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How do you deal with coworkers who don't work?
I will try not to make this long...Okay I failed at that. Here's a coffee if you decide to read this. 
I should say I care about these people not working because it's a team project where we don't have individual assignments. We are given a task and all are supposed to work in it until it gets done.
I was hired on as a temp in January for a specific project. Another temp was hired at the same time and there were two permanent employees, who I'll name Sam and Todd. The temp and I flew through our assignments and Sam and Todd were constantly telling us to "slow down or we'll work ourselves out of a job." I didn't think Sam and Todd were actually working that hard, but I thought maybe they had other tasks I wasn't aware of. In early April the other temp was let go and I stayed on. By the end of April I was very aware that Sam and Todd didn't do much work, but since I was a temp I was afraid to ruffle feathers and didn't know how to prove it.
I finally got hired on permanently in June. By the beginning of July I had finally figured out I could track our work in the databases we work in. I was doing on average 60-70% more work then them a day. And it's because they literally sit online all day. I think they spent about 10 minutes an hour working.
I approached my boss about it (now that I could point him in the direction of the numbers) and he said he thought that was the case. He started doing more walk-throughs our room during the same but Sam and Todd didn't seem too fazed by being caught watching movies/emailing/reading articles/blogging/etc.
In late July my boss had me start helping another department that is always behind in work and needed the help. He wanted me to be there permanently and I was working there every day (and enjoying it) until yesterday. They really liked me/my work and are really sad that I have to go back to the project. While I was working with the other department nothing got done on the project I was hired to work on. So now I'm being sent back over there by the "big bosses" because Todd and Sam are lazy butts who don't do anything. (Okay, those are my words, but I do think it's what they are thinking).
At first I was gung-ho about leading the team and being productive. After all, that's what I was hired for, right?! Then I realized I am never going to be able to advance in this company until this project is close to being finished, which isn't in the forseeable future because Todd and Sam don't do anything. So I have to do all the work, basically manage the project, try to get them to work, and I get paid less then them. (And this I know because one has a lot more work experience than I do and the other called to raise his credit card limit in front of me and I heard his salary). To say I'm pissed off is an understatement.
I have started looking for another job, but until then, how do I get Todd and Sam to work? I think I'm going to have to call them out on their not working, but I think I need to wait a week or two so I can give specific examples when I approach them. I really wish I didn't have to because I don't want to make this awkward with my co-workers.
I really need advice on how to get through this because I seriously go crazy sitting in a room with them when they aren't doing anything. I've started listening to music with my headphones, which sort of helps. I make sure I leave the room for my breaks and lunch. I've been so stressed out working with them in the past that I completely skipped a period a few months ago. I can't let them effect my health like that.
And believe it or not I really like this company. They have great benefits and overall everyone is really nice and supportive.
Re: How do you deal with coworkers who don't work?
If you are directly managing them and they report to you, then you should work with your HR department to get them on a plan to get their act together. Typically you have to document these situations very carefully and keep track of every correspondence. You should be working with HR through the whole thing. If you are not their manager, you of course have to bring their manager into the situation and they have to drive it.
The key is to have specific goals and check in points along the way so they are set up for success. If they can't do that basic work, then maybe termination needs to be considered (which is why you have to document document!).
You really shouldn't be having to deal with this on your own though. This is what HR is supposed to help you with.
Cooking Blog
Hmm, that tricky, especially since the big boss is already aware of it. Flat out saying they're not doing enough work could be viewed as complaining or tattling. And since the big boss already knows about it, it might be viewed as you questioning him (her?) choice not to do anything about it.
This sentence caught my attention though: " I am never going to be able to advance in this company until this project is close to being finished."
Is there any way to take the focus away from these two losers, so it seems less like you're complaining about them, and focus more on what's best for the company? As in, saying hey, the way we're doing this the project isn't getting done and I know it would be best for the company to have it done. What can we do or change to make sure that happens? I think expressing your desire to advance in the company would be good too. Is this making sense?
I don't know, maybe I'm being overly cautious, but I'd be wary of calling people out too pointedly, kwim? (And let me just say, they are darn lucky to have jobs. We had a few minorly lazy people at my workplace and they were let go in the layoffs. Now everybody works their @ass off.)
I definitely think documenting is what I should start with, even though I'm not their manager. My boss has basically asked me to manage them. I'm a little bitter about it because it's his job to be managing them - not mine. I'm going to keep track of everything I do and how long it takes as well.
I majored in HR and never thought about bringing them into this. I really don't want to go above my boss, but I know I might have to eventually. I sort of feel like he's been aware of this problem long enough (3 months ago!) that he should have figured out a way to deal with it by now. How long do I document for? A month or two?
I'm so glad I have a vacation planned this month.
Yes, that does make sense! It's definitely going to be my approach for now. Sam and Todd have a much better idea of what needs to be happening, since they were there from the beginning of the project. I try to ask them what we should be doing next, but they always point their fingers back at our boss as an excuse for us not moving along. It's obviously very poorly managed with little future planning. Basically, until this point we work on an assignment, finish it, tell our boss, and then wait to be told what to do next. Sam and Todd never gave our boss a warning we were almost finished, which I think needs to change. On Monday I plan on making a 3 month plan of assignments and how long I estimate everything should take.
I think you're right and I don't plan on calling them out right now. I'm really not that confrontational, just wish I was. I did give one of them attitude yesterday and he was really surprised and apologized for what he said. I'm trying to figure out how to not snap at them, but I've just really reached my limit. (We did have a 4th team member, who was in and out the last 10 months because he's been battling cancer. I really liked him, but unfortunately, he's now really fighting for his life and had to quit. He was the calming presence for me in our room, but now that he's gone, I don't have that distraction anymore).
I do feel a little better knowing I'll be documenting everything and looking for another job.
I really appreciate these thoughts and advice.
Unless they report to and are accountable to you, I definately would not call them out to their faces. What I would do, is ask the big cheese that if he wants you to lead the project, if you can have a project plan drawn up (like on MS Project), where everyone is assigned their specific tasks and timelines. Then ask if as a dept if you can have meetings once a week with the cheese to discuss the plans/issues/etc.
At that point, it would be well documented and painfully obvious that the other two aren't pulling their weight, and you would not be be the 'heavy'. In addition, the cheese will have the documentation needed to prove to HR that these folks aren't hitting their deadlines, and you would have specific documentation that you are hitting yours, while at the same time showing your leadership skills.... Just my two cents....