Employees are rarely happy when they have to work overtime or suddenly go on a trip. Nevertheless, today’s way of doing business occasionally requires this. Should you “cover for them” to avoid spreading dissatisfaction, or are there other ways..?
Question:
I have a situation that is becoming a problem over time, and I would like to hear your opinion. I am the coordinator of a small team of 4 people, and we are engaged in a very dynamic job. We often have unpredictable tasks and trips for one or more days, depending on the type of task. My job is to coordinate the five of us, and I strive to be fair while also considering each of our personal skills. What has been bothering me lately is the fact that I try to burden my people less with extraordinary tasks, which some of them tend to complain about, but then I end up doing them myself, so it turns out that I am working more than they are. I get angry at myself for this, but it still seems better to me than listening to their whining. I note that I am not really their superior because the whole team has a boss who spends little time with us and actually does not know what is happening. Although we sometimes have arguments among ourselves, I still do not think about complaining to him.
Answer:
The situation you describe is a very good example of the search for balance. Why do I say this? Because the choices we make in life (and thus in business) often come “in pairs.” Take your desire to avoid the whining of some colleagues. At first glance, it seemed pragmatic and easier to take some of the tasks upon yourself to avoid this. But in the long run (and it sounds like you have been functioning this way for some time), you become angry at yourself because you are working a lot, assuming that you are also burdened and tired. Mechanically speaking, you have solved one situation, but another has opened up. Your attempt to be a support to your people and an exemplary worker is noble, but it seems that you are not sharing the work fairly… namely, you personally are doing more than others.
What is so terrible about colleagues in the team occasionally complaining about being overburdened? Do you know many people who say they do not have enough work during the working day? I do not. And accordingly (whether this is realistic or not), people complain. Another reason they complain is that this way they gain attention, sympathy, and/or they do it out of caution so they do not get even more tasks. It is somewhat in our culture on this little piece of the earth to complain, isn’t it?
These are a few reasons that come to my mind as to why people complain, and it does not necessarily relate to the amount of work. My question to you would be – can you bear it when they occasionally complain? If you cannot, what is it really about? Do you consider yourself truly responsible for their mood? If you strive for a constantly satisfied work team, I must disappoint you and say that such teams only exist in movies.
