Workaholics and slackers

In the eyes of HR Managers:

By Sajitha Prematunge

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If you see a co-worker walking all bleary eyed, zombie like and distracted, too distracted to smile, ask him or her to ‘snap out of it’. It just may happen to be that your colleague is suffering from an acute case of workaholism. But there are also slackers, those who manage to come out looking like heroes doing nothing.

Prasangi Sabaragamuwa an HR Executive of a leading Company says that the initial symptoms of workaholism are not taking meals on time or missing meals altogether, coming to work extra early and leaving very late and over enthusiasm for work.

“You know workaholics when you see them. They are stressed out and most often even forget to smile.” Prasangi says that some, even if they are busy, manage not to go berserk and even manage to help their subordinates, but some are just not cut out for it and end up messing up their lives.

Pasangi claims that she always tries her best to help them or get others in the same department to share the work load. She says that people in the field of human resources should also try their hand at a little bit of counselling.

“Some people have no idea of how to balance their work load or time. That’s why they mess up. They can’t balance their work with their private life either. So we conduct get-togethers and other recreational activities.” She suggested more novel things like music therapy and meditation could also provide some sort of relief to employees overwhelmed by work.

She explained that, although workaholics are an asset to a company, she never encourages it as an HR Executive. “People should learn to balance their work with their personal lives. Specially women who have to play a dual role as working women and mothers.”

She explains that in some instances family members and even kids of parents who are workaholics call and complain to her about their conduct, while some kinds are proud of their working mothers. She said that she discusses and allocates time for different tasks with the workers who have trouble with time management.

As an HR Executive of a leading company she claimed that she has encountered slackers as well as workaholics in her line of work. Slackers are usually easy to detect because of their behaviour. The traits that make them stand out are their tendency to disturb others, talk excessively on the phone or net-chatting, although they have work and give excuses for their behaviour and work undone.

Prasangi says that it is easy to detect a slacker by just going through the phone bill and says that they have worked although they have nothing to show for it. “When I spot a workaholic I try to talk to the person.” She explains that every company has policies and that as an HR Executive they refrains from firing the slacker on the spot.

“We don’t directly accuse them of being slackers. We give them warning and give them a trial period.” But as it often happens even slackers work hard during the probation period and only starts to slowly slid back in to comfortable doing-nothing after they are made permanent.

Prasangi claimed that some unintentionally turn into slackers because they have not received proper training. “They may also have problems that nobody may have spotted. All they need is a warning and a person to talk about their requirements with.”

But as Prasangi explains a company has to make profit. “We can’t carry passengers. And passengers can’t survive in such an environment.” With time the slackers realize that they can’t survive and they voluntarily give their resignations.

Speaking of the stereotypical manner in which the ‘HR Department’ is treated, as the trouble makers, Prasangi says that this is the same everywhere and that it is high time that this changed. “All the blame usually falls on the HR Department.” Ultimately she said that workaholics as well as slackers need counselling and slackers need training. “You can’t change people completely, but as people working in the HR field we have to try.”

Ishan Dantanarayana, Director HR, Virtusa - who has 19 years of experience in the field of HR - says that workaholics have good traits that also help the companies they work for, such as enthusiasm and dedication. “But their heads are always in work, they take their work home and they definitely need help with networking.”

If workaholics are an asset to a company what is so wrong of being a workaholic? Ishan says that the problem with workaholics are that they expect others to follow suit. “They expect others to commit to a job twenty four seven.”

But warned that if one wants to be a professional, being pushy would not help. “They need to be taught delegation.” Different tasks can be delegated to different people. This is one way to teach a workaholic to let go of their work and relax. He further claimed that the companies they work for should encourage such workers to go on vacations, go to clubs and outings and engage in recreational activities. And as Prasangi, agreed that even meditation could help.

With workaholics, he says it’s a whole new ball game. But with strong measurement criteria, he says it is easy to spot them. “Slackers are eloquent and uphold ideas that are in tune with general company views.” As Ishan explains slackers never attempt to be radical for the fear of being exposed. He said that the first thing that a slacker needs is feedback. They need challenging tasks and specific objectives along with steady and persistent monitoring.

Ishan identifies the role of the HR Department as advisor to the business. All business objectives involves people. Therefore HR has to work hand in hand with business.