Friend is a slacker, what to do?

[eyeswideclosed]

I have a good friend where I work but for the last couple of years he has turned into a complete slacker, just wants to walk around and socialize and bs all day, does very little actual work, management is oblivious (that's a whole 'nother story). Due to no fear of being fired among a lot of people here (again management's fault) he's not the only one, but it really bothers me. I want to say something but I know that would be really awkward.

 

[SantaMufasa]

If it really bothers you, there are ways to have a (possibly low-risk,) positive effect on the situation without specifically compromising your friend:

If you are acquainted with an upper-level manager, and s/he has a relatively open-door policy (or if there is an anonymous "Suggestion Box"-style option), bring up the issue that you feel that some of the company's personnel are "carrying" others in the company; that there are possibly a multitude of reasons for the (mis)behaviour, but regardless of cause, you feel that it is harming the company's bottom line and causing some resentment amongst the load carriers.

Explain that you are not looking for disciplinary actions on the featherbedders, but you are requesting a restatement of company values and some sort of incentive/disincentive/managerial leadership action to change the behaviour of those not carrying their weight and to inspire rededication to teamwork and productivity for the good of all.

If someone presses you for "names", reiterate that you are not looking for individual punishment, but instead, looking for cultural adjustment/rejuvenation.

How does that plan sound?

Mufasa
(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)
[I can provide you with low-cost, remote Database Administration services: see our website and contact me via www.dasages.com]

 

[dennisbbb]

Sounds great SantMufasa.. you are a master manipulator.

 

[chiph]

What about the recent hires that the company has made? Are they workers or slackers?

Chip H.


____________________________________________________________________
If you want to get the best response to a question, please read FAQ222-2244 first

 

[rosieb]

Hmm, it sounds like a problem with management, or the organisation...

Why has he turned into a slacker?, Why has it been allowed to happen? And, why has his manager not noticed?

In your opinion, is he a natural slacker - or has he been demotivated?

Rosie
"Don't try to improve one thing by 100%, try to improve 100 things by 1%

 

[eyeswideclosed]

Thanks for all the feedback.
chiph, the new people work, the slackers are people that have been here a long time, maybe that is a clue to what's going on.
rosieb, I don't know what happened to him, and he has been warned repeatedly btw, then he works for a few days but always slides back. I guess they have no real fear of being fired, they were here before all the big globalization and outsourcing stuff happened so maybe it's not real to them, they're spoiled.
I should not let it bother me so much but I think that at our pay levels in this country this should not ever be tolerated, there are people all over the world gunning for our jobs who would do it at 1/4 the pay, this is the fear that drives me now.

 

[jshurst]

If he has been warned repeatedly then someone is noticing. Does him not working affect your work? If that is happening then I would absolutely say something. Does he just not have enough work to keep him busy, or is he missing deadlines?

Lastly (also mentioned above), do you guys have some sort of formal evaluation process? If so it sounds like his goals are too low.

 

[eyeswideclosed]

It affects me only in that the cubicle where he hangs out in and bs's most of the day is very near mine and I have to listen to it. He doesn't miss deadlines but they don't give him much to do either. It's too tolerant here, that's the real problem, people are spoiled.

 

[dennisbbb]

Request to move or find any opportunity to move away. You can't change people but yourself.

 

[jshurst]

That sucks man. If all else fails get an iPod and try to drown him out.

Either that or just stop taking showers. Maybe the smell will be bad enough that he'll find some new place to hang out ;-)

 

[eyeswideclosed]