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Bad Manners and Brimstone
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#Post#: 54826--------------------------------------------------
Re: Advice about a personal text
DIR By: DaDancingPsych
Date: July 22, 2020, 11:37 am
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I've been thinking about this post and I am now wondering if
maybe Coworker is aware that you are picking up the slack and is
feeling guilty. Assuming that Coworker is taking steps for this
to be temporary, I don't think that there is any reason to feel
that way. However, the guilt may have made an explanation
necessary (even if it wasn't.) I might respond with something
along the lines of "I am sorry that you are dealing with this
and I hope that you come up with a positive solution." If
appropriate, I might add "I've been trying to help out as much
as possible, but I know we all look forward to having you back
full force." (My wording is clunky, but you see the sentiment.)
#Post#: 54891--------------------------------------------------
Re: Advice about a personal text
DIR By: Codewoman1125
Date: July 23, 2020, 3:02 pm
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Thank you all for your input. I have decided not to pass the
information along and to leave my original response to coworker
("I'm so sorry!") as is. Coworker's performance is for my
supervisor to manage. I've taken steps to secure some
information (backed up so it is available if coworker's family
member manages to destroy the original).
I think I'll continue to work at my most professional level, and
be tactfully honest about the amount of work I can perform given
the current situation. I'll ask for guidance when it comes to
setting priorities, if needed.
There has been an additional development. I've been added to two
fairly visible and good sized projects. I've been asked to
consider what work I'm doing that can be directed to coworker. I
suspect coworker will refuse any work I try to pass along
directly. What I'll propose is a meeting where we discuss the
work I'm doing and a plan for handing it off. This will
accomplish two things: 1. It will make it very clear why some
tasks cannot be handed off to coworker due to lack of skills or
permissions. and, 2. If coworker accepts work, and then
backtracks, this will give me the ability to bring it up with
our manager. I will make every attempt to support the transition
of work in a genuine manner. I can't help much with permissions
(those were not my decision and may not be changeable), but I
can perhaps help increase coworker's understanding of the
techniques to perform the work.
Clarification: In our area, offices may be staffed in person at
50%. I was one of the 50%. When it comes time to bring
additional people to the office, co-worker may need to continue
working at home due to some other reason. My manager stated laws
do not permit the sharing of more information. So I am likely in
the office on a longer term basis (unless Covid sends us all
home again) while co-worker may not return to the office in
person for some unknown length of time.
Clarification #2: I was thinking by passing along this
information, I might be protecting the company. If a family
member is willing to sabotage coworkers workspace, I'm thinking
they might be willing to sabotage company information or destroy
equipment. But I think that is a risk the company has taken on
and has likely considered.
#Post#: 54959--------------------------------------------------
Re: Advice about a personal text
DIR By: DaDancingPsych
Date: July 24, 2020, 12:28 pm
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To me, it sounds like you are doing all the right things. I just
wanted to say that I find this situation interesting, so please
keep us updated. I do, however, hope that things worked out well
for you in the end.
#Post#: 54961--------------------------------------------------
Re: Advice about a personal text
DIR By: bopper
Date: July 24, 2020, 12:45 pm
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Also do you have an Employee Assistance Program at work? If so,
mention it to your co-worker.
I agree to be very specific about who is doing what tasks...and
have more frequent "check in" meetings so their work or lack of
work can be tracked (as can yours)
#Post#: 56444--------------------------------------------------
Re: Advice about a personal text
DIR By: Codewoman1125
Date: August 25, 2020, 10:00 am
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So, an update. Coworker has continued to be less than optimal.
Making really stupid mistakes. In a meeting with just one other
coworker and him, he got really defensive when I offered to do
part of his side of the project. He subsequently started
delivering portions of his work more often, but at least half of
it is failing testing.
By the way, this person was granted several months at the end of
last year to take a self guided training on this aspect of the
job. The mistakes he is making lead me to believe he didn't
understand the training. There was no test at the end of the
course (or if there was one, he didn't say anything about it).
I'm certain he couldn't pass a test on this skill. He is making
mistakes on really simple concepts. Example: He used "not equal"
when he should have used "equal." He asked me to look at his
work. It was about 12 lines of text. I found it easily and
returned the suggestion. He said it worked and I am brilliant.
??? This is another thing he does, he tells other people I'm a
genius. I think because if I was only normal (and I am only
normal), he would look like an idiot.
Also, he has been working in this role for two years. How long
is it appropriate for me to pick up the slack?
We are reporting on our workload (with our manager) for the last
couple weeks. He is preventing us from doing any tracking by
debating the method of tracking. It isn't complicated, it's a
spreadsheet. He comes up with unlikely scenarios and insists the
spreadsheet be changed to track those. He "misunderstands" what
he's supposed to update and when. So, no tracking is actually
getting done.
I don't feel comfortable looking for other work at this time. I
don't want to start somewhere only to get laid off due to
pandemic issues. So I'm going to stick it out until the hiring
picture improves. While I wait, I'll be learning additional
skills and resume building.
If coworker makes another ridiculous mistake, I'll be back to
post about it.
#Post#: 56446--------------------------------------------------
Re: Advice about a personal text
DIR By: bopper
Date: August 25, 2020, 10:11 am
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Check out askamanager.org for answers to questions like these.
e.g.
HTML https://www.askamanager.org/2014/10/how-to-deal-with-a-lazy-coworker.html
I would go to your boss and say that you all want to track the
work via spreadsheet as that is the easiest, but that you
suspect that Coworker is debating about the method because he
doesn't want visibility in the pace of his work. You suggest
that boss pick a method for now and not have discussion about
it.
You are also concerned because he isn't coding at the pace that
the rest of the team is, his code has 50% error rate on first
run (or whatever metric you use), and when you offer to help you
are turned down...which is fine, but the work isn't getting
done. You just wanted to let the boss know what is going on.
As for you, I would stop picking up the slack and let his
performance stand on its own.
#Post#: 56466--------------------------------------------------
Re: Advice about a personal text
DIR By: bopper
Date: August 25, 2020, 1:04 pm
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Today there was a post about slacker coworkers:
HTML https://www.askamanager.org/2020/08/should-i-tell-my-boss-about-my-slacker-coworker.html
#Post#: 56468--------------------------------------------------
Re: Advice about a personal text
DIR By: Codewoman1125
Date: August 25, 2020, 1:29 pm
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--- Quote from: bopper link ---
>
> Check out askamanager.org for answers to questions like these.
e.g.
HTML https://www.askamanager.org/2014/10/how-to-deal-with-a-lazy-coworker.html
>
> I would go to your boss and say that you all want to track the
work via spreadsheet as that is the easiest, but that you
suspect that Coworker is debating about the method because he
doesn't want visibility in the pace of his work. You suggest
that boss pick a method for now and not have discussion about
it.
>
> You are also concerned because he isn't coding at the pace
that the rest of the team is, his code has 50% error rate on
first run (or whatever metric you use), and when you offer to
help you are turned down...which is fine, but the work isn't
getting done. You just wanted to let the boss know what is going
on.
>
> As for you, I would stop picking up the slack and let his
performance stand on its own.
>
--- End Quote ---
This article was really helpful. I did try a Google search,
looking for just this kind of advice, and came up short. It
does indicate that, with the exception of yesterday, when I
vented to a co-worker and spent too much time on the web, I'm
doing the right things. I am frustrated, but will continue to
practice my (weak) patience.
And, I will be more careful not to pick up things he doesn't do.
There will be more than a few opportunities to practice that,
I'm afraid.
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