A mum is frustrated with her work colleague, who she believes is shirking her responsibilities and leaving the rest of the team picking up the slack.
The "slacker" colleague in question "doesn't have childcare in place consistently" so will leave work for at least an hour and half each day in order to take and collect her children from school. The mum is feeling more and more "p***ed off" by the situation, as her colleague's regular absences and lack of provisions means she and the rest of the department are facing increasing workloads and added stress.
Taking to Mumsnet’s popular Am I Being Unreasonable (AIBU) thread, the mum explained they are public sector workers, with many people reliant on them so she doesn't feel able to refuse to cover the extra work left in her colleague's wake. She sought advice on how to deal with the situation in a post titled "Colleague taking the p***…."
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In it, she explained the situation and penned: "This colleague has small children, she doesn't have childcare in place consistently, she seems to be working her job around her childcare needs rather than pay for the right amount of childcare (money isn't an issue, think expensive car, large house etc). She also travels from home to work in her work time so that she can be at home at the times she needs for her childcare, without making up the 1.5ish hours this takes her each day.
"The rest of the team are working really hard, extra hours, lots of stress about getting through the workload, she is breezing along with a much lighter workload and therefore managing to continue to be at home whenever she needs to for her children. It is driving me crazy, I am so p***ed off that the rest of the team including myself are working so hard and she is taking the absolute p***. I know different people have different work ethics but I feel this is really out of order. It's also causing lots of negativity in the team with people feeling so cross.
"This has been going on about a year, but is getting worse. I need advice, how would you deal with this, our manager doesn't seem to be interested as the teams' work is getting done." She then added: "Thanks for any views… I'm that worked up about it I can't think straight…"
The mum's post was met with more than 250 responses from fellow Mumsnet users, with many seeing both sides of the coin. One said: "You focus on your own job. If people want to work extra and be working martyrs they can do that but no one is forcing them".
A second said: "The only person who needs to address this is your line manager, talk to them, and let them get on with it". A third said: "Ask if she has a flexible working agreement. If she doesn't then assume you can do the same."
What would you do in this situation? Let us know in the comments below.
Another Mumsnet user commented: "I agree this is a line manager issue to sort out. I don't understand why people are stressing to pick up her slack? Just let things be undone and if asked why you can explain why. I don't really blame her if she can do this and still get the work done. If work isn't getting down though it clearly needs addressing."
One said: "An unpalatable truth here, but loads of people are wfh [working from home] and saving a fortune by not paying childcare. Colleagues picking up the slack. P***es me right off."
In response to some of the comments, the mum explained she understands what it's like to be a working mother, and added: "I fully agree with this and it is my choice to finish work in my own time, however as the colleague isn't actually working her full hours due to the childcare commitments, it feels unfair as she could be taking more of the workload so that her colleagues didn't have to take on the extra, we are all paid the same number of hours."
Another Mumsnet user commented: "I don't know why folk are giving you such a hard time. She is making a mockery of the rest of the team. If she is working full time then she is working 30 hours per month less than everyone else and still getting the same pay. It sounds like you and your colleagues don't want to let your service users down but if your manager won't address her shortcomings, you will have to stop making up her short fall. Never mention unless asked what people's circumstances are, otherwise posters will focus on those issues rather than the point you're trying to make."
And another added: "I don't know why everyone is defending this slacker at work! She sounds awful and it sounds like a situation that would cause a lot of resentment, OP [original poster]. I have no answers I'm afraid. Can you find a new job with a better culture??"
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