How do you cope if working with lazy people?

[CrossUniStudent]

Ignore the user name as it's not uni related.

How do you deal with lazy work colleagues when management don't see the issue/refuse to do anything/think you're just whining?

I do my job, others won't do certain aspects of it, or they fanny about no end to avoid the things they prefer not to do, waiting for someone else to pick it up. It's the same people doing the worst/hardest parts of the job day in day out whilst others breeze around doing as little as possible. Is the only escape to leave?

I went self employed in the end. Now I don't need to carry anyone and the only person who benefits from my hard work is me

I had this.

Was a ‘department head’ and the person under me only wanted to smoke. Hours and hours of smoking breaks.

I’d think she was off doing work and she’d be outside smoking.

I had to leave.

There was other stuff, but she made it so hard.

I would stop vounteering for all the most difficult bits.

Have you made a complaint about how the work is shared?

I'd put everything on emails so I had a paper trail.
I'd it got too bad then I'd cc my line manager on all emails, especially those chasing items I need to fulfil my role.

I think I'd be tempted to call them out on it just as your line manager walks in the room. For example, 'don't you think it's time you dealt with (whatever the job is) Jenny, it's not fair that you always leave me to do that part of the job. Then see how they respond in front of the boss. If they manage to wriggle their way out of it, and the boss clearly sides with them, then I don't think you have any choice but to look for another job, as there's obviously clear favouritism going on.

I’m so glad you started this thread - I think we work in the same place! So much dicking about in my office. I love my job and don’t want to leave but it drives me mad so if you find the answers let me know!

It's so frustrating as I love my job in general. I think I might take a 'if you can't beat them' approach. Its not like management can say anything!

I don't cope. I'm going slowly crazy through overwork and despair. Lazy fuckers.

It's really annoying isn't it. This has happened to me a couple of times. First time I was quite junior so just did my job and nothing else. No favours, no covering up, nothing. And looked for another job. When it happened again I was more senior and so phoned a friendly headhunter and suggested the person was looking for a move! She moved on so I didn't have to. Might help you.

I have a colleague who works alongside me in a professional role and she actually cannot do the job. She is qualified but for some reason has absolutely enormous issues executing the role, and I have to take on the bulk of her work in order to maintain my professional reputation and for the benefit of the stakeholders.

She cannot do it and its starting to absolutely cripple me as I am taking on not just her work, but also the mental space that she struggles to access in order to get through the day. She is almost fully aware of her limitations and knows that other people always end up having to carry her. I think she should leave the profession and get a job that she actually can do because it so unfair on the team. There was an incident recently and I've reported it, and I won't be carrying her anymore. Management is aware.

My physical health has actually started to deteriorate and I don't know how much longer I can endure the mental strain.

If you are reading this and you know that you are lazy, or can't do the job, do the right thing and either get better at your job or leave!

In my case it was my new boss who we very quickly realised was incredibly lazy. He got everyone to do what he was being paid for and took the credit for success in the department. We were a department who generally helped out, could forward plan effectively and pulled together. Within a year he had destroyed most of that. He used us all in different ways. I did complain but got nowhere. So many people went part time or left. I stopped reminding him of deadlines and doing extra because it was never appreciated. my friend stopped telling him what he needed to do for the next deadline and eventually I retired early. My friend is now on a secondment. He seems charming but is without doubt the laziest person I know. There's a whole lot more of things he didn't do because he couldn't be bothered.

I think it’s incredibly hard to get anywhere in this situation unless you have someone in a position of authority who is willing to help.
I’ve tried the stance of not doing the necessary work but it goes against my nature to not get stuff done or done right. Hopefully someone will see your work ethic and appreciate it and do the right thing. If they don’t, find another role. Where one door closes another door opens as they say!

I’ve got a senior colleague who breezes in very late every day, does hardly anything but moans all the time. If you try to speak with them about anything, they pretend to not know the details of what you’re talking about, so claim they can’t help. They’re bloody useless tbh. Boss knows I think, but nothing improves.

I worked with the laziest woman alive for 3 years. She was eventually sacked but it was long overdue.

It was torture, I feel for you

Some good examples here of how good treats go down the pan when nobody in charge takes responsibility for disciplinary issues.

They’re very underrated as work horrors - if they’re nice it helps. But be careful how nice turns out.

Don’t get sucked into doing their job. They’re trying hard for you to do that, you know. Hence the nice.

I think the idle get off on it, seeing every turd they drop on colleagues or The Man as a personal triumph, but they won’t admit, even to themselves.

@Supersimkin2 can you elaborate on the nice thing. I think my colleague is trying to manipulate me.

I don’t cope with this situation. I always end up leaving. Usually after going through several emotions and end up hating the job/coworkers/job environment.
My solution is to find a job where I work alone, or where my job is not affected by others laziness and I don’t have to pick up the slack.

I think you can only comment on your own work. So if other people's actions are impacting yours explain this and they will deal with it.
Also as an employee you often assume that others are being allowed to get away with rubbish performance but often they are being
Line managed confidently

I suspect it means they act like your mate and ask for help, but eventually just dump their work on you until you wake up and realise

I'm in this situation right now.

On Monday, after about 4 years, I am taking my colleague aside and speaking up!

Will try and frame it as calmly and factually as possible, given that we have to carry on working together but... how do you tell someone professionally that she is a lazy fucker.

I do my job, and I make it clear to those on high when I can’t due to others not doing their job and leave it with management to sort.

It depends on the job - if it's a case that you work in a home and you need to double up to change/hoist/bathe someone and they're often MIA when time comes then report it to those in charge every single instance. Being seen as whiny in that circumstance is fine because you can always go higher up.

If it's more office based then document everything and send e-mails accordingly i.e. you wrote you part of the report on 5th September and e-mailed it to Bob, he hasn't got back to you since' etc etc.

Also start absolutely dropping balls when you've done your bit and others haven't done theirs. I always tell myself that I'm not in the business of saving lives therefore I won't go overboard to chase someone up or do their bit at my own expense.

Confront it as soon as possible. Some managers will have no idea this is going on.

Can't believe people have never spoken up in years

Note: if they're a higher ups family member or buddy then things like won't change.

Also some work places are just like this and you need to look for a more suitable fit

I'm half of a jobshare and have this, my jobshare partner seems lazy but I suppose could be flaky and forgetful ...
I've only been in the role 4 months and am on a contract, whereas my jobshare partner is permanent and has been there years. We both work from home solely in different locations.
It means I am really the only person who sees what they don't do and I'm realising that if I don't pick up the huge amounts of slack it's going to reflect badly on me overall. I've tried speaking to them tactfully but it's made no difference. So annoying and time consuming though.