Pulled up for “picking on someone at work”.

[ThunderRoadRunner]

I’ve been on holiday for a few weeks, and will be going back to work on Monday. I’m dreading it.

For the last couple of days before I went on holiday I lost it at work. In all my working days, which amounts to a few decades, I’ve never lost my temper.

It centred around a number of new-ish people we have in our dept. They’ve been there about 6 months. They literally do no work, do not hand over any completed work and even just leave things in the sink for other people to wash up after them etc.

I and another colleague have assertively asked them about the handovers, ask them to clean up their mess, and point out that work has not been done, which means I and a few others end up doing it. This is done professionally. However, I came in a couple of days before I went on vacation and was told there were formal complaints about “being picked on”.

I just lost it.

WIBU to expect colleagues to do their share? After all, it’s the rest of us that end up picking up the slack.

Also, I really want to go back to work with a strategy that involves me not picking up the slack for others on top of my own stressful job. Any tips?

Hi pondering

The task I said I’ve shown how to do enough times is a really simple one, like photocopying. It requires a login code. I have shown this particular person how to use it a number of times. I even suggested they get a note book and write down the codes, and a couple of notes. However I get asked all the time; what’s the code again, where’s the paper, and when I go over they basically stand back and expect me to login, go get the paper etc. Another one is, I’ve forgotten my access card, can you let me in/out 8 times a day. It’s draining.

The last time they asked me, I said, I’ve given you the code and showed you how to use it a few times now. I’d appreciate it if you could write it down.

I’ve already decided that when asked, I’m going to get up and show them thoroughly how to use/ do something, and write whatever on a piece of paper, and then say that I’ve shown them a number of times now, and I’d appreciate if they could note down the steps to do it.

It’s not part of my job to train people.

OP, could you not give them a typed guide and ask them to sign something to the effect they have been shown/taught this particular task and are confident to do said task unaided now.

I think you need to say to Colleague you are holding me up now, I can’t get my work done and it’s delaying the whole project. Can the manager not do the training? Can they not get some kind of temporary card? All things you need to raise with the manager. I think you need to send all this upwards. You’ve tried and you have to get on with your work.

With things like login codes I'd just send a follow up email saying "as a reminder this is the process/code" and then every time they ask, tell them to check the email. I know in an ideal world they would take notes of it themselves, but for one reason or another plenty don't!

Regarding having to show them multiple times, we have an induction programme that includes a list of tasks we are expected to learn over about 3 months. Every time a task has been learned by the new starter to both their and their trainer's satisfaction, both have to sign it off & date it. There's a column for notes where you can add things like why it hasn't been taught yet, or dates when training has taken place.

Even if these newbys have been around for a while you can even introduce it and say everyone has to have one including yourself and backdate it to month and year learned. I would suggest a pdf copy is kept & replaced every time something is signed off - this prevents them doing things like the sneaky b who added dates & times including adding his trainer's sig. He was caught out when he was asked to do a job that according to the sheet he'd been signed off for, and didn't have the faintest idea where to start.

Re the pass, is that not a security issue mislaying a pass so frequently?

Excellent idea @Allergictoironing. OP, this can be a nice way to approach your management as they love people coming with solutions, rather than problems. You can say to them that you noticed staff lacked training and you came up with a way to streamline the induction process.

It’s not part of my job to train people.

i don’t know what job you do, but it’s normal in mine that the experienced staff show the new people what to do. For the big technical stuff the manager of the newbie will organise the list of required training (as a pp mentioned) and schedule with the people signed off to do the training. But for the smaller “how to work the photocopier/ find stuff on sharepoint” we all pitch in as needed. It would not be acceptable to say “not my job to train”.

However, it would be expected for newbies to be responsible for managing their own learning to make their own notes of things like access codes and location of shared files. Everyone is happy to help the first time, and the second time too because we all know what it’s like being new and taking in lots of information. By the third or fourth time, comments would be made to the newbies manager on whether the newbie needs more support in organising themselves. It sounds like the root of the problem that OP has is, as others have said, the hands off approach of her management. Unfortunately I have seen for myself the disruptive nature of the type of entitled newbie who is outraged to find they are expected to turn up on time, work and be accountable for the quality of their work. But we’re quite good at spotting them now within a couple of weeks or so of them starting so they get the “shape up or you won’t pass probation” talk, and it’s amazing that they don’t shape up and they do fail probation. Happened twice now. It’s still a pain to document everything for HR but it’s done by the book. Unfortunately they’re good at talking the talk so difficult to spot during recruitment.

For us access passes can’t be shared, it’s a disciplinary matter as they’re linked to what areas you have permission to be in (think server rooms, archives etc) and also the roll call for the building in the event of an evacuation. You have to go to the security hut to sign for a day pass and they inform your manager every time you do so it then becomes a disciplinary matter if it happens too often. OP, you must have a similar process for day passes, just point them in that direction.

If you have a teams channel or share point system which you can all access, we tend to write up these processes there so people can refer back to them. If you can set up something like that and what pp has suggested, this will look good. Also if you’re looking for a new job it’s something to talk about in interviews.

I think my reply would be "Sorry, I can't do that" in a 2001 Space Odessy voice 😂

Seriously though... Be less available. Say, "Sorry, I'm just in the middle of a task I need to focus on right now" or "Sorry I'm just in the middle of an urgent email" etc then offer to help them when you're done. If it's the photocopier, make them wait an hour. If it's the pass, maybe fifteen minutes. They will soon find someone else to ask. And where I've worked, if you don't have your pass you've always needed to get a temporary one as it was against guidelines to use your pass for other people.

That's what I was going to suggest as that is what we do at work.

We have a tutorials folder with all the different processes and a spreadsheet with various log ins and passwords.

I'm surprised the management haven't done anything like this TBH.

I get the frustration as I’ve been in similar work situations myself, but I would have taken it further up the line rather than trying to tackle this yourself

Op write the codes down and instructions down give it them or as another poster suggested send them a mass email with the codes and instructions then when they complain you're picking on them or not helping show your manager the email. You aren't their mum they're grown adults in the working world its time they started acting like adults. I've worked with people like this at first I thought they were just unsure but I quickly realised they're just lazy and expect everyone else to pick up after them, the fact they were quick enough to play the bullying card and complain tells you they know exactly what they're doing they're just trying to cover themselves by throwing you under the bus.

I eventually told my manager very matter of factly I have shown them xyz numerous times they won't help themselves by writing it down I'm no long willing to keep doing it for them or they won't ever learn. Then ask your manager how they would feel constantly having to pick up after them and then when you get annoyed they accuse you of bullying, even the most ahole manager would understand that. I sure as hell wouldn't be helping anyone who expects me to do everything for them then accuses me of bullying them they're lazy, entitled and ungrateful twats and can't have it both ways. If you're manager doesn't deal with this go over their head to their manager which is what I would do and have done when I've had the piss took out of me one too many times.

This is excellent idea. I think also copy their/your managers into the email, especially inview of the complaint made against you. It sounds like your management are taking a lazy approach

This an excellent idea OP copy in your manager but Bcc your manager into the emails and your colleagues won't know they can see them only you and your manager will know it. One of my friends did this when her colleagues were blaming her for work they hadn't completed. One colleague flat out lied to their boss blaming everything on my friend until the boss produced the emails my friend bcc the boss into apparently colleague was silent and couldn't explain themselves lol

Hope today is going well for you @ThunderRoadRunner .

Just say you can't help any more. Don't say I've told you loads of times you idiot, just be 'too busy' with something else. Then if/when they involve your manager and say you won't help them you can just say - very sorry manager I was very busy but also I'm confused as I showed them 5 times how to do X, so actually not even sure they needed my help.

Also this. Useless nobbers.

When I manage people I don't want to be included in every email they send I have enough in my inbox to be getting on with, I am not back at school I expect staff to not need to me micromanaged

Go above your managers head to their manager if they aren't dealing with this.

Yes, I hope so too. 🤞

If anyone forgot their pass at work they had to ask for a visitors pass and sign for it. We weren't allowed to share passes.

Just don’t do their work?

I get the impression that OP can't do her work until the other stuff is completed. Sort of like you can't put the roof on a house until the walls are built.

How did you get on yesterday @ThunderRoadRunner ?

There is never a good reason for "losing it" at work, where is your professionalism?