How would you approach this situation?

[Dinoswearunderpants]

I have a colleague who is constantly on his phone in the office. He also regularly walks away from his desk with his phone/bag and can be away for 10 mins plus at a time. This happens at least three times a day.

He is often arrives after 9am and often leaves before 5pm.

Our Manager is the most unobservant person ever. I have mentioned these issues to him and he has now asked me to speak to him.

For context, I am a Manager level but I do not line manage this colleague.

It's a classic my Manager fobbing the hard job on to me.

We are all very business at work so noticing these issues is very frustrating. The colleague in question is not in god steed with my bosses boss (various reasons). We're a small team of 4 so it's important we all get along but equally important we all pull our weight.

I'm wondering how you'd appropriately approach this?

I appreciate I've made the situation for myself by mentioning it to my Manager in the first place but he doesn't see what's happening as he isn't sat next to the colleague.

I'd have told manager it's his job to deal with it. Honestly, I'd have had a frank conversation. Either this employee's boss wants the situation resolved and needs to do it himself or he's fine with it and he (and you) need let it go.

If it was my staff member, I'd have a conversation about how it's been noticed and why it's a problem, why does he need to be on his phone so much, does he not have enough to do, is he feeling unmotivated, what can I do to help etc etc, but I wouldn't do it for someone else's line report, as I'd expect not to be supported, if they weren't prepared to deal with it themselves.

Honestly he's a very hands off Manager. It's very challenging.

I might try and bring it up tactfully if I see him doing it again soon. He absolutely has enough work to do but I know he is unhappy with the work.