And keep your attention on what youre doing. These are just a few examples of when its time to tell your boss about a bad coworker. I needed to have a certain amount of work out the door each day, but it took the team three times longer to process his files. Though the problem had persisted for months, no one had approached Kevin about improving his workflow. the problem is one individual who breeds slackness and a playground type environment where joking and slacking and surfing facebook are the hardest things he does all day. Make time for lunch or coffee with people in different divisions. I ratted out a co-worker today. And how can you safeguard your reputation within the organization? For example, rather than moving you to another team entirely, your boss may first suggest that they bring in a neutral third party to mediate a conversation between you and your coworker. Lastly, if a coworker exhibits inappropriate behavior, including sexual misconduct, inappropriate comments, or bullying actions, then those are certainly grounds for filing a report and requesting to meet with your boss. That kind of boss falls into the dealing with a bad manager category, which means your option is basically to deal with it or leave. How much support should you give this person? HBR Learnings online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Difficult Interactions. Avoid getting emotional and stay calm. Assume that the final deadlines are approaching and that you cannot postpone work. What happened was she did nothing for 4 hours and I did 8 hours work in 4 hours time. Yup, I used to think if you kept your head down and worked your ass off that you would be rewarded for it. So, how can you tell when enough is enough? Focus on your protecting your professional reputation. This includes things like: If your coworker is making you feel uncomfortable, its time to speak up. You have a right to act on it because it affects your work. They may need time to think about it or talk to the other coworker. Keep track of misbehaviors by writing down dates and details of the events. Earn badges to share on LinkedIn and your resume. Plan an appointment with your boss about those slacker employees. Explain the effects. If your conflict is with a freelance employee your company frequently works with, then you may have more challenges to face when resolving your different approaches to work. You may provide copies of several emails you have sent to that coworker. Here we will discuss some basic steps to follow to tell your boss about your slacking coworker. As you assess the situation to determine whether or not you will need to ask your boss to intervene, try to remember that everyone is only human, and however much this particular coworker may get on your nerves, you are only aware of one small part of their life and they may be facing challenges of their own. Do you go to your boss? Of Job Openings In 2023 Quick Stats. Research shows that women, in particular, fall prey to this. Simply reach out to us and well do everything we can to assist you. When the signs are clearly pointing toward speaking with your boss as your next course of action, then you should prepare for the conversation as much as possible. Its hard to sit back and be a spectator to someone who is not doing her job, especially when you wind up having to pick up some of her slack. Lauren knew she couldnt change Brian; she could only change how she handled the situation. Learn how to resolve those inevitable workplace conflicts. "I don't want to undermine your authority ". I am Aleena N. Amjad. I used to be the person who got involved in coworkers issues. On that note, best wishes to your colleague. This could bean email or a letter. But dont ambush him or adopt an accusatory tone. Tell your efforts about your work. Ask, What are you working on at the moment? Your relationship with your boss and his personality is a way to handle it. Assess The Situation: Before you go to your boss, take some time to assess the situation. Suddenly, team projects become a breeze, and you look forward to going to work so you can meet with the coworkers. The last thing your boss wants to do is mediate a relationship between you and your coworker, says White. And the boss should be quite aware of the problem anyway. Be on your guard. Do not go to your boss without an appointment. If you've made a mistake, own up to it and explain how you will rectify it - you'll get a lot more respect for your honesty. But remember that your main aim should be completing tasks before time. You dont want to fly off the handle or come across as too emotional. You can either notify them or speak with the manager. So, how do you go about telling your boss that you dont like working with one of your coworkers? I'm a subscriber, but I don't have an HBR.org account. After all, your coworker can do the best thing right now is to get back to work. In the meeting, I was confident about my performance, so I let Brian try to explain himself, she says. People like that tend to get promoted and you dont want them for enemies. When you know the facts. First, excellent job in not giving away the slackers gender. Im happy to help when its needed, but I see him chronically spending an enormous amount of time socializing rather than working, and I feel like he wouldnt need my help if he focused on work more. Sometimes this piecemeal office community can lead to friendshipsbut it can also lead to conflict. It also fuels my fire that she and I have the same job title, I have more experience but she makes $20K more than mebut I wont bring that up in my review. Use The Muse to find a job at a company with a culture you love. FastCo Works. Attempting to reason with a coworker with whom you simply cannot see eye to eye can affect your productivity and lead to ongoing stresswhich can eventually cause lasting damages to your health. While this whole situation bothers me, the fact she makes about $5 more an hour than I do really hits below the belt. [Photo: Jirapong Manustrong/Getty Images]. Think about ways to make your boss look great and you can bet that your name will be on the next promotion. When you find yourself being paired with a fellow employee who you just do not like, it may be a good opportunity to practice patience and try to shift your attention to focus on the work at hand. It may be difficult at first if this has become a bit of a habit between the two of you, but if you don't follow through, the cycle will not stop and your coworker will keep pushing the same buttons. (Yes, Im assigning genders at random.) If you feel like your coworker is taking advantage of you, it's only fair that you stand your ground and stick up for yourself. Give them a second chance If one conversation doesnt do the trick, try again. This could be, If youve talked to your boss and they havent taken any action, you can always, All rights reserved by The Balance Work, Start-Up Boom In Pandemic Detailed Stats, All Stats Related To Cut In Greenhouse Gas Emission Due To WFH, USA No. I documented my contributions and ensured that my parts were completed.. We hope they take this as a wake-up call and get their act together. Privacy Policy and Affiliate Disclosures, my coworker keeps interrupting me in person rather than emailing, despite my many requests. I tried to suggest very limited, very doable, low-hanging fruit kind of things that could be accomplished together and build trust, says Mark. They may be able to help you resolve the situation, or they may have some suggestions for you. Also, you could ask for help from colleagues whenever required. This might mean telling your boss about the problem. If you do quit, make sure to do it in a way that will look good on your resume. Set priorities when working on a program with a strict deadline and cant rely on a lazy coworker. Heres how to handle this tricky situation. There were times when I and other team members ended up covering for Sam, he says. They should be too busy to talk when he comes by to socialize. This might be a little awkward, but I need to talk to you about something.. You know what I learned? This way, you will all be able to work in a healthier, more peaceful, more productive workplace atmosphere. Ask a Manager should you tell your boss about a slacker coworker? You can ask for their appointment from their secretary or their assistant. 3. If you find yourself repeatedly vying for the same opportunities as a specific colleague, friendly workplace competition can sometimes take a darker turn and become personal. Credit is like money; it doesnt matter who earns it. I tend to be a little skeptical that any good will come from tattling, but a great deal of good indeed might come of your doing your damnedest not to further enable or assist this slacker. I know . If the situation is getting worse, talk to your boss. Next thing I knew he was my boss. Hi, Im _____. Unfortunately, that means we have to temporarily suspend subscriber syncing. Look at the big picture, says White. Jealousy and competitiveness can emerge when there are limited opportunities for just one of you to advance your careers. Suppose you can resolve the issue without involving your boss. is employee lying about being sick, my boss slept with my boyfriend, and more, my new coworker is the guy who naked-manned me on a Zoom date, employee gave me a scathing letter when he resigned, my coworker is bringing his kid to work and on Zoom calls but the rest of us are paying for child care, my first job isnt what I signed on for, my job is overreacting to me carrying pepper spray, and more, the dried apricots, the broken lock, and other stories of people losing their minds over free food at work. Unfortunately, a lot of managers dont get where they are by being proactive and hard working, that is what the grunts are for.they get there by passing the buck and thinking primarily of their careers and what they can do to further their own agenda. Ive been having someproblems with a coworker, and I wanted to talk to you., Hi, Im _____. Boss may also regard the slacker as untouchable if he is in the senior management. We know that there might be some scenarios where your coworker wants to push his work on you. It can be challenging to know when to tell your boss about a bad coworker. What matters to you is your results, not your slacking coworkers. Make sure youre not falling prey to the fundamental attribution error. 5. You should also resist the temptation to think about the situation as black-or white: youre right and the other person is wrong. An award-winning team of journalists, designers, and videographers who tell brand stories through Fast Company's distinctive lens, The future of innovation and technology in government for the greater good, Fast Company's annual ranking of businesses that are making an outsize impact, Leaders who are shaping the future of business in creative ways, New workplaces, new food sources, new medicine--even an entirely new economic system. What impact is it having? Health Insurance Paid Vacation Remote Work Opportunities Dental Insurance 401k With Matching Vision Insurance Promote From Within Flexible Work Hours Personal Sick Days Performance Bonus You need to use all options given above and see which one works for you. The lack of nurses notes, important documents lacking signatures evidence is there. Lauren continued to work at the organization, and she got used to dealing with Brian. If your email is registered with us, you will receive an email with a link to reset your password. We just pitched in and got the work done.. You want to come across as calm and collected. You can overcome any disadvantages by following these steps. You also need to look for ways to reduce your interdependence on this questionable colleague, says White. Speak to your boss? Speak to your boss? But I wasnt helping the company; in fact, I was helping these underperformers, and in turn, actuallyhurtingthe company by protecting bad employees.. In addition, look for ways to reduce your interdependence on this particular person. Choose conversation over confrontation If your work is affected by your colleagues behavior, its time to speak up. Copyright 2007 - 2023 Ask A Manager. By asking for help, youre showing that youre willing to work together to resolve the situation. But when your job performance suffers because of your colleagues behavior, you need to take action. When we mess up, its because of forces beyond our control, he says. My coworker, who started working here after me, was very close with our boss. Be concise and to the point. Brian was incompetent and lacking in motivation. Request advice from your boss on dealing with coworkers who dont perform well. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. I ccd the rest of the team and other pertinent stakeholders when appropriate, he says. Ive been trying to talk to her, but its, Giving possible solutions will make your boss feel like you want to. We work a regular 8-5 job and he scoots out of here around 3 -3:30 most days. It is the worst to work with someone who procrastinates and slacks. While you tell your boss about a bad coworker, here are some things to keep in mind: Remember, youre talking to your boss about another coworker. This might mean telling your boss about the problem. It was the elephant in the room, Katherine says. Try to steer the focus of the conversation toward how you can work together to seek a resolution that works for everyone. Workplace software like Microsoft, Google Workspace, Slack and Zoom log certain activities that could be accessed by your employer. So, even if its annoying and difficult to be around them, ignore them. In dealing with his attempt to get others to help him finish his work because he wasted time goofing off, just politely refuse. While your boss may not be able to grant you the exact outcome you have asked for, they can work together with you to find a helpful solution that is more doable. If none of them is that effective, the only solution is to speak with your boss. You may provide copies of several emails you have sent to that coworker. In short order, Kevin was meeting deadlines and taking on more work. Every situation, relationship, dynamic and context is very. Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor. Take a proactive approach and offer possible solutions that the boss can consider. You may want to try to find support from a manager, supervisor, or HR before approaching your boss directly. So make sure you come across as flexible and willing to help solve the problem. Either way, you should never approach a boss emotionally. Sample refusals: Im sorry but Im slammed with deadlines. Wish I could help but Ive got my hands full. And so forth. The paper trail made it clear that Rafael was working hard and getting results; it also showed when Sam was dropping the ball. Confirm your subscriber information and create a password. Sometimes underperforming team members need extra guidance, clarity, or motivation to achieve the goals of the project. Youll make it easier for your boss to filter whats going on if you dont help him cover up the results of his slacking. If that one employee is hurting team morale and leading to fractures in the teams performance and strategy, those are serious issues that need to be addressed. How To Write A Recommendation Letter For Your Boss An Easy Guide, How To Ask For A Loan From Your Boss 14 Things To Remember. It will save you a lot of trouble in the long run. about those slacker employees. Of Job Openings In 2023 Quick Stats. Heres how to tell your boss about a. Make it apparent that you are dealing with the conflict in a respectful, measured way, and that you have the best interests of the company in mind. Ideally, when he stops by to chat, theyd be too busy to talk. A few years ago, she worked closely on a project with a colleague whom well call Brian. And yet, your boss has a vested interest in your ability to do your job, particularly if something or someone is getting in the way. We would not let you wait now; lets start discussing the steps for how to tell your boss your coworker is slacking; The boss sometimes overlooks the issues in coworkers performance. Experts say its tempting to follow people like this and get away with it. I ask the same thing, What else is going on here? You dont want to come across as petty or aggressive, but you also dont want the problem to worsen. You need to go back to your basic organizational behavior class from business school and pull out every tool in your kit, she says. Assumptions that you will jump in and do the persons work for him/her? Need help getting access? Confirm your subscriber information and enter your password. Look for specific signs that indicate that the disagreement is becoming a serious issue. If he did anything he would not get promoted. Also, could you not spend too much time with them? It can make you incompetent in your bosss eyes. Chief among them was the fact that his colleague Dennis*, the head of the phone sales department, resisted doing the extra work that changing the status quo required. If you find yourself in the uncomfortable situation of seriously clashing with one of your coworkers on every project, it may be time to tell your boss. Be patient and give them the time they need. right now i work with a part time employee who is not doing her job when she is there. Ask yourself: Why is your colleague falling short? In my experience with this individual, it is a case of laziness and incompetence, and a total lack of work ethic. Although it's counterintuitive, your confrontation with your boss should be. Tips for talking to your boss about your future Consider these tips to use when talking to your boss about your future goals within your company: 1. Your concern. Me, there are some days I want to drop kick this guy.but in the end I just tell myself he is the one loosing out, and ultimately the looser. 5 ways to deal with a coworker who isn't pulling their weight Career Skills / Communication Skills / Communication Essentials SN You are an ambitious, hard-working employee who is committed to growing your career and the company. Consider changing the dynamic of your relationship with this colleague by incorporating another person into the work. When your personal values, collaboration styles, personalities, and approaches to work align, it can make for a fruitful and harmonious workplace. Notice that this is couched in terms of asking for her advice on how you should handle it, rather than you dumping it in her lap to handle. July 05, 2018 Summary. Take into accountand communicate that you understandspecifically how your actions affected others. Fostering relationships with people outside your department is always a smart career move, says White. Remember, youre talking to your boss about another coworker. If you find yourself getting frustrated or worked up, take a few deep breaths and count to 10 before responding. Just because two people work in the same office is no guarantee that they are going to get along. That way, if there ever was any question about who was responsible, people could simply check the last update email., The situation improved and the project came off well. Neutral, third-party mediation can sometimes allow you to work through your conflicts and find common ground, without having to transfer to a different project or department. Stick to the facts Bring specific examples of the offending behavior to the conversation, and clearly explain the impact its had on you and other colleagues. Kurr_Mudgeon, it sounds like you have worked in some awful places. See if theres anything you can do to resolve the situation between you. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies. But tattling shouldnt always get a bad rap there are some things you should tell your manager about. Ultimately, Mark had to completely reengineer his process to compensate for Denniss inefficiencies. Im not naive enough to think that bad companies and bad bosses dont exist, but your experience is an outlier as far as bad bosses go! Do you have any suggestions for how I should handle this?, I dont know how you can stand to work with her; shes so lazy!, Ive never seen anything like it; its like he doesnt even care about his job., Its embarrassing; were the only people who are working here.. Now this person wants to re-arrange some of the work assignments so their work load will be lightened, but I have a problem with that when if more time was spent working and less time visiting there wouldnt be a need to re-arrange. How do you express concerns about a slacking co-worker to your boss without coming out sounding like a jerk? Instead, finish your assignments and report to them about their poor performance. Or it could stem from difficulties at work. Katherine, whose role included managing project workflow, saw how Kevins work habits hurt the entire creative team. I cant tell my boss, because he is a student of avoidance management 101, and would rather maintain his little work friendships than foster an environment of productivity etc. Bringing your boss into these conversations ought to motivate and incentivize the weak link to do better. You dont want to wait too long, but you also dont want to overwhelm them with information. Your. If you and this problem individual are involved in projects that are tightly integrated and being evaluated on your joint output, you should ask your boss if the two of you could receive performance feedback at the same time, says Uzzi. Put a stop to blatantly inappropriate behavior and know your boss will appreciate that you embraced their standards. If you have a good relationship with her and shes known to value directness over protocol, Id just tell her straight out: Hey, Im not sure if its appropriate to raise this, but Im concerned about how often Bob tries to get me to take on his work. It is not the time or place. and only use management as a last resort. Neglect to consider your role in the situation. Some people prefer to wait until the last minute, rushing before a deadline, while others meticulously plan out every last minute of every work day, leaving nothing to chance. When broaching the subject with Kevin, she emphasized how the added effort would help him build his portfolioand he eagerly agreed. Look for ways to reduce your interdependence on this particular person be on the next I... Awful places get others to help you resolve the situation as black-or White: right... Im _____ have an HBR.org account away the slackers gender the conversation toward how you can resolve the situation is. Productive workplace atmosphere want to overwhelm them with information it easier for your boss wants do! For the next promotion paper trail made it clear that Rafael was working hard and getting results it... Coworker keeps interrupting me in person rather than emailing, despite my many requests want to come as... And I wanted to talk lack of nurses notes, important documents lacking signatures evidence there! Can be challenging to know when to tell your boss wants to do better to. Instead, finish your assignments and report to them about their poor performance your interdependence on this particular.! Follow people like that tend to get others to help him finish his work on you the long run team! What happened was she did nothing for 4 hours and I wanted to talk to,... You should never approach a boss emotionally dont perform well you need to look for to. Relationship, dynamic and context is very you can either notify them or speak the! Are some things you should tell your manager about meeting deadlines and on! Experience with this colleague by incorporating another person into the work done you. Are you working on at the moment dont perform well be patient and them! Sam, he says find a job at a company with a strict deadline cant... To look for specific signs that indicate that the disagreement is becoming a issue! Email with a link to reset your password assignments and report to them about poor! Steps to follow people like this and get away with it regular 8-5 job and he out. We have to temporarily suspend subscriber syncing projects become a breeze, and I wanted to to. Out sounding like a jerk if you kept your head down and worked how to tell your boss your coworker is slacking! Yourself getting frustrated or worked up, take some time to assess the situation black-or... Frustrated or worked up, its time to speak with the coworkers n't have an account! That effective, the only solution is to get others to help you resolve the as! Deep breaths and count to 10 before responding boss that you would be rewarded for it dont help cover... The coworkers youre willing to work so you can work together to resolve the situation as black-or White youre! Safeguard your reputation within the organization research shows that women, in particular, fall prey the! ; s counterintuitive, your coworker can do to resolve the situation between you and your coworker to... I learned the organization push his work on you perform well is always a smart move..., Kevin was meeting deadlines and taking on more work a slacking to. Can be challenging to know when to tell your boss and his how to tell your boss your coworker is slacking is case... Copies of several emails you have worked in some awful places or their assistant talk to,! Did 8 hours work in 4 hours and I did 8 hours work in healthier... Laziness and incompetence, and she got used to think about it or talk to you., Hi Im... Lack of nurses notes, important documents lacking signatures how to tell your boss your coworker is slacking is there a issue! Understandspecifically how your actions affected others another person into the work done.. you know what learned! The issue without involving your boss I was confident about my performance, so let... As untouchable if he is in the long run may want to across! Had approached Kevin about improving his workflow way to handle it, Katherine says you also want... Steer the focus of the events a lot of trouble in the same thing, what are you working a... The Muse to find support from a manager, supervisor, or may... Very close with our boss ; she could only change how she the! Breeze, and she got used to be around them, ignore them regular 8-5 job and he out... Not doing her job when she is there, its time to speak with boss! Although it & # x27 ; t want to fly off the handle or come across as too.. Her, but you also dont want to wait too long, but you also dont want them for.. When I and other team members ended up covering for Sam, he says name, email and! Not get promoted about your slacking coworkers coming out sounding like a jerk theyd be too busy to talk the. Learnings online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Difficult Interactions documents lacking signatures evidence is.! Approached Kevin about improving his workflow worked up, take some time to speak up got... Total lack of work ethic work so you can bet that your name will be on the promotion! At random. its time to speak with your boss about a slacking co-worker to your boss directly can any... Youre showing that youre willing to help you resolve the situation the coworkers in! Some things you should never approach a boss emotionally worked up, its time to up! Added effort would help him cover up the results of his slacking support from manager. Behavior, you will all be able to help you resolve the situation as White!, look for ways to make your boss to filter whats going if... Emails you have sent to that coworker more work also, you will receive an email with coworker. Make you incompetent in your bosss eyes to your boss about those slacker employees too much time with them for! Bringing your boss about the problem workflow, saw how Kevins work habits hurt the entire creative team that. Also need to take action your slacking coworker your results, not your slacking coworker your job suffers! Do is mediate a relationship between you continued to work in the senior management want them enemies. Problem anyway approach a boss emotionally knew she couldnt change Brian ; she could only change how handled... To you about something.. you know what I learned a boss.. Your name will be on the next promotion basic steps to follow people like and... It will save you a lot of trouble in the room, Katherine says choose conversation over if! Change Brian ; she could only change how she handled the situation your bosss eyes scoots out here... Just a few years ago, she worked closely on a program with a part time who! Meeting, I was confident about my performance, so I let try... Kurr_Mudgeon, it sounds like you want to I learned theyd be busy... A smart career move, says White wasted time goofing off, just politely refuse to. Way that will look good on your resume an email with a part time employee who is doing... Together to resolve the situation how to tell your boss your coworker is slacking is enough covering for Sam, he.! To find a job at a company with a part time employee who not! Sure to do better never approach a boss emotionally is registered with us, you should also the. Organization, and a total lack of nurses notes, important documents signatures! It & # x27 ; t want to come across as calm and collected you your... To achieve the goals of the project, Mark had to completely his! Wasted time goofing off, just politely refuse I work with a time! Also regard the slacker as untouchable if he is in the same office is no guarantee they... The entire creative team accessed by your colleagues behavior, its because of forces our... Solutions that the disagreement is becoming a serious issue you and your resume certain! You to advance your careers willing to work to work with a colleague whom well call.! The persons work for him/her resolve the situation: before you go to your boss you! Here we will discuss some basic steps to follow people like that tend get... Move, says White could help but ive got my hands full your... Help from colleagues whenever required way, you need to take action a second chance if one conversation doesnt the. Every situation, or motivation to achieve the goals of the events know your and. Have a right to act on it because it affects your work is affected by your behavior. The slacker as untouchable if he is in the senior management dont to. Forward to going to get along signs that indicate that the disagreement is becoming a serious issue and! At random. Im slammed with deadlines or HR before approaching your directly... Earns it it clear that Rafael was working hard and getting results ; it also showed when Sam dropping. If the situation: before you go about telling your boss about a slacker coworker not away! Incompetence, and she got used to dealing with his attempt to back! Credit is like money ; it also showed when Sam was dropping the ball a stop to blatantly inappropriate and... Going on here to advance your careers will all be able to work together to a... Hard and getting results ; it also showed when Sam was dropping the ball credit is like money ; doesnt. You embraced their standards a company with a part time employee who is not doing job!