Our manager expects us to cover for a colleague who has a drink problem
I work in a small team where one of our colleagues has a drink problem. Not only is his attendance erratic – and he is sometimes not in a condition to work – but he cannot be relied on to do any tasks requiring attention to detail, which essentially is all the work we do.
Our line manager is aware of the situation but expects us to cover for him. We are sympathetic, but months have passed without any sign that he is getting the proper help he needs.
How can we convince our manager that his behaviour is having a harmful effect on us, not only because our workloads have increased, but also on our team morale? None of us wants to work with him or even sit near him, as we can’t get on with our own work.
Jeremy says
It might be helpful to start by trying to work out the reasons for your line manager’s reluctance to take any action when he clearly knows there’s a problem – and one that’s extremely unlikely to disappear of its own accord. My guess is that, understandably, he shrinks from the consequences that any form of active interference would almost certainly entail.
When people have a serious drink problem, they have an illness, and one that, more often than not, they deny. They may even do their best to keep it from their family – and sometimes their families prefer to turn a blind eye themselves. When challenged, alcoholics can get quite ugly.
So the chances are that your line manager is fully aware of the likely cost of any intervention: the difficulty of establishing proof, angry rebuttals, and bitter accusations of meddling in a private life, all make the prospect of any form of action deeply unattractive. And when your line manager feels a little uneasy at what he must know is a dereliction of duty, he can comfort himself with the thought that he’s acting out of compassion. Indeed, in part he may be – but it also provides him with some respectable justification for inaction. And that is why he continues to expect you and others to “cover” for your colleague.
I go into all this because it has a direct bearing on what action you can most usefully take. The more you emphasise the adverse effect on you and the rest of the team the more you open yourselves up to accusations of being unsympathetic. So it’s far better that you concentrate exclusively on what’s best for your colleague with the drink problem.
Remind your line manager that employers have a duty to act in the best interests of their employees’ health. By making this important point, you’ll quite properly transfer some of the responsibility for dealing with this case from his shoulders alone on to the company as a whole – and he should find it much less difficult to initiate the necessary action.
He needs to refer the problem either to HR, or to his own superior, or perhaps both. Once everyone is formally made aware of the situation, they should realise that further procrastination is not an act of compassion but a form of corporate irresponsibility – and not even in the best interests of the individual concerned.
Readers say
• Interesting one, but you don’t know what is happening. If the situation is being dealt with by the manager/occupational health/HR, it would be a personal matter so it is right that they haven’t told anyone else. So I don’t think you should jump in assuming nothing is being done. But you should stress, as you do above, the impact on productivity and morale. salamandertome
• If your productivity’s being affected, the most help you can be is by presenting a business case to the manager for additional temporary help. Present the damage that’s being done dispassionately and either they can find a temp to help in the interim, or it may push the manager to address the issue with your co-worker. PeteHarris
• You’re looking at this all wrong. There aren’t many work places where you can turn up drunk and not be sacked. Your boss is clearly fine with it, pour yourself a large one and stop being such a buzz kill. sansal
I was promised training when I took on a new job – so what has happened to it?
About a year ago, I started a new job in an area of expertise that I last worked in five years before. I was promised training and exposure to areas of the business to refresh my skills. I have two degrees in the field, so am not a total novice. Despite these promises I’ve been constantly overlooked for all but fairly menial tasks, and nine new projects have been given to my colleague, who is less qualified. He, alone in the office, has been on four trips overseas to assess new work.
When I took this job I was positive and asked to get involved and be allocated extra tasks. I have also put in training requests for the courses I was promised; the requests went through three different people – and then halted at my boss’s desk.
My drive at work, and confidence in my ability, is being affected. I took a pay cut to take the job as it offered training and advancement, but none is forthcoming. I’m debating returning to my old job and paying for the courses myself. Any other ideas?
Jeremy says
I can only assume two things. First, that, despite your qualifications, your boss has decided that your lack of recent, relevant experience makes you ill-equipped to take on the sort of projects he assigns to your technically less-qualified colleague. And secondly, believing that he has enough experienced capacity at his disposal to meet demand, he’s felt no need to invest in the training that you were led to believe was part of your employment deal. I doubt if this has been a conscious decision; I think it far more likely that he’s just drifted into it. Either way, you deserve, and should certainly request, clarification.
It’s entirely reasonable for you, after a full year in the job, to ask what plans your boss has for you. Put your emphasis not on your sense of disillusionment, but rather on your continued interest in becoming a more valuable member of the team and the training and experience that would help you achieve that. From the tone and content of his response you should have a much clearer idea of your prospects. If it all sounds like more of the same, then you should certainly plan to move on.
Readers say
• I’d say your first trip should be to the boss and find out precisely why you are being overlooked. Something smells a bit fishy here. Your boss’s reply should tell you whether you’re wasting your time at this company. clarkshakeshaft
• In the past I got overseas projects that more experienced people missed. My managers said I got them because they knew I was the one they could put on a plane the next day and I’d have a project up and running, and good relations, a couple of days later. I was never told it was because I am “highly qualified” or “well-trained” (even though I am). Yes, you need to get the promised training. But you might need to position yourself on other fronts too. oommph
• Sorry, read the coded message from your boss. You’re not wanted, so quit now. causeoreffect
Do you need advice on a work issue? For Jeremy’s and readers’ help, send a brief email to dear.jeremy@theguardian.com. Please note that he is unable to answer questions of a legal nature or reply personally.
