How do you handle a co-worker that is making you look bad?

[Wcross]

I hate to "squeal" on the guy but he is starting to make me look bad in the eyes of our supervisor. We work as a two man team to change over machinery to produce a different product. The supervisor wants it done quickly. Lately we have been talked to about being too slow.

Lately he has been showing up at the machine 10-20 minutes after I have already started. He won't bring his own tools so if he needs something he "borrows" mine. The problem is I have to "ask" for them back when I need my own tools. There have been times when I can't do something because he has borrowed a tool and had to go back to the shop to get something leaving me empty handed. I wouldn't mind lending tools if he didn't have what he needs but he has everything I do, he just chooses to leave them in his tool box.

The biggest thing is he doesn't seem to care anymore. He has stated many times "I am only going to do six today" when they have us scheduled to do eight. I have noticed him slowing down when we approach his "limit". I admit that eight a day is pushing it but he doesn't even want to try.

I have two choices, let the supervisor think "we" are too slow or tell her whats going on. I like the guy personally, he has been in the department for twenty years & I don't feel I have the right to tell him how to do things. I don't want to take the heat for being slow though. I don't want to "rat him out" either.

To top this dilemma off, he is a LOT worse than he was when I first joined that department. He recently had a stroke and ever since then he has had a LOT of confusion & maybe that's why he is slow to get started & forgets things. I want to be empathetic to his medical condition but I would hate to not get a raise/ become expendable because of his problems. It should be very obvious to the supervisor what is happening but she insists on confronting both of us when we don't finish fast enough. When he was out the changes were completed quicker, when he returned it slowed back down.

[crispini]

1. Oooo. Tough call.

Do you like the supervisor, or is she kind of a jerky person? How has she handled issues in the past? Is there any way you could give her a quiet heads up without making an issue of this?

I would start immediately documenting when he gets late, other issues, keeping a running log of this stuff, quietly. You would need this if the situation gets worse and somebody's job is at stake.

Perhaps you could think of some way to avoid lending him your tools. That seems to be a big part of the problem. Does he just leave them in his truck? Maybe you could ask him to bring his tool box because he has some special tool you don't. Or you could 'forget' to bring yours one day and then borrow his, just to get him in the habit of bringing his.

[zanne]

4. I would approach your supervisor and say something like...

"I don't know what to do here, but I'm having a problem..." Then tell him what's happening. If the supervisor doesn't think that you're "squealing" or "whining", he'll probably understand. Of course, if he's a jerk, he won't.

[skygazer]

13. It is amazing how people assume a supervisor in a department like that is male

Even when the OP specifically calls her "she" several times. ~sigh~

And I don't mean that as a personal slight, zanne - lots of people, male and female, do it and I've caught myself doing it too. :hi:

[raccoon]

2. Document everything secretly and keep your documentation at home.

Have you talked to him about the tools business?

Come to it, you may HAVE to "rat him out" to save your own job.

[wmbrew0206]

3. My suggestion..

Pull him aside at some point and voice your concerns to him. Tell him that you need him to do what he is expected to do and see what he says. There are three outcomes:

1. He admits that he hasn't been doing his share and promises to correct it.
2. He says that he doesn't care anymore and is not planning on working any harder.
3. He blames you somehow.

If it is number 1, see if his performance changes or it just stays the same (if it does, see below).

If it is number 2 or 3, I think you need to tell him you hoped you could work it out between the two of you, but now you will have to bring it to the attention of your supervisor.

Either way, after talking to him about it, you'll have given him an opportunity to correct things, if he doesn't you will not be going behind his back to snitch on him to your supervisor.

Hope that helps.

[Shakespeare]

5. Document EVERYTHING, and talk to your boss about it.

A couple of years ago, I took a job where the person designated to train me hated my guts on sight, and made it her obsessive goal in life to get me fired, and constantly (and demonstrably) sabotaged me every chance she got. She made my life miserable. When word got around that I was thinking of moving back to Los Angeles anyway, I was let go to make room for a new legal assistant who came with a newly hired attorney as part of the package. They even ADMITTED to me that this other woman had so poisoned the atmosphere that the situation was not salvagable, and since she had kids (gag me), and since I was probably leaving anyway, I was being let go. Yes, they actually TOLD me this.

Of course, the best revenge is living well--I did move back to LA, landed a FAR better job, making 15K more than I did at the awful job--she and I made the same amount--and I had the opportunity to indirectly rub it in the face of that treacherous bitch who had it out for me (through a friend of mine who's still there).

It was a huge--and hugely unpleasant--learning experience. If you're ever in a position where somebody else is jeopardizing your job, either through malice or incompetence, waste NO time going to your boss about it. For your own protection, get it documented.

[livetohike]

6. As a former manufacturing supervisor, it's my advice that

you ask your supervisor for a meeting and tell her what is going on and what you have done to try and correct the problem. The sooner you can do this the better. If you wait, your supervisor may wonder why you didn't tell her this sooner. Ask her for some solutions, as you are worried about the potential outcomes this slow down may have.

Please don't feel bad about this. If your co-worker is ill, he may end up injuring himself, you or others while performing the job. I'm sure your supervisor would appreciate the truth on this, rather than have to deal with a potential safety issue.

(I've worked in a high speed machining environment. Safety is #1 over anything else). It will all work out okay.

:hi:

[Fleshdancer]

7. why would your supervisor schedule him to do eight after he's had a stroke?

You said that doing eight a day is pushing it...is this a fair expectation from someone who has recently had a stroke? Could the tools situation be due to his confusion issues following his stroke as well?

[Wcross]

12. We get our change orders from the scheduling dept.

They really don't care how many they send us. As far as the tool issue he has been like that for the five years I have been in the department although it has been getting worse.

[NJmaverick]

8. Talk to him first and if that doesn't help talk to your boss

You don't want to be hurt by the bad work of others.

[Zuiderelle]

11. I agree with this approach.

[RainDog]

9. Strokes can cause depression

sounds like he doesn't really give a damn... but that doesn't mean it's okay for him to put that on you.

If I were you, I'd tell him that he needs to bring in his own tools because you both need to have them at hand. Tell him you aren't going to lend your tools anymore because you keep getting stuck without them when you need them. Tell him... I'm serious. If you don't bring your tools, you'll have to go get them.

If he doesn't bring them, tell him he needs to go get them.... it's like with a kid... consequences for an action... stick to your guns.

Tell him times are tight and you cannot afford to get a poor performance rating because you don't have your tools on hand. If he gripes about this... tell him to cut you some slack... you need your job.

If this doesn't work, can you ask to be transferred to work with someone else?

[Dystopian]

10. Just some thoughts....

I really have nothing to add to the good advice that I've read. I only wanted to say that you're a kind and compassionate soul, thinking about his health, and not wanting to make waves. You're faced with somewhat of a moral dilemma, in my opinion, as I can relate to how you're feeling.
You really do need to do something....all of the above are positive and practical steps....
Best wishes with this situation. He is very fortunate to have you as a partner, but certainly not at your expense....

peace~

[Wcross]

14. I appreciate the advice from all.

I'll have a talk with him the next time we work. I not as concerned with the tool issue as I am with whats going on with the delays & some mistakes he has been making since he returned to work. I am wondering if there are medical issues. I have no clue about what happens when you have a stroke, if it effects your memory or what.

Yesterday we were told to change a machine after lunch. He loaded up a piece of machinery we had to swap out & he got all the tooling together. I got called away to do something, when I got back he was gone & the supervisor was in a meeting. I thought the plans had changed (they change quite often) so I waited for the supervisor to return and asked her. She asked why we hadn't started yet, I said I didn't know but we would start right away. I found Joe in the break area watching the television and said we had to get going on the change. He acted like he had no idea what I was talking about even though he had loaded up all the stuff. He said that we had to go back to the shop to get the tooling ready??????
I am worried about old Joe.