How to deal with a slow co-worker

[Bob Ross]

I am offended by your rampant Bobism.

Next time, pick a name that no one outside of the Zappas has, like Dweezil, or Moon Unit.

[thyme4change]

Who are you?

A seasoned professional who sit around and watch people fail all the time because managers are too chicken or too busy to do the right thing.

[Deleted]

Sept 20, 2012 14:46:28 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

Who are you?

A seasoned professional who sit around and watch people fail all the time because managers are too chicken or too busy to do the right thing.

Awww, an armchair quarterback.

[thyme4change]

Awww, an armchair quarterback.

Except for when I'm the quarterback. I have success stories and failures. If no one wants to hear about them - that is fine. No need to learn from someone who has BTDT if you can just turn it over to your boss to deal with.

[happyhoix]

Sept 20, 2012 14:13:36 GMT -5 Poptart said:

Happy, one of the reasons I'm holding back on going to my boss is because I think that maybe I see the tasks he does as "easy" because I've done them for a while, and while they are easy for me that might not be the case for him.

Yes I totally get this, I've done the same thing not that long ago, when I hired a new minion.

I guess the key is to look for improvement. If he makes mistakes, are they at least NEW mistakes (e.g. he's not making the same mistakes over and over.) If he makes a mistake, like forgetting to fax something, what does he do to make sure he doesn't do that again? He shouldn't wait for you to come up with a reminder system for him, he should voluntarily devise a way to remind himself not to forget in the future. And he should be gradually speeding up - if he cranks out the exact same amount week after week, even though he knows the workload you guys expect him to produce, he either can't/won't make it.

[mmhmm]

I think Thyme's approach is the best of the lot. It's certainly what I'd do, and have done when faced with similar situations. It's fair to everyone and gives the employee the opportunity to prove him/herself as an asset to the company.

[Deleted]

I keep passing this thread thinking it says "how to deal with a slow COOKER" for some reason! LOL

I gotta get out of the kitchen for awhile!

[8 Bit WWBG]

I agree that it sounds like setting clear expectations has not yet been tried. Some people just need to be told something concrete like "I need these 10 files done before you leave today" or something along those lines.

I think you could also spend some time doing a file with him to make sure he understands the processes, and see if there are any areas that he really doesn't understand, or is stumbling. You may find out he's doing something the long way out of ignorance (ex. manually replicating something he could copy/paste) or whatever.

But yes, after you've tried being positive, you may just have to lay out the facts, and unfortunately he just might not be up to par.

Wasn't there an episode of undercover boss (the one with the huge fulfillment center) where the founder took a job in disguise as a packing clerk, and he sucked at it, and got fired from his own company.

[susanb]

Sept 20, 2012 14:15:17 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

But that being said, on the surface it doesn't sound like it's going to end well for Bob.

I agree. He doesn't sound like a past, present or future star performer. But this is Ely's chance to show some real leadership skills. If he sets a clear plan in place, follows through on it, and documents it, Ely could look like a super-star. This is more about Ely getting it right than Bob getting it right. If, however, Ely hands this over to his boss sheepishly with just a single conversation with the guy, Ely will firmly and forever be stuck where he is.

Thyme has hit the nail on the head.

Ely is on trial every bit as much as Bob if she wants to advance in her company.

When we try to see if someone is ready to be a manager, we give them management tasks. Most people either give up or come and ask for help the minute the task becomes hard. Those people don't advance.

Other people use a plan, documentation and data to go as far as they can before going to a supervisor. Those people advance. If your supervisor wanted to create a training and documentation plan for the new employee, he or she would have done so. They want you to handle this. Handle it with the most amount of professionalism possible.

If/when you approach your boss, approach them with facts based on your plan, not what you think about Bob.

[happyhoix]

Sept 20, 2012 16:22:37 GMT -5 8 Bit WWBG said:

Wasn't there an episode of undercover boss (the one with the huge fulfillment center) where the founder took a job in disguise as a packing clerk, and he sucked at it, and got fired from his own company.

Yes there was, I saw that episode.

Just how hard can it be to tape a box shut, right? Yet the company had a specific way the box should be taped, and they expected employees to complete x boxes per hour. This guy was not co-ordinated at all, to begin with, and he was slow to master the art of getting the tape in the right place.

He was let go at the end of his shift - just couldn't keep up with the required pace.

[Bluerobin]

Ely, if you are not management, go to the boss and tell him the guy isn't making the grade and should be let go. He will come to the right conclusion. If you are management, just let Bob go. No sense wasting time rehabilitating him.

[BeenThere...DoneThat...]

Sept 20, 2012 13:32:31 GMT -5 midjd said:

Should I pull Bob aside and talk to him about the level of production? Should I just tell my boss that Bob is not going to cut it?

I'd say both. Talk to Bob, then talk to your boss and let him know you've given Bob a few talks and if he doesn't increase production soon it's best to let him go.

...I'd also add in on the "tangible targets" approach... telling someone to improve is different from telling them they need X widgets by 5pm...

[Nazgul Girl]

A lot also depends on how complicated Bob's new company's program(s) is/are. For example, our coding unit is slowly taking on new coders as some of our older retire or more experienced coders leave for better opportunities ( I never thought I'd see the day, but our new system sucks ). We have been hiring some very good new coders, but if they can't adapt to extremely complex systems, then they're sunk.

Just to code out a new charge, I have to open the pre-charge scubber, the coding dictionary, the charge scrubber, the electronic medical record, and the new (all-inclusive ) Crap System. That's six systems. I absolutely have to know the ins and outs of each system. I know each one thoroughly except for the Crap System, which I'm getting pretty good on.....if Bob doesn't pick up new systems quickly, he might be a sunk duck.