Difficult situation with colleague, lack of support from management

EnigmaticFate

I've had a very tricky time with a colleague of mine, that has been going on for a few years now. Despite raising the issues with my manager, nothing ever seems to change.

We have a lot of internal "customers", and this colleague is responsible for charging them each month to their allocated cost centres. On quite a few occasions though, they have duplicated charges in error, causing complaints by the various departments. The duplicates are then just deleted from the system, in a way where the duplicate still shows, but the charge is reversed off without supporting documentation. I've raised this with my manager but they were not bothered, although my finance background drilled it into me to always have supporting documents for financial transactions. The above statement is pretty much what has happened, although I'm maybe changing around the
"customers" side of things to cover up more of my actual role, as it could be identified.

This person, like all of our staff, is allowed to work flexibly. Every year, all staff are given their objectives for the coming 12 months, and every year something seems to happen. In the couple of years I've worked there, this person has also gone on long term sick leave every year end, which is when most of these problems come to light. Their projects are barely started, let alone finished by the deadlines, and again this causes problems for the customers. I am then diverted from my own duties to undertake the work, and this happens on every occasion as I am the only other person that could do the role. I then need to work additional hours, unpaid, to deliver the service.

I've also found this colleague to have lied to me on numerous occasions, usually when we have a progress meeting booked in. They have missed every meeting since August 2014, with excuses such as school strikes, illness/child illness or inset days. I am able to evidence on two occasions that she definitely lied, as I know the school their child was at, and it was fully open on the days she claimed. On one occasion, schools in the area were striking, but none of the ones that were also had an INSET on the day of the other time off.

This person is consistently not doing work despite working from home, and doing all they can to avoid meetings. They become uncontactable when "working from home", and I've heard stories from customers who have emailed them or phoned them for months without reply.

I cannot keep bailing them out, but management seem too weak to take note of everything. There may well be things I don't know, which is fair enough, but I'm effectively doing her job for her every time.

Other than leaving for a new role, what would my options be to hopefully get this resolved?

Additional information - Colleague employed at organisation for over 2 years, and previous person in their role was a direct relation.

PlutoinCapricorn

I would look for another job if possible. If you have been ignored there is not much that you can do personally. How big is the company?

elsien

When you say you're "bailing her out", what are you doing? And why are you doing it?
Why are you doing unpaid hours to cover for their mistakes? If you've got her back and customers are happy, what incentive is there for management to address the issues -from their perspective, everything is ok so what's the problem.
My advice would be to stop covering the other person's back, but make sure your own is covered, via supervisions, email, copying others in, or whatever you need to do to show you're doing your job and the problems aren't down to you.

ohreally

Your being a doormat, focus on your own work and let management bail her out.

stevemLS

ohreally has it absolutely right - it is really irritating when colleagues are not pulling their weight, but you have raised it with management and they do what they will with it, focus on your own job.

justjohn

Stop unpaid work for a start. if you are daft enough to do it then management will take advantage.


if you are going to do unpaid work much better doing it for a charity lol

EnigmaticFate

Thanks for the replies.

I'm in the public sector, and for a pretty large employer. The work we do affects a large number of end users, and if our section doesn't deal with it, the end user is liable for fines. My original objectives were in other areas, but the moment this woman goes on long term sick, I'm told I have to do their objectives as well, otherwise I'll be marked down at the end of the year for not working as part of a team.

I'm effectively forced to do the work unpaid due to this, because I do not have enough time in my working day. There just never seems to be any comeback on them though, and nothing ever changes.

I think maybe a work to rule might be needed, but long term it's a case of moving away. I joined the public sector from school, worked my way up but all around me seems to be incompetence, even heading up to senior management level.

Thanks again for the replies.

NewShadow

Maybe have a chat with your manager about the volume of work and timescales. No need to apportion blame, just have a chat about workload.

If your workplace encourages flex working I'd suggest agreeing recording excess hours and taking them as toil at the end of the busy period - You'll still have to work over and above (which will hopefully be noted), but can look forward to a few extra days holiday during a lull.

If my manager couldn't support this then I'd ask them for advice on prioritising the work in the contracted hours, and at PMR time if my personal goals weren't met I'd remind them of the agreed change to priorities mid year.

Should I be marked down on performance, I'd then have a chat with my areas union rep/ HR advisor - both of whom are involved with end of year moderation and divisional workforce planning.

(oh, central gov worker btw)

Yorkie1

What does your union rep say?

Poppops

I think I work in a very similar department to you OP.

Are your managers not concerned that transactions are being reversed without the appropriate documentation or back up? mine would be? What would happen if these transactions were selected for further examination during your year end audit?

We also have year end avoiders. I can't understand it myself. I love it when it's bedlam!

Do other team members feel the same as you? Is it something you can bring up in a team meeting? Maybe not pointed, but along the lines of, xxxxx is going to be off at year end again and I would appreciate if we could discuss the best way to distribute the workload as previously it has fallen on me alone and I have my own tasks?

Don't see how they can mark you down as not being a team player if everyone else isn't pitching in.