Articles

Swamped but Wasteful
by Dr. Lynne Curry

Question:
The senior secretary in our office complains she’s "swamped" and has so much work to do that she can’t do a good job. She has, however, time to read articles in the newspaper and to read other employee’s mail before she routes it to them.  Our supervisor occasionally stops by this secretary’s desk and when he sees her reading something that doesn’t pertain to her job, will ask, "What are you working on?" She looks at him as if he’s just stepped in dog poop and says, "Oh, I just looked at this for a second."  The supervisor looks frustrated but only says, "I need the records research finished by noon" and leaves. After he leaves, the secretary comes by my desk and says the supervisor was mean to her and doesn’t seem realize that everyone needs a moment now and then.  The rest of us notice that the supervisor doesn’t treat this woman well and can’t help but sympathize with her even though we see her wasting time. This doesn’t create a pleasant office atmosphere and I’m starting to dread coming to work. Is there anything the rest of us can do?

Answer:
When an employee with poor work habits stars in the "mean supervisor-abused employee" drama, co-workers often find themselves playing unintended supporting roles. In this case, your co-worker seems to have cast you in the role of sympathizer.  If you don’t enjoy your continuing role in this drama, you need to rewrite the script. Currently, the senior secretary portrays herself as a victim of a supervisor who doesn’t realize every employee "needs a moment now and then." She runs to you for sympathy and you give it to her, partially because your supervisor needs to change his act as well.  If you continue to listen and sympathize, you maintain the current drama. If you instead tell her, "I’m sorry this is happening but I have to get back to work," you bow out of the main action flow but unfortunately recast yourself as a "mean" co-worker and allow the drama to continue unchecked.  If you instead say, "You know, I think you ought to talk with the supervisor. He and you both seem frustrated," you move from unwilling audience to a co-worker who wants the situation to improve. If she answers, "well, he’s so mean to me," tell her the truth. You might say, "I don’t like how he treats you but I also don’t think you should read the newspaper during work hours. In a way, you push him to monitor you."  Next, if you chose, help your supervisor. He needs to realize he gets few results by asking the secretary questions in plain view of other employees and then exiting before he gets her commitment to improve. So, tell him the truth as well.  Let him know you have concerns about the friction between him and the senior secretary. Tell him it doesn’t seem to work when he catches her reading at her desk and tells her to focus on her work because she then feels he’s being mean and doesn’t change her behavior.  If you appear neutral, he may then ask you questions. Many supervisors feel frustrated when disciplining employees who act the "victim" role because they fear being misperceived by other employees. If you let him know you wish he’d treat the secretary with more respect by disciplining her in private but agree she shouldn’t read others’ mail or the newspaper on work time, you reassure him that other employees see both sides of the situation.  In short, there’s a lot you can do once you move from fed-up sympathizer into the role of a person who tells the truth with kindness.