Frustrated with co-worker

daytona0

Be mindful that, whilst this guy is slacking a bit and being a bit of a hindrance to the company, you have been given more tasks to complete...

You have to be careful because:

1. The more you do, the greater the chance that your employer axes useless guy and doubles your workload "because you have shown that you can handle it"

2. Your emotional state is going to suffer because you are starting to think about this employee much more than you'd like, and it will grind you down. Burnout?

Personally I would take the helpful but distant approach here. Simply speak to colleague and advise him clearly of some issues raised (politely) and hope that he changes his way. Then you can simply forget the ordeal and let the employee hang himself! After all, you are both working for the man and you'll get paid irrespective of what your colleague does/doesn't do!

ScorpiondeRooftrouser

Find a piece of work your manager's manager is interested in. Email your manager telling him that this is going to be delayed because of the the time it is taking you to "coach" this individual. Make sure you keep the email.

theoretica

Newlyboughthouse wrote: »

I should probably have said, my co-worker isn't aware that I'm kind of line-managing him. I am in no way officially his line manager i.e. expenses, mileage and stuff, I've just been given the the task of coaching and leading him.

So when you ask him anything he will say - or think - something unprintable. Your manager needs to tell him that you do have the authority to tell him what to do or how to do it. Call it as he will coaching, guiding, mentoring or day-to-day managing. You both need to know what is going on and how far your authority goes.

Is the person:
Competent and willing - (apparently not)
Incompetent but willing
Competent but unwilling
Incompetent and unwilling

BigAunty

As others have observed, you are effectively crippled in the role because you don't have any authority.

But if this changed, you could look into how to coach and mentor which will give you a technique to give non-judgemental and specific constructive feedback about performance with clear next steps.

Do you have any ideas why they might be so poor at work - welfare issues, under trained, lack of motivation, lack of confidence?

makeyourdaddyproud

The co-worker is smart; do at least as possible in the most time. This means he is in effect more highly paid. I like his style.

It seems he knows the politics and is exploited it to the max. I, personally, would do the same just like the employer would want the maximum amount of profit for the least amount of effort or material.

You worry too much; you can either wait for natural deselection to see him unemployed or jump ship yourself.

It's human nature to trade off effort towards gain. Who wants to work hard for the same money?