What to do when your coworker is a slacker
Working with slackers can be a frustrating experience. They show up late, work less than expected, and sometimes do the bare minimum to get by. It's no secret that these types of employees are difficult to manage because they don't always take their job seriously. But what if I told you there was a way to work successfully with slackers? If you're curious about how this is possible read on!
Focus on productivity. Focusing on productivity will allow you to take a step back from your emotions and decide whether you should spend time becoming angry or frustrated. Otherwise, it’s probably not worthwhile to pursue the issue.
It’s important to realize that slackers don’t always mean to get in the way of other people. In fact, they may simply not realize their own actions negatively impact the people around them.
Evaluate the context. People, who are perceived as lazy or unproductive usually bear the brunt of criticism and workplace bullying. If you’re feeling frustrated with a colleague, it’s easy to jump to conclusions and label them as a slacker. However, it’s important to look at the full context of their situation before jumping to conclusions.
Collaborate. When you’re ready to have the conversation, focus on collaborating to find a solution. If you can build a connection with your teammate, they’ll probably want to avoid letting you down.
Create a workaround. You can always work around a coworker who is sabotaging the team. Perhaps by restructuring your job so that it bypasses them, or maybe they'll come to their senses and stop missing deadlines.
Fill in the gaps. Perhaps you can cover a few of the tasks that are slipping through the cracks, or consider coverage for your teammate in a pinch. This may be feasible if it’s minor stuff.
Speak with your boss. As a last resort, and for more serious cases consider speaking with your boss. Do try to work it out without involving others but before reaching this point document specific examples of how their behavior impacts your business so there is evidence for future reference purposes from both parties involved in the discussion.
The best way to deal with slackers is by looking at it from their perspective. What's more important, the work they're doing or how you feel about them? If you can understand what drives your colleague and provide some slack yourself, then maybe everyone will come out on top.