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What is the best way to professionally deal with a team member who is slacking off all the time?

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Question added by Mariam Eid , Marketing and Communications Manager , Executive Solutions
Date Posted: 2016/08/18
Alaa Elhendy
by Alaa Elhendy , Cultural Projects and Initiatives Coordinator , Ministry Of Culture and Knowledge Development

First I would talk to them and look into the reason for slacking off. If it's because of their lack of knowledge then I would enroll them in specific training courses if the time and budget allow it if not I would organize a non formal team discussion where they can exchange their knowledge, skills and thoughts regarding the projects.  

If they are unmotivated I would include them in teams and give them specific roles that can show their potential and make them an important asset to the team. 

In either case I would check in with the team members regularly to make sure they're focused and motivated.

Nasir Khan
by Nasir Khan , Counsellor , Medecins Sans Frontieres-Holland

Put him in the drivers seat, make him to go around with the best one in the team, make the objective clear, give time to learn and then clearly give chance to do things on his/her own knowing the deadlines, and provide space to talk and learn.

FYAIZ MUSTAFA
by FYAIZ MUSTAFA , Duty Manager Operations Control , BAYVIEW EDEN

First of all team work grows any business. whether its morally or financially. Your team mates may help to grow in business. If anyone not good in his progress v need to find out the solution for the growth of other team mates. If a poor performer is in the team, discuss with him and find out the difficulties which Dgrow him/her. However, team work is more important in every sector, why not he is a boss.

have a team meeting with that person and see if  they want to be on the team or if there is a problem that can be fixed then may have to discuss sending the said person to another task off the team. 

Omar Saad Ibrahem Alhamadani
by Omar Saad Ibrahem Alhamadani , Snr. HR & Finance Officer , Sarri Zawetta Company

Thanks

I support Mr. Bounar and Mr. Maher answers

Rana Ishqair
by Rana Ishqair , Executives Secretary , Kuwait Danish Dairy

Try to increase his/her interest in the job they are handling by increasing the challenge between him and his colleagues competition in certain task .

Elsy Semaan
by Elsy Semaan , Recruitment Coordinator , Satco International Group

First, we can have creative and motivational ideas in order to capture the team members's attention to work harder. Second, remunerations are also a good way to push workers to give more effort conversely raise in salary, bonus, vacancy ... Third, and the best way to avoid having a team worker who is slacking off all the time is, to have a face-to-face conversation in order to realize the main problem and try together to find a suitable solution.

Fayaz Ali Khan
by Fayaz Ali Khan , HSE Officer , Wasita Group

First of all I have to keep things in my mind that my strategy of restoring the team member's interest will not make him misunderstand that I am doing it only to increase the productivity, he should be guided in such a way where he can realize that the act of slacking off impacts his growth and deterioration of skills.

 

If I succeed in convincing him with this valuable information then everything will be in track

lubna almasri
by lubna almasri , administrative assistant manager , Virtual World for export and import

I agree with Ms  Alaa Elhendy 

 

 

Maher Mashaal
by Maher Mashaal , مدير انتاج , شركة آفاق للتعبئة و التغليف

    • ج

MANAGEMENT Co-Worker Slacking Off? Don't Get Mad—Ask This Question

by

AJA FROST

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Career Guidance - Co-Worker Slacking Off? Don't Get Mad—Ask This Question

“You’ve had three months to do this project. I gave you extensive directions, asked you if you needed help on four separate occasions, and checked in with you on a weekly basis. What do you mean we’re not going to be ready for the event on Saturday?!?”

That’s what I wanted to say to my employee who approached me explaining that she didn’t, in fact, have things ready for Saturday’s event. Instead, I paused for a beat, smiled, and said:

“Thank you again for agreeing to lead the charge on this—I know how busy you are! It sounds like we have a lot of ground to cover before the event on Saturday. What ideas do you have for making up that ground? I know you’ll be able to make this a success, which is why I chose you for this role in the first place.”

I’m the editor-in-chief of an online magazine. We have a staff of and an intense publishing schedule, so it’s a huge role—and I delegate a lot. Unfortunately, those I delegate to aren’t always as invested as I am.

A couple of months ago, I would have used the first approach on my slacking team member. However, I quickly found that getting angry—although satisfying—didn’t motivate my staff. Instead, they would get defensive and resentful.

I had to change my tactics. That’s when I discovered the magical question: What ideas do you have for… (finishing this on time, placating the customer, responding to the client, doing things better in the future, whatever else you think is required to fix the thing you messed up)?

This question is effective for multiple reasons:

  • It forces the person you’re asking to acknowledge he or she has created a problem.
  • It gives him or her an instant way to alleviate that problem.
  • It asks him or her to think of more than one solution.
  • It makes you seem understanding and sympathetic.
  • It allows the person to be less defensive, since you’re not being accusatory or suggesting you’ve lost faith in him or her.

When I asked this question to the woman organizing Saturday’s event, she responded:

“I’m busy, but that’s no excuse! So is everyone else on our staff! I know I let you down, but I’m going to focus all my energy into making this event happen. First, I’ll call every caterer in the area to see who’s still available. Maybe we can offer them free publicity so they’ll ignore how last-minute it is? Also, I was thinking…”

 

Read complate article ...

https://www.themuse.com/advice/coworker-slacking-off-dont-get-madask-this-question

santhanu balachandran
by santhanu balachandran , Authorised Agent , Pothens Motor Pvt Ltd

The best way to deal with such a team member is friendly attitude using which you can mold the personality of a team member.By this way we can improve the self confidence of that person and we can also provide some motivation to him.

 

 

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