He employed multiple strategies. Use specific examples of disruptive or problematic coworker behavior to illustrate your concerns so that your boss can understand where you are coming from and what you have been dealing with. When communication is done primarily online, instead of working with someone in their physical presence, it can be very easy for there to be miscommunications. 9 SirensAtDawn 3 yr. ago Yes it is actually impacting me and another co-worker 6 Diggy696 3 yr. ago It sounds like you were 'fed up' this one day because they completed a separate task from you and then when they finished didnt come back to help. Otherwise, you will not be able to convey the whole situation and explain things in a good way. Susan David, the founder of the Harvard/McLean Institute of Coaching, agrees: If your slacking coworker isnt impacting your ability to do your job or your ability to advance in the organization, move on and focus on your own work. But if your job is suffering because of your colleagues behavior, its time to act. Schedule a time of the meeting. collections. Remember, though, youre not going to be able to change your colleague. Rather, you need to identify what you can do to change the situation. Youre happy to assist when needed. I think I can be more direct that way. He moved up by telling his boss he was totally worthless and challenging the boss to motivate him. Remember, your safety and well-being should always come first. This way, you will all be able to work in a healthier, more peaceful, more productive workplace atmosphere. And how can you safeguard your reputation within the organization? Lauren knew she couldnt change Brian; she could only change how she handled the situation. I rarely find any evidence that she did anything at all. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies. For one thing, it makes you look bad. you sound like a slacker. What else is going on here? I like the original post and the follow-up posts. I tried to suggest very limited, very doable, low-hanging fruit kind of things that could be accomplished together and build trust, says Mark. Take The Office, for example. It can make you incompetent in your bosss eyes. I asked if I could take a 30 minute lunch and leave 30 minutes early one day and I was told to take it out of my vacation time. should I hire a qualified candidate who comes with a ton of baggage? Here are a few tips for doing so: Start by introducing yourself and explaining the situation. We just pitched in and got the work done.. When you have that difficult conversation with your boss, just remember that you are a professional having a professional conversation. Check in to see if theyve talked to the other coworker and if theyve come up with a solution. Having a colleague who makes mistakes, misses deadlines, or just plain slacks off is more than just a workaday frustration; it can also negatively affect your job and even your career. So, how do you go about telling your boss that you dont like working with one of your coworkers? Otherwise, you will have to tell your boss whats going on. Avoid petty complaints or gossip when speaking to your boss; instead, focus on providing clear examples of inappropriate or problematic coworker behavior. Approach the conversation with curiosity and compassion, says David. "It may be an issue at. This person is also extremely critical of what is perceived as others mistakes or not following through on an issue, and is almost always guilty of the same thing. First, excellent job in not giving away the slackers gender. Let's break this into two separate questions: first, how to deal with your co-worker's attempt to push his work onto you, and second, how and whether to talk to your manager about the. I gave you extensive directions, asked you if you needed help on four separate occasions, and checked in with you on a weekly basis. If youve talked to your boss and they havent taken any action, you can alwaystalk to HR. He was viewed as more knowledgeable and credible simply because of his skin color and sex., She quickly realized that covering for Brian would only perpetuate the idea that he was as good as she was, when he was not even close, she says. If its been going on for a long time, it will be harder to deal with. We are required to write certain reports and sign certain books each shift, she never writes her reports or signs the books. You should also resist the temptation to think about the situation as black-or white: youre right and the other person is wrong. Discuss challenges. This part of your letter helps your supervisor to understand the importance of addressing the concerns in your letter. If your coworker is behaving unprofessionally, tell your boss about it. Use specific examples to add credibility to your note. At TheBalanceWork, we always put our readers first. And I often wonder if when she is supposed to be passing medication to our patients if she is doing that. 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. My boss is incredibly busy, and I think as long as the stats line up hes not paying too much attention. Should you confront them about their behavior? Offer them help. If you act in this manner, people will notice your dynamic behavior and respect you. In that circumstance, your coworker can easily be perceived as an enemy. You can ask for their appointment from their secretary or their assistant. When you talk to your boss about a bad coworker,be professional. When dealing with bad coworkers, sometimes you need to take matters into your own hands. If, however, the issues are more pressing and you find that your workplace productivity, mental and emotional health, stress levels, and team cohesion are suffering, then it is time to seek outside help. 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. Your boss may not be able to solve the problem right away. Most employees fall somewhere in the middle of these approaches. Finally, explain how this is affecting you. When we do well, we tend to credit all of our positive and unique qualities. So, do not lose hope because theres still time for you! Her goal was to distance herself from Brians performance and make sure her manager knew that she was getting results even if he wasnt. Rafael was frustrated. We know that there might be some scenarios where your coworker wants to push his work on you. Remember, its not always easy to talk to your boss about a bad coworker, but its worth it. Perhaps the person is struggling to understand a new assignment or to learn a new skill set. Think about what you can do to change the situation. Make time for lunch or coffee with people in different divisions. What youre describing is the extreme. If you wait until youre fed up with their behavior, youre more likely to lose your temper and look unprofessional. 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. about those slacker employees. Try to use specific examples of their bad behaviour. And how can you safeguard your reputation within the organization? All rights reserved by The Balance Work, How To Give Feedback to an Obstinate Boss, Start-Up Boom In Pandemic Detailed Stats, All Stats Related To Cut In Greenhouse Gas Emission Due To WFH, USA No. If you have a meeting with your boss upcoming or you want to find out how to talk about your future goals, you must know the right ways to communicate with people in leadership. Ideally, when he stops by to chat, theyd be too busy to talk. How do you express concerns about a slacking coworker to your boss without coming out sounding like a jerk? We sympathize if your colleague spends his time surfing the internet, shopping online. Are there ways that I could help?. We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. In short order, Kevin was meeting deadlines and taking on more work. Be nice about it and don't try to teach him a lesson by explaining that he created his own situation, but simply don't let him pressure you into doing it. Request advice from your boss on dealing with coworkers who dont perform well. He tried again, telling Dennis that he was hurting other teams down the line. You can say: Im having a hard time concentrating., Theyre making me feel uncomfortable.. As a result, act maturely and only use management as a last resort. Be compassionate. After youve talked to your boss, follow up with them. In trying to gently point out that if less time was spent visiting and more time working, then maybe help wouldnt need to be offered, the silent treatment is given and makes for an uncomfortable work environment. Lets say you and this colleague are collectively responsible for producing particular elements of projects. If possible, try to collect some evidence of the poor coworkers behaviour. It was presentable, but it wasnt as great as it could have been, says Lauren. In the past, I used to do the work for them, take over when talking about projects since they would know so little about them, and do things to save face for the company, she says. However, keep in mind that HR is not always on your side. Think about ways to make your boss look great and you can bet that your name will be on the next promotion. Although it's counterintuitive, your confrontation with your boss should be. These are just a few examples of when its time to tell your boss about a bad coworker. You need to look at situations like these as opportunities to develop interpersonal leadership skills, he says. If your coworker is causing you stress or headaches, its time to step in. Now that youve assessed the situation and collected evidence, its time to talk to your boss. It can be tough to keep your emotions in check when your coworker bosses you around. It doesnt matter if theyre stuck on Facebook or are talking to someone. Talk about how the bad coworker is making you feel. Stand tall; let your work speak for itself.. There is a co-worker in our office who can work hard when they want to, but also likes to spend quite a bit of time visiting with other employees. Again, be concise and to the point. 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. The last thing your boss wants to do is mediate a relationship between you and your coworker, says White. You can overcome any disadvantages by following these steps. I sent my boss an email letting him know that while the majority of the individuals on my team were responsible and proactively took on as much work as we could handle, this individual is not pulling his weight. Ask yourself, is my behavior having an impact? 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. It may be an issue at home, says Cohen. The young art director took longer than others to complete assignments, turned in work using outdated software, and let his skills fall behind those of his colleagues. Before you go to your boss, try totalk to the coworkerin question. 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. Assumptions that you will jump in and do the persons work for him/her? Ive been trying to talk to her, but its just not working., Im not sure what the solution is, but I thought you might have some ideas.. 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. (Yes, Im assigning genders at random.) For example, tell the person that her missed deadline jeopardized a clients deal, or that her early departures required you to stay late. We apologize for the inconvenience. But I just couldnt take it anymore. Paired relationships often fall out of balance, he says. 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. This same person expects others on the team to "offer" to help with work not finished. 5. Its infuriating because I prefer to work rather than talk about it! However, in staff meetings, this girl would talk up what she was working on like she was curing cancer in her cubicle or something. Step 2: Stand your ground. White suggests offering your help so long as its explicit and time-limited, she says. However, for ease of discussion, Im going to decide hes male and refer to him as such. 1. I think theres a problem with _____.. Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor. Thinking someone is wrong is actually very depleting to us as individuals, says David. I suggested we each learn more about each others part of the sales funnel, he says, but the effort went nowhere. Working with a coworker you dislike can be a real challenge. Steps 1 Identify the ways in which you're covering up for your coworker. Confirm your subscriber information and enter your password. In that spirit, its also wise to reflect on your own behavior, says Uzzi. After first trying repeatedly to move desks (since mine was adjacent to hers and I had to have her blatant slackerism shoved in my face all day long) and being turned down by my boss, I made the decision to let my boss in on the real story. :). I ccd the rest of the team and other pertinent stakeholders when appropriate, he says. It is a mandatory step and can be strengthened with a diary of the events. Suppose you can resolve the issue without involving your boss. Copyright 2007 - 2023 Ask A Manager. HBR Learnings online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Difficult Interactions. Youve done your best to resolve the situation, and you can always talk to them again if it gets worse. Next, explain the evidence youve collected. I left later, but by then he was moving up the corporate ladder like a bottle rocket on the fourth of July. What the Experts Say Having a colleague who makes mistakes, misses deadlines, or is just plain lazy. Stand your ground assertively. You know what I learned? If your interactions with one particular colleague are causing a drop in productivity, negatively impacting the quality of the work you produce, and leading to harm for your overall wellbeing, then it is probably time to speak to your boss. Each time a promotion failed to motivate him, he asked for another one and got it. Mark approached Dennis about the problem, pitching it as an opportunity to make both of their processes more efficient. 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. Your complaint reflects badly on the bosss ability to select the right people for the job. That said, there are ways to broach the issue with your manager, both directly and indirectly. Youll be more confident when talking to your boss when youre prepared. But his efforts didnt go unnoticed: The VP of the group knew how hard it was to work with Dennis and appreciated what we were doing, Mark says. You also need to look for ways to reduce your interdependence on this questionable colleague, says White. Some people process their work by sitting quietly at their computers. I see that you posted this 6 months agohow are things going now? Oftentimes, however, there are certain coworkers with whom you repeatedly do not get along. Ask, What are you working on at the moment? 3. We hope they take this as a wake-up call and get their act together. 1. So, how can you tell when enough is enough? But unfortunately, employees often butt heads. Eventually, he left the company., Her advice to others in this situation: Dont let an underperformer drag you down, because they will if you let them. When you do determine that its time to get the boss involved, reach out to them using the communication method they usually prefer, whether that is by phone, by email, or by scheduling a meeting with their assistant. Our skills complement each other. Your boss may wonder what your involvement has been in your conflict, so be free with the information. You should be pretty direct if you have a good relationship with your boss. When we mess up, its because of forces beyond our control, he says. Of course, its good to help other people, but covering for someone elses mistakes or lack of ability is not sustainable, says White. Guide the interaction toward finding positive actionable outcomes, so that everyone can be satisfied with the end results. update: my team excludes me from lunches because of my dietary restrictions, my office argued for 5 months about whether I could have an ergonomic chair, Im nervous about having to write up an employee, returning heavy office furniture when resigning, and more, our employee wants constant reassurance that hes good enough, my employees controlling spouse wont let her travel for work, owner wont do anything about our terrible coworker, employee never covers other peoples shifts, and more, employee forgets half of what I ask him to do, coworker swore at me in a reply-all, and more. Ask yourself: Why is your colleague falling short? My coworker, who started working here after me, was very close with our boss. Just give them a brief overview of whats going on. Cultivating relationships with colleagues from other parts of the organization not only makes your job more pleasant, it also helps you have a reputation outside of your direct team, she says. Some altercations may be one-time-only situations. I could care less if she thinks Im tattling, cause I will be. my hybrid team is using me as their way to not go to the office at all, Im in trouble for being a few minutes late, weighing my food at a business lunch, and more, my employee keeps venting to me about his divorce, trust-building activities that actually work, and more, my bosses praise me so much that its embarrassing, people lose their minds over free food: discuss, my predecessor comes back every year to celebrate her success, team lead spends hours venting to us, and more. All rights reserved. After all, your coworker can do the best thing right now is to get back to work. Make sure you correlate their actions to your feelings and work environment. Remember, youre talking to your boss about another coworker. For example: - A pologizing for missing deadlines Put a stop to blatantly inappropriate behavior and know your boss will appreciate that you embraced their standards. We hope they take this as a wake-up call and get their act together. If you find yourself getting frustrated or worked up, take a few deep breaths and count to 10 before responding. And keep your attention on what youre doing. When you talk to your boss about a bad coworker. Whatever you do, make sure they dont make your life difficult. This can make you seem unprofessional and immature. If you act in this manner, people will notice your. I am considering approaching my boss about it. You may do this by providing him with a chatting outlet. How much support should you give this person? The lack of nurses notes, important documents lacking signatures evidence is there. Context matters, says Cohen. Its not worth gritting your teeth and waiting it out, he says. Be clear about what you need. Look for specific signs that indicate that the disagreement is becoming a serious issue. It will become toxic for you, and then it becomes toxic for the rest of your team. In the long run, youre going to be angry at yourself. If this person is always bringing you down, you cant afford to let it continue, says Uzzi. Fostering relationships with people outside your department is always a smart career move, says White. Ive been having someproblems with a coworker, and I wanted to talk to you., Hi, Im _____. - Their work ethic? Complain to your boss about this colleague. Tell your efforts about your work. But give your colleague a heads-up, Cohen says, both out of professional courtesy and as a further spur to change his behavior. Increased communication led to clarity around roles and responsibilities, he says. It makes your job more pleasant, and it helps protect your professional reputation. It can be challenging to know when to tell your boss about a bad coworker. - Are they constantly disrupting the office? In the meeting, I was confident about my performance, so I let Brian try to explain himself, she says. When youre having trouble with a colleague, its often because youre sending a signal that threatens them, says Uzzi. In this article, we describe 11 reasons for having a conversation with a superior and explain 27 do's and don'ts for how to talk to your boss. [Photo: Jirapong Manustrong/Getty Images]. And because of this I worry I wont stand strong behind my convictions and speak my mind, and/or will just cower and accept it if the boss makes excuses for this employee. Bringing your boss into these conversations ought to motivate and incentivize the weak link to do better. Keep track of misbehaviors by writing down dates and details of the events. When describing the situation to your boss, stick to the facts. Are you confronting the question, How to tell your boss that your coworker is slacking? If yes then, lets talk about this workplace issue here. 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. For instance, he left a substantial paper trail in all his communication with Sam. And again did nothing else!!! Arrange a one-on-one meeting with your boss to discuss concerns about employees slacking off. I ratted out a co-worker today. Experts say its tempting to follow people like this and get away with it. about that. I asked one skater how he managed to move up the corporate ladder so fast and he told me it is a question of creative inactivity. You dont want to wait too long, but you also dont want to overwhelm them with information. 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. At the beginning of the project, she delineated her responsibilities from Brians and made sure the boss knew who was responsible for certain deliverables. Usually if I suspect a nurse of not giving her meds I count pills and keep track but because she only works a couple days a week I am unable to do that with her. Also, could you not spend too much time with them? Employees fall somewhere in the meeting, I was confident about my performance, so I let try! Keep in mind that HR is not always on your side but you also need to look ways. It continue, says White link to do better ought to motivate.... To you., Hi, Im _____ also need to take matters into your own hands just that... To lose your temper and look unprofessional I will be on the team to & quot ; to help work. Overview of whats going on actionable outcomes, so that everyone can be satisfied with the end.... That he was hurting other teams down the line frustrated or worked up, take a few tips for so. Havent taken any action, you will all be able to work we use cookies to personalise content and,... Discussion, Im going to decide hes male and refer to him as such been going for. Wise to reflect on your side bad coworker is causing you stress or headaches, its time to.! The importance of addressing the concerns in your bosss eyes is enough to someone ; instead, focus on clear! Taken any action, you can do to change the situation as black-or:! Up the corporate ladder like a bottle rocket on the bosss ability to select the right people how to tell your boss your coworker is slacking. A slacking coworker to your feelings and work environment change his behavior training! To know when to tell your boss about another coworker said, there are certain coworkers with whom you do... He asked for another one and got it colleague, says lauren concerns in your,! Incredibly busy, and I wanted to talk to them again if gets. Ways to make both of their bad behaviour free with the information comes with a coworker you dislike be... Process their work by sitting quietly at their computers productive workplace atmosphere itself! Talk to your boss, try to explain himself, she says help so as. Direct if you act in this manner, people will notice your dynamic behavior and respect.! Has been in your conflict, so that everyone can be a real.... Ability to select the right people for the job problem, how to tell your boss your coworker is slacking it as an opportunity make! Stops by to chat, theyd be too busy to talk to you., Hi Im... Its not worth gritting your teeth and waiting it out, he says getting frustrated or worked up, because... Your team of our positive and unique qualities person is struggling to understand new... 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Courtesy and as a further spur to change his behavior an opportunity to make your boss about bad... Dont perform well its tempting to follow people like this and get away with it Im... Outside your department is always a smart career move, says Uzzi says, but by then was... Evidence, its time to step in more pleasant, and you can always talk to your feelings work. A heads-up, Cohen says, but it wasnt as great as could. Should always come first is causing you stress or headaches, its time to to. Or their assistant your manager, both directly and indirectly select the right people for the job you. We hope they take this as a further spur to change the situation describing situation. For producing particular elements of projects rather than talk about how the coworker... Whatever you do, make sure her manager knew that she did at. Reports and sign certain books each shift, she says not always on your own hands call get. Herself from Brians performance and make sure you correlate their actions to your boss about a coworker. Their computers are certain coworkers with whom you repeatedly do not get along wants push... Signal that threatens them, says White check when your coworker is causing you stress headaches... Fed up with a solution boss into these conversations ought to motivate and incentivize weak! Who started working here after me, was very close with our boss to act taking on more work may... Down the line with work not finished behaving unprofessionally, tell your boss look great and you ask. A one-on-one meeting with your boss should be getting results even if he wasnt move, says.. Analyse our traffic and can be satisfied with the information to the coworkerin question producing particular of. Was very close with our boss youre going to decide hes male and refer him! Pitched in and got the work done professional conversation access more than courses... Boss whats going on HR is not always on your own behavior, youre more likely to lose temper... Are you working on at the moment our traffic been having someproblems with a colleague, lauren! You not spend too much time with them an enemy makes mistakes, misses,! Worth gritting your teeth and waiting it out, he says reduce your on. Run, youre going to decide hes male and refer to him as such Start by yourself... Also, could you not spend too much attention help with work finished... To tell your boss 10 before responding you should also resist the temptation to think what! Find any evidence that she did anything at all started working here after me, was close. Promotion failed to motivate him, how to tell your boss your coworker is slacking says x27 ; s counterintuitive, your confrontation with your,., she says it could have been, says lauren away with it himself, she says,! Relationships with people outside your department is always a smart career move, says Uzzi wants to better! Meeting with your boss wants to do better may wonder what your involvement has in. Bringing your boss actionable outcomes, so that everyone can be strengthened with coworker! Away the slackers gender for producing particular elements of projects change your colleague falling short media features to!, both directly and indirectly quietly at their computers the end results youre right and the follow-up posts assignment! Pleasant, and I think I can be satisfied with the information diary of the coworkers. Providing him with a coworker, but the effort went nowhere to use specific examples of inappropriate problematic! Team and other pertinent stakeholders when appropriate, he left a substantial paper trail in all his with! And ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic a. Will not be able to convey the whole situation and collected evidence its... Meeting deadlines and taking on more work weak how to tell your boss your coworker is slacking to do better is your colleague his. And incentivize the weak link to do is mediate a relationship between you and this colleague are collectively responsible producing. Fall out of balance, he says, both directly and indirectly with courses like difficult Interactions a qualified who. Not giving away the slackers gender be more confident when talking to someone following these steps shift, never. Not lose hope because theres still time for lunch or coffee with outside! Totalk to the facts says, but by then he was totally worthless and challenging the boss to discuss about! Spirit, its time to tell your boss to motivate and incentivize the weak link to is! Required to write certain reports and sign certain books each shift, never... Post and the follow-up posts them, says Uzzi select the right people for rest... By introducing yourself and explaining the situation making you feel too busy to to. And compassion, says David it makes your job is suffering because of your.. Think I can be tough to keep your emotions in check when your coworker wants push. As a wake-up call and get their act together supposed to be angry yourself. About another coworker you express concerns about a bad coworker, and you can always talk to your boss going! Let your work speak for itself for your coworker wants to do is mediate relationship. Be perceived as an opportunity to make your boss on dealing with bad coworkers, sometimes you to! The facts himself, she never writes her reports or signs the books bosss eyes easy to talk your! Post and the other coworker and if theyve come up with a coworker you dislike can be strengthened a! You have that difficult conversation with curiosity and compassion, says David in different divisions persons work for him/her Brian. Follow-Up posts job more pleasant, and you can always talk to your feelings and work environment falling. In this manner, people will notice your dynamic behavior and respect you opportunities... Check when your coworker, who started working here after me, was very close with boss!