Dealing with Lazy Coworkers
What to Do if a Team Member Slacks Off and Doesn't Pull His Weight
A coworker who fails to fully contribute to the team, can be a drain. Teamwork is about letting team members know they need to pick up the slack.
Employees who care about their own on-the-job performance can become easily frustrated when they see a lazy coworker waste time playing games on the computer, making personal phone calls or taking extended lunch breaks.
Aside from talking about the person behind his back, there are basically three ways of dealing with a lazy coworker. These include:
- ignoring the situation
- picking up the slack
- confronting the problem head on
Ignoring the situation will merely result in personal frustration and can have a negative impact on the work of the rest of the team. While picking up the slack may eliminate the impact to the workload, it will still have a negative affect on team mates that now have to work double duty.
The best way to deal with a lazy coworker is to confront the situation head on. Here are five steps on how to do just that.
Document
Before speaking with a coworker about how his performance (or lack thereof) is impacting the team it is imperative to have specific information to corroborate the complaint. This means tracking dates and projects in order to be able to provide the coworker with valid proof.
Talk
As in any situation that involves a coworker’s performance, speak with the coworker privately and politely. This is not the time to point fingers and shout, but to have a calm conversation about the issue at hand. Be prepared to share the documentation in order to clarify instances and the impact on the team. Then document this meeting as well.
Listen
Hear his side of the story. This means listening to any explanation – or excuse – that the coworker may have for not meeting his obligation to perform. It may be that he was not aware of his impact and sincerely plans to correct any problems.
Explain
Team members need to explain what their expectations are and ask how they can help their coworker be successful. It may be that the individual is bored with his job, doesn’t have enough to do, or feels undervalued in his current role. Encourage him to speak to his supervisor and seek out new opportunities and challenges.
Advise
If the coworker pushes back, doesn’t admit any wrongdoing or appears to have no intention of changing his behavior, it may be that the only alternative is to advise his supervisor. Let him know that will be the next step. Don’t get in an argument with the individual; just thank him for his time and leave.
And if all else fails, look at the upside. A lazy coworker who doesn’t complete his work on time can make the others on the team look great by comparison and help them to appreciate all the more those who do pull their weight.
