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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Sick of guy at work making me look lazy

72 replies

spanieleyes22 · 04/10/2024 14:51

So we have similar workloads but he always rushes and gets all his work done super fast. Manager just asked will we meet the deadline she set of everything in a task done by 5 today. Am not going to be finished. He of course is well finished. Now he is sending me pm so I want his help. I'm going as fast as I can but I can't keep up. Thing is he comes in at least an hour early every day so that's an extra 5 hours a week. Then he told me he often works on a Sunday night to get ahead. Manager has just said do I want him to help me. NO. It's annoying always to be behind. Am tempted to work over the weekend to catch up again but same will happen next week. Feeling v demoralized

OP posts:
Original poster
spanieleyes22 · 04/10/2024 14:52

Do I want his help not so...

OP posts:
SeriouslyStressed · 04/10/2024 14:52

Would it not be better to accept his help in order to meet the deadline?

Glittertwins · 04/10/2024 14:53

I would speak to my manager quietly about this. If there is too much work, then they need to know about it. Working more time than you are paid for leads to poor business management, not just your own health and well being.

FrogsLoveRain · 04/10/2024 14:54

Accept his help if he's offering

MeMyCatsAndI · 04/10/2024 14:54

Surely your meant to work as a team
So if you don't take his help it'll look bad on you.

CharlotteBog · 04/10/2024 14:55

The issue is that you are not going to meet the deadline.
Was the deadline set with your manager not realising your colleague works outside of contracted hours?
If so then the manager needs to have their expectations changed.
Are you slow?

FrogsLoveRain · 04/10/2024 14:56

Not being funny but look at how this is presented:

  • guy at work does overtime to get ahead and offers assistance to others
  • you're behind him but posting on MN despite a looming deadline that you don't think you'll meet....
MrsTerryPratchett · 04/10/2024 14:57

CharlotteBog · 04/10/2024 14:55

The issue is that you are not going to meet the deadline.
Was the deadline set with your manager not realising your colleague works outside of contracted hours?
If so then the manager needs to have their expectations changed.
Are you slow?

All of this.

He comes in early. Do you work diligently in work hours? I have a team member who comes in exactly on time, takes all his breaks (all good) but also dilly dallies, goes for coffee all the time, checks his phone etc. all outside breaks. Then gets nothing done and wonders why.

ZekeZeke · 04/10/2024 14:57

Work your contracted hours.
Accept the help to get the work done on time. However, make sure your manager knows the deadline was only met because your colleague worked outside his contracted hours.

minipie · 04/10/2024 14:57

Unfortunately I think you do need to accept his help on this occasion otherwise you will look petty and like you don’t care about meeting the deadline.

However, I also think you need to have a private chat with the manager about all the extra hours he is working. She needs to understand it’s not you being slow and that the workload is unachievable in the set hours.

Is it definitely a set hours job, or is it one of those “work as long as needed to get the work done” jobs? Because if it’s the latter then your manager is just going to expect you to do the same as him.

Freakydeak · 04/10/2024 14:58

You're looking at the problem wrong. The Deadline is in 2 hours time, you're not able to meet it and are actively avoiding it rather than accepting help.

GlitteringUnicorn · 04/10/2024 15:00

Maybe it's because he's not posting on MumsNet? Confused

Freakydeak · 04/10/2024 15:00

MrsTerryPratchett · 04/10/2024 14:57

All of this.

He comes in early. Do you work diligently in work hours? I have a team member who comes in exactly on time, takes all his breaks (all good) but also dilly dallies, goes for coffee all the time, checks his phone etc. all outside breaks. Then gets nothing done and wonders why.

Show quote history

Equally I have a colleague who comes in 2 hours early, works 2 hours late and swans about doing nothing during the day complaining they're so busy and stressed and claims overtime for the privilege. Some people know how to look busy and don't do much.

AIright · 04/10/2024 15:02

Freakydeak · 04/10/2024 14:58

You're looking at the problem wrong. The Deadline is in 2 hours time, you're not able to meet it and are actively avoiding it rather than accepting help.

This.

Your manager thinks it can be done by five, this guy has it done several hours before five so his additional hour is a moot point.

Do you think that maybe you’re slower at doing this than is acceptable?

You have a deadline approaching in two hours and you’re spending your time posting on MN- I don’t think your colleague is the issue.

coffeesaveslives · 04/10/2024 15:02

I know the main issue is that he's working extra hours to get the job done and then that's making you look bad, but it's also not great that you know you're behind and also faffing about on MN.

You need to address the issue with your manager - that the only reason "John" is getting things done is because he's working all this overtime.

coffeesaveslives · 04/10/2024 15:03

Your manager thinks it can be done by five, this guy has it done several hours before five so his additional hour is a moot point.

He's done an additional five hours over the week, not just one.

MatildaTheCat · 04/10/2024 15:05

I would accept his help with grace. He might well be your boss quite soon.

Freakydeak · 04/10/2024 15:06

coffeesaveslives · 04/10/2024 15:03

Your manager thinks it can be done by five, this guy has it done several hours before five so his additional hour is a moot point.

He's done an additional five hours over the week, not just one.

We don't know the OPs work ethic. He may work 5 extra and she may spend 3 of her working hours chatting in the kitchen and a further 2 scrolling the internet.

WetBandits · 04/10/2024 15:07

Get off Mumsnet then, and go and meet your deadline?

I don’t think your colleague has done anything wrong here; he’s finished his work and is offering to help you with yours as you’ve been too slow to finish it and are messing about on your phone when you should be working. If your manager has noticed, it’s not a great look for you.

He isn’t making you look bad, you’re doing that all by yourself!

DaftyLass · 04/10/2024 15:08

Rather than be mad at him for being a go getter, talk to your manager about realistic time lines.
Do you need to pick up the pace?

BobbyBiscuits · 04/10/2024 15:09

If he works longer hours then of course his work is finished sooner. If he's rushing things and making multiple errors then that's not good. But if he's producing decent work and asked if you wanted help I'd politely accept.
In the next team meeting you should discuss how he obviously is able to work longer hours than you, hence the workload maybe should be distributed slightly differently.
If you are close with him you could just literally explain how you're concerned him helping you makes it look like you're not managing. And he could easily go a bit slower. If he's happy to work extra hours then cool but not everyone could or should do so.
But this would only be if you were friends and he wouldn't throw you under the bus.

AIright · 04/10/2024 15:09

coffeesaveslives · 04/10/2024 15:03

Your manager thinks it can be done by five, this guy has it done several hours before five so his additional hour is a moot point.

He's done an additional five hours over the week, not just one.

I’m guessing he didn’t spend all five hours doing this.

I’m also guessing he doesn’t spend time posting on Mumsnet when he’s about to miss a deadline.

coffeesaveslives · 04/10/2024 15:11

We don't know the OPs work ethic. He may work 5 extra and she may spend 3 of her working hours chatting in the kitchen and a further 2 scrolling the internet.

Yep, I did say in my first post that she probably shouldn't be faffing about on here when she has a deadline to beat Grin

coffeesaveslives · 04/10/2024 15:12

@AIright - who knows, only OP can come back and clarify either way.

I definitely agree she shouldn't be on here if she has a deadline to meet though!

workplaceshenanigans · 04/10/2024 15:12

You have similar workloads yet he is working longer hours than you. No surprise then, that he is getting his tasks done more quickly.

You have two choices. Either you start working longer hours as he does, or you accept his help when he is free and you are running out of time.

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