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Are performance issues being addressed?
A slacking co-worker seems to be pushing boundaries
Q: My boss is a laid-back kind of manager. We are a small company right near the State House. I think most of us work hard. Every once in a while there is someone, usually the same someone, who pushes it beyond what most of us think is acceptable. This employee will take a long stroll through the Boston Common. Or he will window shop on Newbury Street. This lunch “hour” extends beyond two hours at times. Some of us feel like much of the work is being put on our desks, when he should be handling it. Our boss will make excuses that “Ryan” needs more “downtime” than most. I like the chill vibe, but no one else seems to cross the boundaries like Ryan does. It is VERY rare for our manager to even give difficult feedback. For most part, everyone pulls their weight. Even Ryan can be a good contributor when he wants to put forth effort. He just seems lazy at times. When one employee seems to not carry their weight, how should a company or a manager respond? I am not sure if this makes a difference, but our manager is a new manager. I do not think my manager has been given a lot of training. Is there any way to right this ship?
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A: At the present time, many companies are focused on employee engagement and retention. Additionally, if employers are expecting employees to be available during the evenings and weekends, employers are giving employees a bit of extra flexibility during the workday. With that said, most employees are respectful and appreciative of such an environment. However, there are some who take advantage of such flexibility. Many companies are giving employees the option of working flexible hours if they can still complete their work. Instead of watching when employees punch in and punch out, managers are evaluating an employee’s productivity and results vs. the actual hours worked. The real question is, does Ryan meet your manager’s expectations and complete the work that he is tasked with? Unfortunately many managers are thrown into supervisory roles, without any mentorship or training.
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Your manager may be observing these behaviors too. Ryan must be perceived as a slacker, but he also may be working remotely until 1:00am on the tight deadline. You and I may not know what is occurring behind the scenes. Your manager has to have some level of trust with his employees. However, if Ryan is taking advantage of that trust and not getting his work done, your manager should be addressing these concerns with Ryan. Your manager should strive to be consistent as well. If he addresses performance problems with others, he should be discussing those concerns with other employees. You may not be aware if your manager is addressing performance concerns with Ryan. It may be happening, but in most instances, this is a confidential process.
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