How to Avoid Doing Your Lazy Co-Worker's Job

Getting your own tasks accomplished each day can be a challenge in itself, but toss in a co-worker who's not pulling their fair share and your job can turn into an aggravating and high stress nightmare.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Don't say 'Yes' the first time.

1. 
   If you see this on their monitor, it's a safe bet they are not working.

   The first time your lazy co-worker asks you to help them complete an assignment, gracefully decline. The first time you say 'Yes' you let them know you're a willing victim. There is a difference between a co-worker who is genuinely overworked, and one who just didn't bother. If you see your colleague working diligently all week and they ask for help, by all means say yes if you can. This person deserves a hand.On the other hand, if your co-worker has spent their week shopping for clothes online, playing solitaire, making calls on their cell phone, painting their fingernails and gossiping with other workers - decline to help them out. They are behind because they didn't bother working and that's not your problem.

2. Never accept the blame for your lazy co-worker's failures. If something is left undone and the boss jumps on you for the failure - don't say "I'm so sorry this went wrong." If you apologize, you're accepting blame and your boss will most likely lump you into to the lazy category along with your slacker counterpart. Instead say "I don't know where this project fell apart, but I will find out and report back to you." Keep track of what you have done along the way so you can show your due diligence, and don't feel the need to cover for those who didn't complete assignments.

3. Take credit for your accomplishments. If you are assigned to work on a project with a do-nothing, you will most likely find yourself bearing the burden of the assignment. Send your boss email updates of your progress. CC your lazy co-worker so they know the boss is being apprised of the project standing. Below the list of your completed tasks, add a line in such as "For details on Janine's portion of this project, please contact her. I have been unable to obtain progress information from her directly."Who knows, it might scare her into actually doing some work.

4. Cut your co-worker slack if warranted.If your co-worker is normally a great employee and suddenly is slacking off, find out why. Did they just go through a divorce? Did they lose a loved one? Were they recently diagnosed with a serious illness? If a normally wonderful employee is going through a life crisis, try to be patient. Sit them down and talk to them. Tell them you understand their current trials and have been trying to cover for them, but that you cannot continue to do two jobs indefinitely. Most times a responsible co-worker will apologize and try to get themselves back on track. If you see them heading in the right direction, have a heart and bear with them until they get there.

Tips & Warnings

• If you do others' work, your own work will suffer and that's what your boss will notice.
• Maintain a positive attitude and do your own work at the best of your ability.
• Don't let others manipulate you into doing their work.
• Don't suffer in silence. If you see someone slacking off, say so. "Must be nice to have time to shop for shoes at work."

[pacumeme]

on 6/18/2008 good points to use at work