Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Frustrated

As I mentioned recently, most everyone here at work is walking on egg shells because two of our top guys were fired, presumably at our client's request. This doesn't happen very often and it was big enough to be covered in the business section of the morning paper. (It's always a "feel good" to start the day by reading that your job may be in jeopardy.)

Now I'm not freaking out, but I am aware that "now is the time for all good workers to come to the aid of their agency." Those of us who are lower on the totem pole have to work harder and smarter to undo the damage to our client relationship done by our Big Bosses. It's just common sense. We're all doing that.

Except her. The coworker I've mentioned who cries in the office. Except she's stopped that, at least around me. She's developed a new trick -- sleeping at her desk. She thinks it's funny, too. I asked her if she ever sent out the project we worked on together and she said with a giggle, "No, I fell asleep."

She's tired all the time because since her divorce went through, she's been dating like crazy. Good for her, I say! She was with one man exclusively for 20 years (and he wasn't even very nice to her) so if she's curious about what else is out there, I think she should go for it.

This isn't a moral judgment on my part, but I don't think it's unreasonable to expect her to still do her job. It was easier for her to get sympathy for not doing her work when she was going through a divorce. "I was up all night doing a guy young enough to be my son," while certainly an interesting reason, is not as compelling.

Some of our teammates have expressed nervousness about her performance. It's important that, now especially, we behave as though there's zero tolerance for errors in our work, and she's dropping the ball. I said I would try to explain this to her (even though it should be obvious) because I don't want this issue to escalate to our boss. If layoffs come, and they are a fact of life in this business, I don't want her to be vulnerable. I don't think Miss Tears would take being let go very well.

This morning I tried to get through to her. I'm not sure I did. I told her that obviously we all need to step it up, especially since our client relationship is fragile right now, what with the firing of "Jim" and "Tom." Her response, "Jim and Tom?" I felt like yelling, "What? Did you sleep through that big meeting in the conference room? Did you not read about them in frigging newspaper, you wretched nitwit!" But I held my tongue.

Sometimes it's hard being a team player. Especially when I think of the women who are pregnant and nauseous or the parents who were up all night with sick kids or the coworkers with sick relatives who manage to work an 8 hour+ day and meet their deadlines and even somehow REMAIN AWAKE!

Ah, thank you, dear blog. After venting to you, I feel better.

4 comments:

  1. Somehow, I can't help thinking she really doesn't want her job if she's willing to jeopardize it by sleeping during working hours. You were kind to talk to her about her behavior. I hope she doesn't take the rest of you down with her.

    Any way to get her switched to a different team like at another agency?

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  2. Sorry to hear that things are tense at work. Look on the bright side - as long as there are slackers like her, your job is probably safe!

    Now, imagine on a daily basis someone saying "nobody told me" about something that had been communicated about a LOT. Now, imagine you were the person who were one of the people responsible for all that communication ...and someone says "nobody told me." Welcome to my work life!

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  3. You were very kind and compassionate to your sleeper coworker! There aren't many people who would have done that in your shoes. In today's world, it gets to be, everyone takes care of #1. I would say you did your good deed for the entire year. Honestly, I can't understand how she could possibly go from crying to sleeping...with all that's going on in your workplace.

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  4. This is interesting. When I posted this yesterday, I felt like the Bitch of All Time. Miss Tears has that effect on me. When I'm working I tend to be all about the work and she acted as though yesterday I was beating up on her. It was nice to read that you all think I did right by her when I gave her the heads up. You're right. I may have saved her job. Which is, of course, a good thing. Even if she didn't feel that way yesterday.

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