IN YOUR BUSINESS

Working hard for the money...well, not so much.

I work for a manager who is responsible for getting our work load distributed to us daily. My group is usually under pressure to complete work assignments because the manager doesn't give us the work in a timely fashion. We have had complaints from our customers because we are late getting orders out. If she would do her job, we could all do ours on time. We are at the mercy of our manager's lack of concern and inefficiency. How can those of us in subordinate positions handle something like this?

Casey, Processing Dept.

Chicago, Ill

Dear Casey:

Here's a thought: remember, your manager works for someone, too. It's O.K. to alert your company to issues that you feel are effecting the productivity of your unit. It's sometimes necessary to inform your manager's boss about a situation like this one. Unfortunately, she may be passing the blame onto all of you for any negative feedback that may have come in from customers to the company, without your knowledge, not accepting the blame herself.

Oftentimes, those is higher up positions are not aware of the daily hands-on efforts of those who are working for them on other levels, and sometimes the problems can go unrecognized for a long time unless it's reported. I feel pretty certain that any credible company would want to know if a manager is slacking on the job, and thus creating difficulty with the services they provide.Try asking for a team meeting and see if everyone can get on the same page. Explain your concerns, and see if things get remedied that way. Otherwise, if the lazy-manager syndrome continues, report it. There is a chance your company will really appreciate you for it.

S.R.F.