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Work

Ladybird

There is my work situation.

I don’t know how to solve this and I hope someone could help.

  1. I work as a lab tech - it’s a very small laboratory (20 people in total, therefore no HR)
  2. There are 3 lab technicians
  3. I’m the most senior lab tech because I’ve been working for this company for over 5 years (the rest under a year)
  4. There is high staff turnover (lab techs usually stay for about a year)
  5. I’m supposed to train and supervise the new staff - since the most senior lab tech left 2.5 years ago (I was fine for a first year as I had really supportive coworker but she left over a year ago and since then I’m struggling)
  6. I don’t know how to supervise people and I don’t know how to manage other people’s time and workload (what they need to do and when and what next)
  7. I’m fine with organising my own workload.
  8. I don’t know what to do when someone is refusing to do something, pretending they’re busy even though they’re clearly aren’t (my manager told me to be more confident - but how? Am I supposed to yell at people or what? But I don’t want to create a war zone at work)
  9. I don’t know how to solve this problem other than leaving the job. 
  10. I find this situation really stressful
  11. I like this job because it’s quiet and I don’t have to be in the same room as everyone else if I don’t want to and it’s quite relaxed environment so I don’t really want to leave (I don’t do well in interviews anyway)

There might be a simple idea how to solve my problem but I just can’t see the solution.

Parents

  • If you have experience and understand your job, then you’ve got it licked!

    What I suggest you do is write out a flow chart for each job role you supervise, including your own. This will help clear your mind of having to think about what each person has to do next, while also showing them that you know what your doing and saying. It also gives them guidance of what is expected of them.

    If you can and feel it’s necessary you can add expected time frames. E.g “job A 1hr-1hr 15mins. I would always cut time off the end though. So if job A can take up 1hr 30mins, saying max 1hr 15mins means that if someone wants to take the piss and push their luck and take an extra 15mins, then it’s still within your expected time frame.

    The other benefit to have a work flow is that you can use it to performance manage everyone in a fair and reasonable way. If someone is consistently missing the time frames then you can say “I’ve noticed you are missing the time frames, can I offer some support?” Hopefully they say yes, you provide support, they improve, job done! Alternatively they say no, they don’t improve, you have the same conversation in 2 or 3 weeks, but you take notes of the conversation and provide them with some set time frames for improvement. That doesn’t happen, you invite them to investigation meeting 1. You say to them “ we had a conversation on X date, we had another conversation on Y date, which you received note of and you have failed to improve, Why? Write all this down. Pass the notes to your manager who holds another meeting (Disciplinary Hear) gives them first written. Fails to improve again within times frames set by your manager at disciplinary, same again, resulting in Final written warning, same again, same process, result summary dismissal. Should take around 6 weeks to get someone out.

    It’s important that you always stick to process, always offer support and you manager should always do the dirty bits. I guarantee you get rid of 1 or 2 people and suddenly everyone else fall in line because they know you don’t take any ***. 

    I’m not going to lie though, sacking people makes you feel like crap, which is why you stick to process and always be Mr Nice Guy.

    Hope this helps.

Reply

  • If you have experience and understand your job, then you’ve got it licked!

    What I suggest you do is write out a flow chart for each job role you supervise, including your own. This will help clear your mind of having to think about what each person has to do next, while also showing them that you know what your doing and saying. It also gives them guidance of what is expected of them.

    If you can and feel it’s necessary you can add expected time frames. E.g “job A 1hr-1hr 15mins. I would always cut time off the end though. So if job A can take up 1hr 30mins, saying max 1hr 15mins means that if someone wants to take the piss and push their luck and take an extra 15mins, then it’s still within your expected time frame.

    The other benefit to have a work flow is that you can use it to performance manage everyone in a fair and reasonable way. If someone is consistently missing the time frames then you can say “I’ve noticed you are missing the time frames, can I offer some support?” Hopefully they say yes, you provide support, they improve, job done! Alternatively they say no, they don’t improve, you have the same conversation in 2 or 3 weeks, but you take notes of the conversation and provide them with some set time frames for improvement. That doesn’t happen, you invite them to investigation meeting 1. You say to them “ we had a conversation on X date, we had another conversation on Y date, which you received note of and you have failed to improve, Why? Write all this down. Pass the notes to your manager who holds another meeting (Disciplinary Hear) gives them first written. Fails to improve again within times frames set by your manager at disciplinary, same again, resulting in Final written warning, same again, same process, result summary dismissal. Should take around 6 weeks to get someone out.

    It’s important that you always stick to process, always offer support and you manager should always do the dirty bits. I guarantee you get rid of 1 or 2 people and suddenly everyone else fall in line because they know you don’t take any ***. 

    I’m not going to lie though, sacking people makes you feel like crap, which is why you stick to process and always be Mr Nice Guy.

    Hope this helps.

Children
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