-one in our Dept has ever heard me shout at anyone. She said their list of complaints was so ridiculous that it showed how defensive and desperate there are.

I have asked for complaints in writing before I go to any meeting. My plan is to stay utterly calm and watch them dig themselves into a massive hole.

Ok.

Without wishing to ruin your confidence, are you assertive but they sensitive? I'm direct. I've had to learn to measure myself carefully. It's very easy to upset sensitive or analytical types of you are direct. I'd print off copies of instruction emails for examples.

Neither side may actually be wrong. But the communication has faltered. Moving forwards needs to acknowledge mutual areas to improve.

Stick to emails when assigning work now. Then there's a written record of everything

It sounds like you need to rebuild your relationship with them. It can be done, but will take time, and will probably need you to forget past misdemeanours and start afresh. (I inherited a so-called "difficult" team member who was hard work, but with whom I have a good working relationship now).

It sounds like they are not at all motivated by what they are doing. Can you find out what motivates them? Some people don't respond well to being told what to do until they can understand why they are being given a particular task. Can they be involved more, or consulted in some small but meaningful way?

In order to salvage things, you might have to swallow your pride and take a "soft" approach with them, even though you know that they are the ones that should be changing their attitude. But in the long term, if you can find a way to work together that is comfortable for all of you, that may be better than making sure they are reprimanded for jobs badly done in the past. It'll probably rankle a lot, but it might be worth it.

Cunning use of "cc" (and bcc) can help too. If you "cc" your manager in then (a) they know you are doing what they asked (b) your colleague should be aware the manager knows and (c) if the balloon goes up, you have a cast-iron defence. Unless your managers argument is you should be supervising. Which paves the way for a conversation about what your managers role is, and when you will have your performance review for taking on more responsibility .

I am assertive when I need to be Grey. The rest of the time I am friendly to people and just get on with things. I have worked in this place for over 15 years and have had trained lots of people. I have had the odd issue with people before which we have resolved very amicably.

These two are about as sensitive as a Rhinocerous' skin and both have a reputation of being work shy and pretty incompetent. I think management think that its just not worth the effort to approach them. Unfortunately I ended up with them in our Unit. I am not their Line Manager but was asked to give them work.

I asked a couple of colleagues if I was in denial and that in reality I am a complete bitch. I even asked my DC and a close friend and they all said that the portrait painted by them was not me.

Gastro The organisation I work on places value on coaching and I have attended courses. When I train them on anything I explain that sometimes tasks they do may seem mundane and I explain how it feeds into the greater plan. I gave them tasks that they could control and their approach was slovenly.

I have always been nice to them. I will definitely have to swallow my pride though because I am so pissed off that I was so goddamn nice to them and they shafted me. They are avoiding me so I acknowledged the issue with them and said it would get sorted at the meeting. I am being my normal self but in reality I am faking it until I make it.

Plec and Lurking email is my new best friend! Everything will be put in writing. I will definitely be asking for clarification on my role as I am not their Line Manager but they are causing me massive problems. They caused similar issues with another colleague so he understands completely.

Thanks again for posting. Its hugely helpful to get the views and suggestions from other people.

I am not their Line Manager but was asked to give them work.

So you are doing their manager's job because they are too scared of managing them?

Delicious you have hit the nail on the head. That is the monster in the room. It has gone far enough though and the way to resolve this is a much bigger issue which daunts me slightly because I would have to tell the boss and it will cause WWIII.

You need to play the game re. the meeting to discuss the way forward BS. You - and HR - know its BS but you have to show willing or legally they are on dodgy ground if they try and get rid of them and havent followed procedure and given them chances to get their act together. In practice, put everything in writing to them, copying their boss with clear instructions and deadlines. Then sit back and know you have a) done your bit re your role and b) covered your ass while doing so in case of them trying to be creative (vindictive) in their rubbishness. God office life sucks, i feel for you.

I forgot to add, i can be very direct and with overtly lazy but quick to take offence colleagues at work have really learned to play the corporate game and be what for me is far more gushy/soft in my wording and approach, (while covering my ass at all times). It does oil the wheels a bit more and it gets you brownie points with management for diplomacy. So in a way, learning to 'stroke people' as a friend put it, has done me a huge service at work. My friend was right, you get more out of difficult people with honey than vinegar! And its actually quite satisfying watching the turn around in attitude from previously maddening people who couldnt give a toss before.

Sazzle thanks for empathy and advice. I really regret not keeping a paper trail from the minute this started. I was being patient because I was thinking things like people learn in different ways etc. and giving them the benefit of the doubt. I made a very big mistake and I fully accept that.

I have trained countless people over the years and never once encountered this. I don't even know if it is incompetence or just idleness. I know they don't give a damn about their work and are just putting in the day.

I sometimes wonder how much more of office life I can take. Once the DC have fled the nest and the nest is paid for I am leaving the corporate world. Another ten years to go!

Sazzle I tried honey in bucket loads and that is why I am so pissed off!! I feel that I got the piss taken out of me. They said I was hostile and shouted at them. I swear on my entire family and every single member of MN that I didn't once shout at either of them. As for being hostile I was so friendly and I regret every single second of it.

I am going to put on act of the century. At least I know I am not alone. Thank God its Friday is all that I can say. I would have a glass of wine only I am trying not to drinking for January. Well I say that now but 8pm tonight could be a very different story.

I do not understand why you are trying to "manage" these people?

Is it because you've been there 15 years and think you're superior?

Can you not just give them the task the manager asked and let them get on with it.

Fluffy In our area there are 5 Sections and my Line Manager heads up one of the Sections. They were employed to provide clerical support to the Section I am in.

I don't think that I am superior to anyone but I am more experienced than they are.

I would give my right arm to be able to give them the task and let them get on with it.

Ah I see so they are like your secretary?

Sorry I'm just trying to understand how their role compares to yours.

Is the work they're doing for you or the manager?

Their line manager should step up and manage/ lead. They can meet with you to agree the work that needs doing. Their line manager should allocate the work in a do x by y or z will happen and this should be in a meeting. If I was their LM I'd ask for end of day / interim reports.

There are the clerical support in our Section. I am not clerical staff and without giving too much away my post is a higher grade administrative post reporting directly to my Line Manager who reports to the boss. I pass clerical work onto them.

I don't need to pass the work to my Line Manager for approval. I just need to get it done and tell her it has been done.

I was seconded to a different area when they were employed and they passed their probation period before I got back to my permanent post.

I have since heard through the grapevine that when they worked in other areas of the organisation they were about as useful as a chocolate fireplace.

Marceline She does need to step up. I have decided to go to HR to get a steer on where my responsibiltiies begin and end before I go to any meeting.

they passed their probation period before I got back to my permanent post.

Hang on - how long have they actually been employed?

They have been there for about a year and a half. I wasn't on the interview panel because I was working in another Department when they were recruited and 6 months after they started they passed their probation.

When I got back I inherited them.

The place I work only gives references confirming that the person worked there for a set period of time.

I am racing out now to do my usual Friday night drop offs for teenagers. It usually involves popping into half the world to collect friends, money, clothes and stuff left at friends' houses. I could be sometime.

I am really grateful to you all for replying and will check in later.

I feel for you. I can't stand lazy co-workers, especially when their laziness creates more work for me. I second what others have said about delegating via email and copying in either their line manager or the person whose work they are doing. That way they can't deny that they were supposed to do the task by the deadline you told them.