Will work for food 2

[Haf]

Some of the technologists I work with have an irritating habit of acting like they are doing the engineers a personal favor when they perform work assigned to them. Said technologists expect a favor in return, usually in the form of food (donuts or lunch on the engineer).

I don't mind taking a tech to lunch if they go above and beyond the call of duty, or if they set aside other work to work on my tests when I'm under the gun, but things are getting out of control. At this point when you give them any job, they're looking at you like they need "extra" motivation (apparently their $60k salary is not enough, but an $8 lunch will suffice).

It gets worse. In some cases these same techs will work extra slow during the week to maximize their chances of working overtime on the weekend (time and a half pay that moves to double time after a certain number of hours). Then they have the nerve to leave you voicemails on Saturday or Sunday describing how "dedicated" they are to be working on your project over the weekend, and hit you with something like "maybe we can discuss the test results over lunch."

When I've challenged the slow rate of work in the past, I've been accused of wanting them to work at a pace that compromises safety. With the atmosphere at my company right now, safety is the ultimate trump card.

Most techs at my company don't play these games, and those are the ones I try to work with if at all possible. But sometimes I'm forced to take work to these techs, so I could use some advice for handling this situation.

 

[ornerynorsk]

entitlement mentalities are difficult to work with, at best. give them a proxy gift to save-the-children for a Christmas "present", if you have their home address. It's a great attitude modifier.

 

[RDK]

This is not a problem with the techs. Once a personnel problem becomes so wide spread it is a management failure to outline and detail what is required of the techs.

Don’t blame the techs, they are simply taking advantage of a situation that a lack of leadership created.

Unfortunately you may need major surgery to cut out this disease. You need to put your foot down and put it down firmly, If a tech cannot get a fair amount of work done in a reasonable amount of time, then unfortunately the tech may have to face the internal discipline process up to and including firing.

You need to get management behind you and to present a united front to the workers and let them know exactly what is expected of them and whey they are expected to have it done by.




Rick Kitson MBA P.Eng

Construction Project Management
From conception to completion

http://www.kitsonengineering.com

 

[Pressed]

I agree with RDK but once it has taken root, I've never seen it go away. It seems that the chain of command is only recognised when the one who does the employee review is in the room.

This is one reason why people use the c.c. on emails. I hate that tactic completely but it was the only way to deal with one guy I worked with. Boy did he ever stap-to to that style of work request.

For the guys you work well with, try to give them credit all you can. It will generally get back to them and that is enough for the good ones continued support.

_______________________________________
Feeling frisky.........

http://www.tailofthedragon.com

 

[MortenA]

Haf

With regards to "working slow": Have you ever considered that you may be wrong - that the job tehy perform is actually difficult and that they ARE doing you a favour? If its easy and you can do it more quickly why dont you?

Best regards

Morten

 

[HgTX]

"If its easy and you can do it more quickly why dont you?"

Because it's not his job--it's theirs. I can do pretty much everything our recently retired secretary did for me--much better, much faster. That doesn't mean I should be doing the secretary's job for her. I have my own job to do. They don't pay me engineer's wage to do the secretary's job.

Hg

Eng-Tips policies: faq731-376

 

[whyun]

I agree with HgTX. Compensation for each employees for performing their expected duties comes from the company they serve. No one should "expect" additional favors from other employees for performing jobs they are hired and "paid" to do.

In my experience, disgruntled employees are generally disgruntled most of the time, regardless of additional support, motivation and donuts every now and then.

 

[bioengr82]

Sorry MortenA,
I must also disagree. If it is in their job description, at no point is it a favor and should never require additional compensation. Also, Haf stated the "working slow" was only from the same problem techs; not all. There by drawing a reasonable conclusion that they intentially working slow.

 

[RDK]

If it’s only a few problem techs then get them fired.

Once the worst offenders are out of the picture then there is a chance that things may be turned around, however saying get them fired is always easier said than done and may leave the company open to lawsuits for unjust dismissal.

To correct this you need dedicated senior management support and buy in to the whole process. It simply may be that senior management does not see the problem. Try putting in for reimbursement for the lunch since it is a requirement that you buy the lunch to get the work done. I doubt if you will get anything back but it will at least give you the opportunity to bring the issue forward.

It will be very difficult if not I impossible to turn around the system that has developed. It wills moist likely take as long as it took for it to develop to turn around without some drastic action by senior management.

For starters you could get some input into the employee review. If you are supervising their actions and are assuming some responsibility for the outcome of their actions they you should be part of the review process. It is most unfair to the engineers to hold them responsible for the actions of the techs when they have no authority to get them to do anything. You could simply assign the work in written form with clear statement of requirements, including due dates and then if the work is not done use this as proof that the failure is not your responsibility but that of the tech’s not performing.

Copy the senior tech or whoever is responsible for them on a day to day basis and after that simply let things take their course.

Its circumstances like that that makes me glad that I operate my own business. I made the decision to stay small and not have any permanent staff in large part to avoid this sort of thing.


Rick Kitson MBA P.Eng

Construction Project Management
From conception to completion

http://www.kitsonengineering.com