To report my lazy colleague to the manager

[Fedupoflazyones]

To give a bit of background, team of 9, one person been there years, ‘old school’ so of a time when there was no urgency to tasks, no thought about customer service etc.

Things move on over the years, I joined the team 5 years ago from another part of the company, myself and others have slowly turned the team ethic around to get ‘tasks’ done in a good timeframe. This ‘old school’ person rose to the challenge but as they’d been there the longest liked to hand out tasks for others to do whilst looking busy themselves.

This was reported to manager at the time and the role of giving out tasks was taken from her - she was told she, like the rest of us needed to contribute equally.

She didnt like this and has continued to quietly do as little as possible, it’s been brought up to manager on occasions, usually by me as I appear to be the unofficial spokesperson for the team. Manager tries give said person a gentle kick up the bum but they improve for a couple of days and it’s back to square one.

This week has been particularly busy - the ‘tasks’ we have to do, we are all goaled on getting about 25-30 of these done a day. It can vary as some tasks are more complex than others. The tasks build quickly if we have people off so it’s important to keep at them.

I clocked on the system that one day this week the person in question had done just one task all day and it was something that would have taken two minutes to do. We were already two staff down so the tasks were building quickly. The person has attended one meeting (same as us all) and the rest of the time, although tapping away on their keyboard must have simply taken an easy day with headphones listening to music whilst the rest of us battled to keep the mounting tasks under control.

Manager does not look at these numbers daily but we have to enter our numbers into a spreadsheet - it’s become apparent that this person always adds a few extra to their number. I’m waiting to see what number gets added for the day they did one.

I suspect Manager is already a bit sick of me / the team complaining about this person and would rather us all just get on with it (they aren’t around much) but it bugs me to the point I feel I need to leave. Then I think why should I leave? I love my job but it’s a bad egg that annoys the rest of us.

WWYD? Continue to bring it up each time it happens? I have evidence of a screenshot of the task completed, or just say nothing and worry about my own work.

If it’s not reported the manager won’t even know as they don’t delve into the system to check that the spreadsheet figure matches the system figure.

Normally I would say just concentrate on yourself and not other colleagues, but, as her inactivity means everyone has to pick up her slack then YANBU.

Thing is, they clearly don't have to pick up the slack. There is absolutely no expectation from management for a minimum level of work and no system to recognise effort. It's not CF colleague's problem if OP wants to do more than is required.

@Fedupoflazyones I think you are wasting your time complaining about your colleague again.

Spend a month getting lots of data that shows some team members do wildly more than others. Put clear numbers on the discrepancies. Then complain about your manager treating team members unfairly and having done nothing when its been raised with her.

If nothing is done, stop working hard, you are just being a mug.

I the manager does nothing, can you approach the person yourself?

Just say: "sorry X, can you help me out with this task? ...."
It may be that the person lucks some training/ confidence with your computer system. This will become apparent if you ask for help.

You can then feed back to your manager with a concern rather than a nuisance. Looks better all round!

I wouldn't complain as hasn't helped previously. I would not be picking up any additional tasks for this employee though. Let it become something the manager has to deal with.

All do the same. The numbers will plummet.

there must be a way of doing a proper audit
have you put your concerns in writing?

I agree with previous posters - stop picking up the slack. Why would you do that?! Work at the pace that is comfortable for you. If work doesn't get done that's on your manager not you. They will pick it up and investigate if there's an issue and it'll come back to your colleague.

Now that's the solution. Why can't you all just do one task? Let it pile up.

I don't understand how they can fudge the spreadsheet. Surely if there say 100 tasks to do each day and you all input the number you've done and CF inputs a fake number then the number will be greater than 100?
I'd say allocate out the tasks if possible for a bit so instead of treating the 100 as for the whole team, give everyone a set number eg 10 and then those who finish quicker because they had easier ones then go and get another batch of 10. And no one help CF and it will be obvious that CF can't even do 10.

just slow down the way you work. I work for a company like that who doesn't care if there are slivers who do nothing as long as other make up their shortfall.

I would be taking a step back and not get stressed about it.

Two options really. Gather the data on the discrepancies between system and spreadsheet and take them to your boss’s boss, along with a record of yours and others previous complaints.

The other option is to accept the situation, let it go and get on with your own stuff and try not to care.

Neither option is the easy route.

Grow up

Just do your own work, slow down. If the manager notices the overall team productivity has dropped explain you are doing your work. Let the manager identify the problem which is their job.

I would perhaps suggest the idea of an audit, not specifically mentioning the particular person but more of a general efficiency and forward planning idea. Might also help you to be considered for promotion if you are showing initiative. Being monitored might also increase her efficiency. Sounds like you need better ways of monitoring what work comes into the unit if it is so easy for her to just add extra numbers of tasks on to her worksheet.

I would also be campaigning for another member of staff because the existing team are too busy. Frame it all more positively and let the management draw their own conclusions about whether they want to keep carrying the other worker.

I agree. Your work ethic is too high. You need to work at your pace, don't make mistakes etc. And if there's a backlog the manager might take action.

This. Unofficial leaders in teams are just annoying, others nod along to their complaints but just want a conflict free life.
Do what tasks you can comfortably do in a day, it's not your job to police others. If tasks dont get done then its your manager's responsibility.
Your slow team member is right in a way, there's no point burning yourself out for a job, your company doesn't care.

Some great advice here. Including thinking about your own work attitude. After a long career with many similar situations I say something once then stay out of it.

Try and not let yourself get frustrated and just do your own work without worrying about lazy colleague. He/she is quite correct. There’s no incentive for them so they don’t bother.

Your reputation matters. Your useless manager probably finds you more an irritant than the lazy colleague because you are showing them up. Just be that steady person who can be relied on and the rest will sort itself out.

I complained about a lazy colleague this week. Said to my manager that people were talking (true). I didn’t want to be checking up on him but thought action should be taken. I pointed out the impact then I said I was leaving it there - and I will.

I had this in a job where we had to process applications. It was clear me and some others were processing the most apps where some people were fucking about most of the day barely doing any. When it was suggested we would get extra pay for every app we processed these same people would moan that it’s not fair as we work at different paces. I ended up moving teams as it was just doing my head in people getting away with bare minimum. There’s none of that in my new team!

Your problem is your manager, not the colleague

Maybe your manager hasn’t had much training on how to manage people.
Stop being the mouthpiece for those who don’t want to speak up. Unofficial spokesperson often irritate.
How often do you have a review? Could you request one? If the entire team flag this as an issue and the manager does not provide action, then go to their manager.
Providing them with screenshots etc of someone’s performance isn’t always going to reflect well on you. Only threaten to leave if you’ll see it through.

Can you offer to do a report based on the system about output? Say you are interested in it as a challenge for personal development? Then circulate that report?
Or ask other team members to ask for such a report?
The other team members need to speak to manager too, don't let them hide behind you. It can be relatively subtle but if enough of you raise the issue they will have to act . The manager wants an easy life too and at the moment everything is getting done . They'll only realise once all the good ones leave .

Agree that manager is part of the problem.

Would state to them again, by email, that the colleague doesn’t seem to be doing anywhere near a fair share of the work, with negative impact on you and others, and risk to the quality of the service. That things haven’t changed since you raised it from X date and that you would like them to take action. Might suggest a couple of things, eg how the manager can access or improve relevant data.

If manager still doesn’t deal within a reasonable time and it’s having a big negative impact on you, would then raise it with their boss, using the email.

more generally I would seek to avoid getting into a position of speaking for others in the team.

Well, you are a charmer aren't you?
Comment aimed at the OP, not those who think that proper use of grammar is childish

@Muchof

Are you sure you are getting a fair perception here, because I cannot believe anybody would do one two minute job in a whole working day. Most people would be bored to tears with a day like that.

I have worked in organisations with people like this. IME most other workers throughout had some awareness of what they were doing. The ones I experienced were also the biggest moaners and tended to have a negative attitude. Most people couldn't bear the boredom or the guilt, but there are those who would rather act like this (must be basically lazy) and, I wonder, if they almost get a kick out of doing this and feel they are putting one over their employers and co-workers? Maybe they feel they are being clever to get away with doing the bare minimum?

The worst one for this, who I worked with, was a guy in IT and I know management were concerned. He eventually moved on and I don't know if he left or if he was pushed, but there was no fanfare or leaving 'do' when he went.

I wouldn't mention the colleague, if you can find out how many tasks they've completed and in what time frame then they surely can. Angle it around your workload and the impact on you, ie I'm having to do x percent of the tasks in order to get them squared away- or just do a reasonable amount and stop picking up the slack. As long as everything is recorded and you're doing a fair amount the manager will be far more inclined to manage the situation if it starts to affect them ie work not getting done.

Your Manager is the problem.

Bring the issue to the attention of your Manager’s boss. Would one of your colleagues go with you so it’s not seen as personal just to you?