How do I deal with constant unfair load distribution?

Question

I've been working with a boss for 3 years now. About a year and half back, as the workload increased, we got another resource into our team. I and this guy share the workload together. We are partners. It means that we both need to complete a chunk of work together. If one is slacking then the other needs to finish it.

However, since the time he's joined I've been seeing that I get assigned the majority of the work and I'm kept burning at 100% at least. I'm usually at 100-120% throughout the year with absolutely no breaks. While this guy gets assigned the bare minimum because he's extremely incompetent. He cannot get the task done properly. Also he lies outright about how much work he's done and is very manipulative. He omits particular words so as to give an impression of having done more work. Sometimes he takes credit for work that was done by some other team. And my boss for some reason chooses to ignore it.

Overtime I had been burning out. I don't get a single day in the year when the work is less. So I started hinting to my boss about his lack of work and the high pressure on me. It didn't make a difference so I started having a 1-1 meeting with him and explaining to him, pointing out the proof of what work I was doing and what he was doing. I did these for a couple of times. It still made no difference. So one day I called him into a meeting room and had a heated venting out because I could not tolerate this anymore. Since that day he's changed. He now does assign more work to my colleague.

However, in spite of all this I still see that I'm always kept busy at 100-120% while my colleague is allotted only 50% of the day. And this really makes me angry. If he takes a proper share of work then I can stop burning out.

So my question is what is the proper way to resolve this? It's not like I'm completely overloaded with work. But it's just that there is non-stop work for me. While this guy chills out sitting right next to me on Facebook, YouTube and other websites. I literally see him surfing the whole day.

Answer 1

So my question is what is the proper way to resolve this? It's not like I'm overloaded with work. But it's just that there is non-stop work for me. While this guy chills out sitting right next to me on Facebook, YouTube and other websites.

If you aren't overloaded, but you are working non-stop, then I'm not quite sure there is a real problem to be resolved here. At work, you are supposed to work, not have periods of time where you aren't working so that you can chill out. You seem to feel the same based on your characterization of your coworker.

Still, if you feel you must "resolve this", you should talk with your boss.

But when you do, don't focus on your coworker. Instead, focus on yourself. Point out what your non-stop work prevents you from doing that you feel you should be entitled to do. Point out what training you could take, what expanded duties you could take on, etc.

You've already vented about the unfairness that you couldn't "tolerate" any longer, so your manager knows your feelings. Don't rehash those complaints - clearly they are a waste of time and will only make you come across as a whiner.

If I had to make a bet, I'd bet that you will be rewarded more than your under-performing coworker. Perhaps you are paid more now, perhaps you'll get better annual reviews, perhaps you'll get more choice tasks and projects. Managers usually aren't stupid, they expect more of better workers, but they also reward them more often.

But if after all of that you still cannot "tolerate" this unjust situation any longer, it might be time for you to consider seeking a different company. If you do, work hard to find a job and culture where everyone is treated exactly the same so that you are no longer "pricked out". In my experience, unequal work loads are the rule, rather than the exception. So look hard before you jump - you don't want to end up in another frustrating job, and have to go through this all again.

Answer 2

Is the work he's not doing making it harder to get your work done?

If his laziness means you can't get your work done, then it's fair to go to your boss and explain that you need X from him, and haven't gotten it, and you need it in order to complete Y. Then ask how you want him to handle that.

If it's just an unfair work distribution, then there might be other things going on behind the scenes that you don't know about. Perhaps he is doing something else the boss needs instead. Perhaps he is working more efficiently and getting the same amount of work done and the boss is good with that. He might be on probation because of his lack of work and close to losing his job. Your boss might not be a great boss, and figure if the work is getting done, he doesn't care if it's an equal load. There are all sorts of reasons. But the issue is for your boss to handle, not you.

You should do your work and not pay so much attention to his. However, don't do extra work and burn yourself out -- do as good of a job as you can do while still keeping healthy.

Answer 3

In addition to the sound advice given, I'd first suggest that you document everything. While your comment states that you don't have work dependency it does seem that you are on a team of sorts with this guy as you do receive kindred tasks. Having a trail of your output and assignments will make it easy for you later on, should you need something to point to. Someone above surely has the record of your peer and can connect the dots on their own.

A lot of your current sentiment is expressed as complaining and a result of arguably unwarranted comparison. This may stem from feeling that you receive equivalent compensation as the other 'incompetent' guy but you have no way to know that. Perceptions matter, so your first initiative should be to re-envision your current problem in terms of yourself alone.

It's evident you feel overworked and/or underappreciated, but what is your goal? Would the ideal amendment be a raise? Increased work flexibility? Limited workload? You should take some time to figure this out exactly and bring it up to your manager during assessment or a meeting.

Here's the divergence to the current advice, while you take the time to figure out exactly what bothers you, you should consider what you can do alone to improve your situation. There's not enough information to know, but consider, perhaps, that the other guy simply manages expectations better, and allows himself time for flexibility.

e.g. If a task takes 3 hours, you state it will take 3 hours and give yourself little time for flexibility and feel stress to perform at 100% all the time and burnout. Whereas the other guy may state 9 hours and finish in 6, he did less than you could but over delivered on his estimate all while having much more time to begin with. Something to consider.