Team member can’t seem to keep track of tasks

[Boredbeyondbelief2023]

Hi, would appreciate any thoughts or suggestions on this.
I manage someone who can’t seem to keep track of their tasks. Every few months they’ll need more help in working out what they’re supposed to be doing.
I’ve already implemented weekly catch ups (their request), objectives document that is covered every two weeks in their 121s, am available at any point to discuss issues, spent a day working through time management and setting priorities etc with them etc. Yet within a few months they’ll be panicking and need yet another thing to help them.

For background- they worked at the org for about 18months but 8 months in this latest role. They displayed none of these issues when in their previous role.
The other issue I have is that they think their work is of a higher standard than it is! It’s also becoming clear that they repeat the same stories time and time again and others are starting to tire of it (eg constantly taking about a job they’ve already presented to the team about, repeating their “future plans”).
We’ve had honest conversations about both their problems and some personality issues they have and they tell me they “want to make an impact” yet have real difficulties with any constructive criticism or if people don’t accept their ideas, they’re also missing deadlines of simple tasks and just cannot seem to get on top of those simple but necessary tasks.

In all honesty, it feels like they’ve been told their whole life that they’re great and now they’re having problems when they’ve just got to get on and work for a living like the rest of us. I actually had to tell them that they can’t expect a round of applause just because they’ve sent an email!

I’m at a loss. They’re taking up an enormous amount of time and I feel my patience wearing thin.

What would you do? (Sorry for length of post!)

I’ve had one like this. Actually said something along the lines of liking me performance managing her as I took care of the organisation so that they could get on with the “ important stuff”. I pointed out that this was a time limited thing and the next stage was the dismissal process and amazingly, they could organise themselves when likely to lose their job. Follow procedures and don’t be a push over. You can’t do their job for them.

Thanks, @weaselwords. One of the problems is that the org doesn’t really have any processes. Since I’ve been there I’ve also implemented a lot of new policies and procedures - part of the reason I was bought in - and this particular person was there before me.

I don’t believe I’m being a pushover but I do understand what you mean.

Thanks

Do they have a weekly task list? I do this on a Monday and then change the colours from green to amber to red. When something moves into amber or red, I flag it at my weekly meeting with my line manager and we assess whether it's a time management issue (I have too much on) or there has been a blocker or barrier (someone not coming back to me, providing me with info). Are there any external influences stopping this person from being able to get things done? Do they have any reasonable adjustments for neuro diversity? (ADHD for example)

Is this an age related thing OP? There was a thread recently about Gen Z in the workplace being difficult to manage, struggling with tasks while also having an almost inflated sense of their abilities and performance.

Get rid of them! Sounds like it would be easier just to do their job. If they are new in this job, could it be the 'Peter Principle', promoted beyond their capability? It sounds like you are doing more than required, I would actually be working on a performance management plan to get rid of them. Someone like this brings the whole team down

I'm not sure I'm really following what the problem is here. Is this a member of staff who appears to be unable to grasp the concept of a 'to do' list? In what way can they not keep track of what they need to do?

Or is it more complicated than that, that they know what needs to be done but are anxious about how to tackle it?

Yet within a few months they’ll be panicking and need yet another thing to help them.

Where does the suggestion that they need "yet another thing" to help them, come from?

How is it different from a simple case of excuses for poor performance where the goalposts shift because the reason or excuse shifts?

Has anxiety been diagnosed ?

I think you have the patience of a saint

My concern would be that they are running rings round you. Maybe some focus on performance might help to clarify the true underlying causes of whatever is going wrong here.

Soz. Pressed send before I said the important stuff

MN is a great source of advice, you are absolutely right to canvass opinions here. It's important that you also make sure you are covered and that your line of management are aware of the problem.

It really is him or her, it's not you. .

Not to derail the thread but the only people I have ever worked with like this have been older people who have been in the same role for many years and think they know everything and also that the rules don't apply to them - especially true for the inflated sense of importance and lack of perspective.

Just pointing this out so the OP doesn't jump to conclusions either way based on age alone.

Do you have project management / task management tools in place? Could using one help them?

you do sound very patient and they sound very annoying. Good luck, I hope you can find a solution

Also OP I'm not a manager but I'd be wary of ensuring you're keeping the tone professional and work focused. I wouldn't be impressed with someone saying something like "can't expect a round of applause every time you send an email".

Is it possible the general work load is not being managed adequately, as in just the oversight of it? Have you had a discussion about whether this is an issue for them and what would they suggest?

Haven't read the full thread, but your employee sounds EXACTLY like me. I've just been diagnosed with inattentive ADHD. At the age of 40. I was previously fine at work because i was unconsciously masking in a job i found quite easy. I moved to a new, more difficult role and masking was getting harder and harder and things were slipping.

I've needed huge input with being able to manage my work because i struggle with knowing what is a priority, i have had clashes with people in the past, i take things to heart, i struggle to focus on anything i find boring. I'm also very good at focusing on things i find interesting, spotting anomolies and patterns in data and drawing conclusions, i am a very good coach and because i am overflowing with empathy and logic, i find it easy to see the bigger picture and work out where processes need improvement. So it's not all bad.

Have a read up of it. But be careful if they are neurodivergent you can't say things like "you can't get a round of applause because you sent an email".

Since i got diagnosed everything makes sense, and the things me and my manager thought would help, needed a bit of tweaking and now they are actually working for me and my performance is improving.

Hi everyone, thanks for taking the time to respond and sorry for the delay in coming back to this thread.

I don't think it's age related. I have a mixed team and other members are similar age, without similar problems.

I wasn't rude to them when I said about a round of applause for sending an email- it was part of a wider discussion and not directed at them or their expectations.

The person has a long term health problem and has disclosed they have general anxiety. We have a support plan in place.

I have also had to warn them about how they respond to people as it could be considered rude and disrespectful.

In all honesty, I think I posted my initial message when I was stressed and fed up with it all- I'm still fed up with it but not currently stressed 😁

I've documented all our conversations and my manager has seen those notes.

Thanks again

Hi @SilverGlitterBaubles, could you link to that thread you mention? TIA

and @Chchchchchangesss, thanks for the info. I have wondered about this many times!

You need to be very explicit in detailing what the expectations of the role are and the productivity and quality levels that should be being achieved by this team member.

You need to set an Action plan or Performance improvement plan where these are detailed in writing, with training identified if needed to support them meeting the requirement.

You should set regular check in points to assess and make clear to the staff member whether they are meeting these requirements and if not you will need to take formal action. It will either be based on conduct (knows what should be done, how to do it and is capable but choosing not to do it) or capability (unable to do the job even with support and additional training).

If there are disabilities or learning needs then these should be factored in and reasonable adjustments made inline with the Equality act. That may be providing regular daily/weekly additional support to help them prioritise and order their work, it may be removing some tasks or swapping them with another team member.

Example would be:

Activity - check group mailbox and respond to any queries within 4hrs of receipt
Frequency - hourly
Measurement - xxxxx will check on a weekly basis that by sampling 5 emails received into the inbox and the time of the sent item responding to that email

For decades I have found entirely the opposite. Young juniors who swan in as though they own the place, thinking they know everything, and can't see why they would need to listen to a bunch of oldies. Treating more senior staff in the same way they treat their parents, in effect.

This. If they’ve only be there 18 months just get rid.

The fact that they didn't have these issues in their previous role in your org makes me suspect that there may be undiagnosed or undeclared neurodiversity (ADHD, dyslexia or dyspraxia) and there's something about the new role which is causing this employee's usual coping strategies to fall apart.

It sounds like your employee needs a workplace assessment and support rather than being reprimanded.

Right so surely the take away then is to stop generalising based on age and realise these traits can present in any working age person?

I'm sure they can. I was merely mentioning my own experiences, not generalising.

Hi all, I don't think it's age related.

The undiagnosed or undeclared neurodiversity comment was interesting as I have wondered about this before. They have declared a long term health condition and undiagnosed anxiety.
Equally, the comment re 'Treating more senior staff in the same way they treat their parents,' very much describes how they behave.

I'm struggling to work out, despite asking, whether there are additional needs present or is it a personality thing.

So, if I can set out their behaviour could you comment on whether you've come across this before? Could it be undiagnosed or undeclared neurodiversity (based on your experiences)?

• doesn't like being directed in their work. ie if you ask 'could you do this?' they will retreat into themselves and focus on something else. they do this regardless of who says it to them (but it's usually me).
• has come into work and been rude to people there and then apologises saying they've had an argument at home
• they attach themselves to another colleague - they will constantly ask for their agreement in any decisions they make.
• if you're having a conversation they don't like, they will start talking about something completely different (and have to be brought back to the subject of the conversation)
• needs constant positive feedback (often for the same task, ie something they did months ago they will still talk about and expect the same positive response)
• overall confusion about what they're supposed to be doing. But if you give them a task and a deadline they will typically never meet that deadline. Conversations about why they haven't met the deadline are like asking a child why they did that thing and you get a whole load of nonsense excuses!
• It feels like I'm their parent and their behaviour reminds me of my child when they don't like the conversation we're having!

TIA for any advice. I work in a small team and a small org so my chances to discuss this are limited.

and apologies for length of post!

But if you give them a task and a deadline they will typically never meet that deadline.

As a project manager, I would not have any time for anyone like this on any of my projects. What is the B point of them?

Why are they being paid, if not to complete allocated tasks to the required time, cost and quality standards.

What performance management tools do you have at your disposal ?

What performance management tools do you have at your disposal ?

None!

If they are neurodivergent they might have grounds for disability discrimination. If you write emails as long as your post I completely understand why they aren't on board and need to be told constantly, it is overload.