My coworker is a lazy fvck!

[Ricky]

I have posted this on an engineering board before, but it keeps driving me nuts.

I've been working at a job for about 2 years now with a guy that might be the laziest person I've ever met.

Unfortunately we share the workload albeit very unevenly because of his exploits. He stays in his office and basically studies (we have some certification exams in our field) or chats with people all day. People go to his office because they know he'll drop whatever little thing he is doing to chat anytime.

My boss seems to know about it, but never does anything. It seems like there is very little in the way of negative consequences for him.

I'll have to explain it more, but what I want know is some way to get revenge. The thing that is unfair is that I end up picking up his slack, etc.

I think from now on I'm going to limit contact, conversations with him etc. He sees me as a friend, and I don't know how to bring this up without a rough argument ensuing. In a few arguments I've had with him in the past he acts like some women do by holding a grudge.

 

[Paradox]

Well this is a good way to get back at him and your boss:

He is a people person and you are a workhorse. Unfortunately most jobs promote the people person and leave the workhorse to do all of the work.

Start meticulously documenting everything. You will need at least a month of daily activity reports.

You can't prove what he is talking about with co-workers so you can't really prove that he is not having a work related conversation but you can document that he was talking to Ray, John, Bob, Peter, Emily, Ralph and Katie all day while you were doing your job.

I would suggest talking to your supervisor again or human resources. Maybe they see the same thing and need some validation

Make a presentable easy to read report on his activities. Present it to your supervisor or human resources.

 

[spider_007]

finsih most of your work, and take a long vacation.... If you two are the only once in the office, your boss will realize your value REALLY FAST.

 

[Ricky]

Thanks for the advice. Today not only did I kind of lose it with him. He was late (it was already 10 AM) and I was busy doing something. I got paged to do another job, so I called him and told him I needed him to do it.

He could tell i was pissed, but I'm tired of getting work thrown at me because he won't do it.

I'm not his boss, but I'm going to throw work his way now to even things out.

Then to make things worse I took my ****ty mood out on my gf when I got home late tonight.

It was building up this week because of about 3 separate incidences.

I talked to my boss, but not sure how far it went.

 

[Francisco d'Anconia]

You should log the amount of work you're doing and present it to your boss and ask for a raise. If you can prove that you are doing more work, why shouldn't you get compensated for it? Worse case scenario your boss will say no and manage the distribution of work more closely. There is always the option of finding another job if it's excessively impacting impacting your livelyhood negatively.

 

[KarmaSutra]

"Revenge is a dish best served cold."

I've heard of guys doing appalling things like adding some laxative in his coffee. Gives him the sh!ts then they fvck up what he was working on.

The possibilities are endless if you're of that mindframe.

 

[Ricky]

This has been going on for about a year and a half and it drives me nuts.

It's also amazing how some people fail to notice it. I try not to mention it because it seems poor taste.

He definitely doesn't have the social skills, people just stop by because they know he'll listen to them or do anything to get out of real work.

He is an emotional tampon for all the girls at work, which actually started to work with this HB who is in an awful marriage. She wanted me to go out with her first, but I don't mess with married girls (learned that lesson along time ago) and even worse she has two kids.

This guy fell into her scheme for awhile.

He's an AFC, but I'll give him this. Whether by luck or design he is good at getting out of work. I've been listening to the 48 laws of power after reading that again and I think he's outsmarted some of those laws. At least until he gets fired.

The thing that blows me away the most is during the work day he'll do the least amount possible, but if the boss asks him to do something spur of the moment, since he has no social life, he can usually work crazy hours to do something. At least then he contributes and I'm sure that's why he stays employed.

 

[Francisco d'Anconia]

...
It's also amazing how some people fail to notice it. I try not to mention it because it seems poor taste....

This is just silly. Why would you expect other people to care about it if it's not affecting their job; especially if you won't say anything about it because it's affecting your job??!! What's worse it that you feel it's in poor taste if you speak up! If it's in such poor taste, why bring it up here? We're not going to tell him to get his act together. Are you just venting or are you going to do something realistic about it?

 

[Apollo]

It's also amazing how some people fail to notice it. I try not to mention it because it seems poor taste.

People probably notice but think that you don't mind because you haven't said anything. Either talk to him about it/try to get him involved more or look for another job. I would avoid hr at all costs...they won't do anything and you'll come across as a complainer.

 

[leftForDeadPhoenix]

The squeakiest wheel gets the oil. Make it a point at least once every day to make a comment to him and to your boss about his laziness. Be creative. Over time you can be more whiney about it.

 

[leftForDeadPhoenix]

I've heard of guys doing appalling things like adding some laxative in his coffee. Gives him the sh!ts then they fvck up what he was working on.

The possibilities are endless if you're of that mindframe.

Viagra, my friend. This is illegal however, so don't get caught.

 

[Latinoman]

So...let me get this straight...how do you know he is lazy? I mean...you just wrote "but if the boss asks him to do something spur of the moment, since he has no social life, he can usually work crazy hours to do something."

Maybe the fact that he is willing to sacrifice his social life to get the job done at the spur of the moment makes him a valuable asset in the company.

You will be surprised how some people that are considered critical in the company can get away with certain things. He might be one of them.

Also...if you are assigned some work and he is not...it is not his fault. It is the boss or whoever is assigning the tasks. That's the person you should talk with.

But if you two are assigned the same project, perhaps you can divide the tasks and do so in writing.


Revenge? I don't believe in revenge when it comes to work. I only believe in associating myself with positive environment. And sometimes the best way of doing that is by LEAVING and finding a better place.

 

[KarmaSutra]

Revenge? I don't believe in revenge when it comes to work. I only believe in associating myself with positive environment. And sometimes the best way of doing that is by LEAVING and finding a better place.

Sometimes fantasy world employment is the only place we find harmony. In reality you have to work with douchebags who are inept at responsibility and will work more to find a way out of work.

These seeping wounds will only respond to drastic measures.

 

[Ricky]

The best trick I've found lately is to not even stop by his office.

Normally any conversation with him diverts off the work topic very quickly. He's looking for distractions not work.

So eventually he'll come into my office and see me busy. Hopefully he'll start to want to contribute again.

People's motivations are tough to understand.

I do believe the redeeming factor is he'll do nothing all day but sacrifice if the boss and only the boss asks him to do something special. The other night he even wavered on one of those and convinced the boss to do it another day.

As far as him getting fired, he came in drunk one time a few years ago according to people who worked there then. I guess if they didn't fire him then, when will they?

 

[In Motion]

I've heard of guys doing appalling things like adding some laxative in his coffee.

Its not that appalling, Ive actually done that! It was really funny and I dont think he even suspected me or his diet coke. But be sure to do it in a crucial moment, such as when he is about to attend an important event.

 

[Latinoman]

I have the solution for your situation.

1- If you already have a lot of work in your plate...refuse taking more work by saying "I am currently working several tasks assigned to me by BOSS. These are priority tasks and are going to keep me occupied for a while." If your BOSS is giving you the extra task, then ask him what he wants you to do with task a, b, c, and d that was given to you by other people and himself. That should cover you. If he tells you to put it in the back burner, then return the tasks given to you by other people, back to them and ask them to reasign those tasks because BOSS has asked you to re-focus.

2-Ignore what others do or don't do and ONLY focus on your career.

That's what I do...and have done throughout my career.

Problem solve.

If things become too negative...then find another job. But do it without burning bridges.

You see? Your "lazy co-worker" is NOT lazy at all. He does what he is assigned by your boss. And many times he works odd hours and sacrifice his social life in order to get done what your job tasks him. He does not flood himself by overtaking on all tasks because he knows you and others would do that. He has taken on a role of doing the high-visibility job. He has taken on the role of taking the BOSS out of deep waters by doing the last minute assignments. He is the "go to guy".

That's fine.

Just follow the #1 and #2 and eventually things will get even.

 

[Latinoman]

Its not that appalling, Ive actually done that! It was really funny and I dont think he even suspected me or his diet coke. But be sure to do it in a crucial moment, such as when he is about to attend an important event.

I will tell you one thing. If I was the Boss in that unit...I would have fired you and I would have (or have asked the other employee) to press criminal charges against you too.


Why ruin your future?

 

[In Motion]

I will tell you one thing. If I was the Boss in that unit...I would have fired you and I would have (or have asked the other employee) to press criminal charges against you too.


Why ruin your future?

Why would he ever need to find out? Anyways, it wasnt in a job situation I did it, I guess I should have mentioned that before. But it is still a fun and fairly innocent way of getting revenge, I can easily think of worse things I have done, just make sure you dont physically harm anyone!

 

[synergy1]

People's motivations are tough to understand.

I do believe the redeeming factor is he'll do nothing all day but sacrifice if the boss and only the boss asks him to do something special. The other night he even wavered on one of those and convinced the boss to do it another day.

As far as him getting fired, he came in drunk one time a few years ago according to people who worked there then. I guess if they didn't fire him then, when will they?

I love engineers. I am one myself. One thing that has stood out during my short time in the work force is their undying need to quantify everything; no matter how intangible or abstract. These guys who clearly can't get women or socialize try and dissect social instances and interpersonal happenings that they have NO business even trying to ponder. Think of a baby going from crawling to ice skating...that's the engineer.

Buddy, you are a drama queen. You keep pining over this guy whom you can not change. clearly his behavior is an affront to what you stand for, yet it bothers you to no end. Give it up, stop trying to conjure conclusions about every thing.

You share workload, I understand he is slacking and getting paid the same as you. I understand you might not be getting stuff done that you could be had he been chipping in on a regular basis. Guess what, its life. Deal with it. Deal with your work load, and be diligent about it. Let your senior engineers know that you have a full work load and feel behind. Let his bosses deal with him, and mind your own damn business.