Office Princess

[GirlOnATrainToShite]

So we have this really difficult and fucking lazy colleague. Every day she has a new health issue which TBH I now ignore. She is one of those people who always has to make a fuss, thinks everyone is out to get her and falls out with everyone. She isn't just allergic she's really allergic to x y and z. There are others including myself who suffer with hay fever but take pills etc and get on with it (sometimes my eyes just stream!) but when she is there she has it the worst.

Our office is at the back of an old youth centre and the sun always comes in in the afternoon massive windows overlooking a huge playing field. Lovely.

In the winter it's freezing in the morning but the sun blazes in through the windows in the afternoon - we have a couple of plug in heaters which she takes charge of and will take to the side of her desk and straddle when she arrives .

While ago we raised our concerns with her manager as she arrives late, leaves early, does fuck all while she is there and spends hours on personal phone calls. There was a meeting where office "rules" were agreed which she still continues to ignore esp while just her and I there. She falls out with everyone - including partners (schools) to the point she cannot work in some schools.

Last few days with the heat we have had all the windows and the door open, the fan on and it's hot but bearable. Hay fever not great due to feild, itchy eyes nose those ears etc but most people in the office unaware I suffer unless my eyes are steaming and is preferable to sweating.

Office Princess arrives and closed all the doors and windows and blinds saying the "warm air" was making it hotter and opened all the fire doors to the old youth centre.

I did challenge her (even went down the health and safety route) but she argued and I backed down as crap with conflict.

But have spent the last two days sweating my arse off

What do I do?!

Straddles the heaters? Can you see what she's doing under her desk?

Yorrick you are bad. So very bad!

I think I worked with this woman (North London LA). Disturbingly she got the permanent position when it was offered. She really was exactly as useless annoying and self-centred as the woman you've described though. LAs are very odd places to work for.

Well it might explain why she never gets any work done!

She needs to be under performance management - it's unprofessional and disruptive to the rest of the workplace. Chatting away whilst cracking on with your work is fine - it makes life more interesting and adds variety to the day. But sitting there doing zero work, whilst interrupting everyone else and faffing about with stuff which is not work-related, is a conduct issue and should be being dealt with by her manager.

You need to go to her manager, make a formal complaint and ask that the issue is dealt with properly under the performance management guidelines (if you're in an LA I assume that you have such a policy?). Her manager cannot just ignore this and/or wash their hands of it. They are paid to manage her - and that's what they need to do.

FYI our office is also cooler with the windows open. Ours doesn't get direct sunlight for much of the day and we're on the 2nd floor so high enough to get a bit of a breeze. There's a noticeable difference in the flow of cooler air when we open the windows. That said, I don't think I have ever worked in an office where everyone has agreed on the temperature - what feels fine to me usually has others huddled in slankets and round heaters and they seem to keep the thermostat set to tropical. I've stopped arguing now - I have deodorant in my desk drawer, a fan next to my screen and a can of vaporised water mister for when it gets really bad.

Break the heaters.

Poison the plants.

Give her the 100 yard stare when she starts to moan again.

Can you ignore her unless she's talking about anything work-related that requires a response? Childish to ignore her, but perhaps she will get the hint!

The office meeting where rules were agreed...this is a cop-out by the person who 'manages' her, if it was a meeting that everyone attended.
I used to work with someone, not quite as bad, but lazy as lazy can be. Personal calls all day, late in every morning, first out in the evening.

At staff meetings the useless head of department would reiterate stuff that the rest of us didn't need to be told. All in the vague hope that she would start doing what she was supposed to be doing, ie work!

I would do my best to ignore your colleague, OP. I also think a concerted complaint from ALL affected by her carry on, might have a better effect.

At staff meetings the useless head of department would reiterate stuff that the rest of us didn't need to be told. All in the vague hope that she would start doing what she was supposed to be doing, ie work

Agreed that it is so frustrating when this happens. People who lack the self awareness in the first place are extremely unlikely to suddenly have a flash of inspiration as a result of oblique hints from a team meeting, and change their ways. Managers are being paid to manage - and that includes having difficult conversations when needed, about performance expectations.

I say this as a manager BTW! I really hate having to do this kind of stuff, but in fairness if you nip it in the bud early then it shouldn't ever get to this stage. The OP's colleague who manages this woman is dodging the responsibility - may be he/she doesn't have the experience in this aspect of management and that's why they are putting it off. If that's the case then you can't just continue to dodge the issue - lean in to more experienced managers / HR for assistance.

My poor dil worked with one just like this. Been there 20 years Nearly broke her until a new head HR started and took her on. She left after a few months.

I brought her champagne.

Awful for you all op.

She sounds like a complete PITA. I think all you can really do is refuse to take up the slack if she's not getting her work done; it's really up to her manager to address lateness etc.

The window issue really depends on what it's like outside. If it's not too hot and there's a cool breeze then, yes, open windows would be better. But if it's hot then the window is better off closed. Where I am, it's pretty hot this week (32/33 outside, no wind, and we don't have air-con). This was the e-mail sent by site services on Monday -

The weather report is forecasting a hot week this week with temperatures of more than 30 oC. I would like to give you some guidance on helpful behavior. It is absolutely necessary to avoid that the building is heating up by opening windows in the morning and closing windows and shutters latest at 11 o clock. This prevents the heat getting in. Please also feel responsible for meeting rooms in your area.

Do you know who interviewed and hired her? Because that can sometimes provide insight into why people are allowed to get away with things. E.g she is related to someone!
But also your friend is not a good manager if she does nothing about it. Would suggesting that her lack of action may reflect poorly on her own performance push her into doing something?

If poss, let someone above your friend know each time she does something that she is reasonably supposed not to.

She's "working from hone" today as too hot in the office - thank god so basically a day off.