The Slow Worker

May 18, 2006

It was one of the busiest days in the year. Customer lines extended all the way through the lobby and outside the front entrance to the building. Behind the counter, the customer service representatives quickly shuffled papers as they worked furiously to keep up with the demand. All except for Mildred that is, who sat nearly motionless behind the counter, softly clicking her ballpoint pen as she stared blankly at the papers in front of her. No matter how busy the office is, Mildred consistently works at a single pace - S-L-O-W.

If you've ever supervised someone like Mildred, then this scene is probably about as painful and frustrating for you as it is for the people who find themselves stuck in line waiting to be helped. In fact, the experience can be downright maddening for everyone involved. Coworkers also suffer because they are the ones who have to pick up the slack.

What's with people like Mildred, anyway? It's not that they lack the knowledge or ability to work harder and faster. They could do it if they wanted to. Instead, they choose to plod along at a snail's pace, seemingly oblivious to their surroundings.

Why don't they get it?

Assuming the person has no known health condition, personal issues unrelated to work, or other obvious impediment, here are some of the more common reasons why someone like Mildred work at such a slow pace.

Lack of Awareness. They do not know that their work output is low. They have never compared the pace of their own work with the pace of others around them, so they are not even aware that there is a difference. Other people are running circles around them and they don't even know it.

Don't Realize That It's Important. They don't see a connection between the amount of work they produce and the overall effectiveness of the department. In other words, they are unable to see the "big picture." They focus solely on their own tiny corner of the world with little or no understanding how the impact of their performance - good or bad.

No Reward for Working Harder. They see little or no benefit to working harder. They will still get paid the same whether they work fast or slow. In their minds, the possibility of receiving any bonus pay or promotional advancement is either not worth the effort or too far off in the distant future to keep them motivated day-to-day. Adding to the problem is a belief by some that they are already underpaid for their work. This person thinks to himself, "Why should I work harder when other people are being paid as much or more than me while doing less work?"

Unhappy in the Job. Finally, some people are simply unhappy. Either the work is not personally rewarding or they have a poor relationship with the boss, or are dissatisfied with life, in general. Most people find it difficult to motivate themselves to work hard under those conditions.

Why Is This So Difficult?

On the surface, this situation appears to be a no-brainer. The employee should be told simply that the level of work output is too low and to start working harder and faster or else face the consequences.

Unfortunately, it's not quite that easy. If it were, there wouldn't be any slow workers left to even talk about. Instead managers often put up with slow workers, sometimes for years. Why? Because:

• They don't know how to tactfully tell someone she is slow.
   
• They feel guilty for allowing the situation to go on too long already.
   
• They don't want to harm an otherwise good working relationship with the worker so they overemphasize the individual's positive qualities. ("At least she comes to work everyday.")
   
• And anyway, it won't do any good and might make matters worse.
   
• They fear it might provoke an unpleasant confrontation.
   
• If the employee gets mad and quits it might be difficult to replace her.
   

These obstacles can be overcome through careful planning and a tactful approach.

Begin by carefully observing the employee's behavior. Make note of specific instances where the employee was not keeping up with the work or keeping pace with coworkers.

Then, discuss the situation with the employee. Begin by sharing your observations. For example: "Carla, I noticed that it seems to take you a long time to process a transaction. Most people are able to complete it in less than two minutes, on average. Yet, it takes you considerably longer. I just wonder, were you aware of it?"

Explain why you chose this particular time to discuss it. For example: "Yesterday, a few customers had to wait in line as long as 15 minutes. Or "In fact, I have known for quite a while that it was taking longer than it should for you to complete these tasks, however I was hoping things would get better. I can see now that isn't happening and I want to find out what we can do to help you become more efficient."

Explain why it is important. For example: "This is important because what you do has a direct impact on all of us. It affects our overall productivity. Also, it isn't fair to other employees who handle a much larger number of transactions."

Express confidence and provide support. For example: "I know that you are capable of performing at a higher level. Maybe if you break the tasks into its component parts you can find ways to complete them in less time. We can do that together if you feel it would be helpful."

Following the discussion, consider whether this person is a good fit for the job. If you see evidence of a poor job-skills match or if the employee expresses a dissatisfaction with the work, consider a follow up meeting to discuss the employee's career goals and how you can help the individual make the transition into a more suitable position.

Whatever the final outcome, initiating a discussion with the employee is the first step in getting an employee to work harder and faster.

Best regards,

Stephen Foster, Ph.D., SPHR
Expert Supervisor, LLC
1493 Market Street
Tallahassee, FL 32312
(850) 893-5699

E-mail me at: Steve.Foster@ExpertSupervisor.com.