Does your coworker’s laziness mean you have to work longer hours? Do you often have to redo your coworker’s sloppy work? Has this behavior been going on for a long time, such as a month or more? Do you know that your supervisor hasn’t already talked to them about their behavior? Remember that most managers don’t publicly announce conversations with their employees about their behavior.
Has your coworker seemed stressed with matters going on outside of work? Have their work obligations been communicated to them clearly? Has your coworker already been trying to change their behavior?
For example, you might try sending them a deadline for their work, so that they’re clear on their task. A message like, “Please get your half of the project in by Friday, or let me know if you can’t do this by today,” can work well. A reminder of their responsibilities helps you set your own boundaries. You might say something like, “I won’t be able to do the other half of this report, since I’ve already done my share. ”
“I have a big project due at the end of the week. Can you give me a hand with it?” “Can I get your feedback on the presentation for this evening?” “Would you mind giving me some help closing up after the final shift today?”
“It’s been great working with you on this team. How have you found working with John?” If your colleague expresses disappointment with your coworker’s performance, say something like, “Thanks for sharing that with me. I appreciate hearing your perspective. ” At the end of the conversation, say something like, “I’d appreciate it if you kept this conversation private. I’d like to stay away from office gossip. ” You could also talk about how you’re feeling with a trusted friend or partner.
“I wanted to talk to you to ask whether you’d be able to pick up more of the workload for our shared assignments. I’ve been feeling overworked, and I could really use your support. ” “I’ve noticed that it’s been tough for you to meet some of the deadlines. I know that you might have other things going on in your life, but it would make a big difference if you could complete your tasks on time. ” “You may have noticed that I’ve had to redo some of your reports these past few months—could you work on being more careful? It would help me manage my own workload. ”
“I know adjusting to these new clients is tough. If it helps, I can give you some time-saving tips that have really made a difference for me. ” “It can feel difficult to juggle all the responsibilities of this job. I normally make a time log to see how much time I’m spending on each task—I can share it with you, if you’d like. ” “If you ever feel overwhelmed by the job, talk to me. I’m always here to listen. ”
“I noticed you did a great job with the report last week. Thanks!” “Thank you for handling those recent tasks so quickly. I really appreciate your hard work. ” “Thanks for taking on that extra work yesterday. I’m really grateful for your contributions to the team. ”
Try making a spreadsheet showing all the tasks you accomplish each day and how long it took to do them. When you’re working on a project with a lazy coworker, make a separate document detailing all of your contributions. If you have e-mails or texts with your coworker where they refuse to do their work, keep them saved as screenshots.
“I’ve completed my portion of the assignment, but we’re still waiting on Bill to finish his. ” “I’m looking forward to the presentation on Thursday. Unfortunately, Jane hasn’t been responding to my requests for updates on her end. ” “I’ve spoken with Vanessa about finishing her shift, but because she’s been pulled away by other commitments, I’ve ended up having to cover for her these past few weeks. ”
It can be easy to fixate on your coworker’s laziness at the expense of doing your own work. When you catch yourself doing this, remind yourself that you have the ability to stay focused. If your workplace is making you genuinely unhappy, it may be time to find a new job. Your hard work at your current company means that you’d be a valuable asset at another one.
