bad co-worker update

[redrose85]

I worked briefly with him yesterday, and his proverbial tail was between his legs the whole time. I decided to just let it go and was friendly with him again... my sups know the problems and if they choose to deal with his slackness, they can. It's not my problem. Last night he closed and he didn't do what he was supposed to... though he signed off for it. The sandwich table was not cleaned out as it is supposed to be 3 times a week, and the prep was not done. The condiments were left uncovered and it was just gross. Normally the prep for the next day would be my job, but we had a long power outage which set us way back, so I couldn't get to it yesterday and I was told to leave it for the night shift. He was asked to do it, and he didn't. I know what Saturday nights are like, and I know there was time. Both me and my manager were pretty annoyed. I got there this morning, and no prep was done. We were short staffed (only 2 of us when there is usually 4-6) so we were delayed again. So frustrating. I had to do all the prep in order to get sandwiches out in time for lunch... a lot of unhappy customers. Just a nightmarish day in general. My manager even said that he is "good at doing a whole lot of nothing." If they all know this, why aren't they doing anything?? Can any managers/supervisors enlighten me as to why someone would not discipline or can a negligent employee? I don't get it.

[thejigsup]

He knows someone or something about someone. Happens all the time.

[lavenderdove]

Put yourself in the manager's position... they can't just fire everyone instantaneously everytime they see a problem, or they'd have no workers. A good manager tries to work with someone, and usually gives them a few shots at correcting behavior before firing someone.

 

If he did this 'bad' behavior yesterday and they haven't seen him since, they can't fire him until they talk to him regardless. So you want 'instant' gratification of him being fired on the spot, whereas the manager is thinking, if i fire him, then i have to go very short staffed for a long time until i find someone else, then i have to spend a lot of time training that new person etc.

 

So the manager might already be looking for someone new (and you not know it), and won't fire the bad worker until they have a good worker to replace them with. It's bad for business go short staffed for a long time, so they will plan on hiring someone new before they fire this guy.

[redrose85]

He's been this way the whole time, and they all know it. I don't want him to be fired, or to be fired right on the spot. I would just like them to acknowledge it and fix it, so that the rest of us don't have to keep working twice as hard picking up his slack. We're already short staffed anyways, because of budget cuts and this is just making things even tougher on the rest of the staff. Oh well. I do my best and they know I am a good worker... getting a raise, so clearly they have confidence in me. It's just so tiring doing the work for two people.

[lavenderdove]

I hate to tell you this, but the world is full of slackers and they are present in every occupation and in every workplace. Some people really throw themselves into doing a good job, and some people do as little as possible and misbehave as much as they can get away with.

 

The good news is when you're surrounded by slackers, you will look like a star, and you will be the one to get the promotions and raises etc. And if they decide to let someone go, your job will be saved and the slacker will go. so they are your own personal buffer against unemployment.

 

So as annoying as he is, that is the way life works. Spend your time focusing on your own job rather than getting angry at him. And don't pick up the slack or cover for him unless your manager tells you to, or you know you'll get credit for it. Let his work stand for itself, and it is their job to decide what to do about it.

[Alezia]

That's why I avoid those non-professional type jobs with the plague. I don't want to be boggle down by other employees not doing their work. There are definetly tons around me, but atleast I don't see it most of the time as I am hidden in my office spot =)

Most of my work is pretty independent too so that helps; until I eventually get to a manager's level. Atleast you can then do somethign about bad employees.

 

I think it's the fact that you feel powerless more than anything else that is bothering you. You'd like to take some kind of action but can't and don't see what is going on behind the scene.

[redrose85]

Yeah, I can't wait to be done school and outta these types of jobs. I WOULD just leave his work undone, truly, if I could, but I can't. If the stuff isn't prepped the night before, I can't do my job, so I have no choice but to do it. That's what sucks. Oh well, such is life.

[steelcitymstro]

Every job I've ever been in, it seems like the harder you work, the more you're punished. I think bosses unknowingly categorize their employees. Your bosses probably have low expectations for your co-worker--he fulfills those low expectations. Low expectations suck, but they're still expectations--and when he meets expectation, he's not as disappointing as the employee that usually performs extremely well and has one bad night. The harder you work, the more you raise your bosses expectations of you--so if you were making the same mistakes your co-worker is making, you would receive a stricter punishment because you are further from your known potential. Fair? No....True?.....unfortunately.

[redrose85]

fantastic reply! Thanks, that's about right