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WWYD? (lousy co-worker)
Our annual reviews are coming up and we have always been encouraged to tell our supervisors if we know of any of our co-workers using company time for things that aren't work related. Our receptionist has a side business, and for the last 4 months it has really been disruptive. She will leave the office to make deliveries, and say she is using her lunch hour to do so, but in reality she will be gone for almost 2 hours (once she was even gone for 3!). She does not clock out for this, so it's on company time. And when she leaves to make those deliveries, I have to stop what I am working on to cover the receptionist area, so I am forced to skip a lunch that day, and basically have nothing to work on the whole time I am up there (my work is mostly done away from the computer). She also uses our mailing supplies to mail her product out, and to my knowledge, she does not pay the firm back for any of this (a usual package is about $5 and she sends at least 2 out every week). She will also pack products, make labels, and work on her business' website- all on firm time- and each time she says she is using her "lunch break" to do so. She will take full days off pretending she is sick so she can work on her business. Then she will turn around and say she is too overwhelmed with the amount of work her boss is giving her!! And THEN she will complain that she isn't making enough money and that she is under-appreciated here.
Our supervisors know she has a business on the side, but I don't think they realize how much it is affecting her work (and mine!!). Would you tell the supervisor? The receptionist is a really sweet girl, but now that her business is "taking off" I don't think she should be working here. She keeps alluding to me that she will probably quit in the next 6-9 months because of how well her business is doing- but I don't think I can handle picking up her slack for that much longer. I have been having to come in early/stay late/come in on weekends just to keep up with MY work.
TIA
Re: WWYD? (lousy co-worker)
Thanks, I have been keeping a log of when I am covering her station for her and for how long. She will usually email me and tell me when she'll be leaving and for about how long she think she'll be gone, and I have been saving those emails in a special folder in my inbox.
I understand completely what you are saying, JSP. In October I came to her and said that I was falling behind, and that I wouldn't be able to cover her desk for her as often as I was... That's when she started doing work for her own business on company time (packaging her product, making labels and envelopes, working on her website, etc.). Then when the holidays rolled around was when she would leave for hours on end. I would say (quite frequently) that the holidays are our busiest time of year at the office, and by not being at my desk I was falling more behind than usual, and each time I would say something she would blow it off and say it's "job security" for me. Then, when she started slacking off on her work, it would be delegated to me- even though I was already doing a lot of stuff for her.
I will definitely talk to my supervisors about this soon. I don't want her to loose her job because of me, because we are in a recession, but I KNOW there are other people out there who wouldn't take advantage of the position like she has been.
It sounds like you are ready to do what needs to be done. Not saying you shouldn't talk to your supervisor, but have you tried confronting her about all the trouble she is causing you?