Why do people not do what the h**l they are paid for?

Question

I'm at work today as the assistant manager. And when I ask these particular employees to do something, they complain and drag around. As though I am asking them to do something that is not in their job description. I told my cousin that we need to fire that entire shift and hire new replacements. She is more forgiving than me and she suggested that we just have an employee training class!

I say to h**l with that. They know what is expected of them but they b***h about doing it. So again I ask, why do people not do what they are paid for? Any suggestions?

Answer 1

Poor management.  Same employees would be more productive with better management.  Managers / Owners need a training course in basic management skills.  To lead the most productive staffs / crews, though, managers need much more training than just the basics.  Public libraries are loaded with books, some classic and eternal, some transient and pop, about how to be a better manager. Basic psychology courses or self-study are required, too.

Edit: This is the OUTSTANDING organization free that helped me get started in business and management:

http://www.score.org/index.html

Answer 2

Probably not worried about losing a low paying job.

    Raise their salaries , watch the cooperation level go up .

When I owned a business ALL of my people were considered Independent Contractors ... They earned a percentage of the business they did for me ... They always worked hard , without supervision . It was in their best interest .. The more they did each day , the bigger their paychecks .

    What incentive do most people really have?

Answer 3

lol.........i guess some people don't read the job description.

Answer 4

Ah, I know that frustration too.  These teenagers (mostly) would stand around like lumps while I ran around like crazy trying to get everything done, and would only do anything when specifically directed to, as though they were not capable of perceiving for themselves that the trash was overflowing, the counter was dirty, and 20 screaming children needed someone to bring them lunch.

There's a reason you're the assistant manager and they're not: you actually care.  You can try to motivate them, or you can just accept they're unmotivated.  But I think firing the whole shift and replacing them is likely to just get you another bunch of employees who aren't too motivated either, and who will need to be trained from scratch.

Answer 5

It is assumed that just bc you are in a managerial position that everyone will do as they are told- not so- as you have found out. There's two types of ppl in this world followers and leaders are you really a follower rather than a leader? can you inspire ppl motivate ppl it could be argued that you're problem is bad management. Go on more training courses "develop" yourself. you have to have good observation skills learn from ppl behaviours what consitute's a hard worker . learn to be effectively assertive  (not rude). Try not to be too chummy with you're workers you have to maintain the leadership role. Always be prepared to do what you tell others to do.

Some ppl go for managerial positions just bc of higher pay is that you?

As I've found out there's more to every job than meets the eye.

Answer 6

They probably think they can slack off and nobody will notice. Let them know subtly that you DO notice and they'll get in line.

EDIT: By the way, I AM above minimum drinking age (in Canada) and I'm not a Marxist.

Answer 7

lead by example

Answer 8

Maybe you are a really bad manager and your skills at motivating others sucks. Maybe they don't like you.

Maybe you need to do some management training.

A really awful manager always blames her staff.

Answer 9

Like Miss Theo said, make your employees want to come to work. Work is trash unless you happen to be the assistant manager barking orders to everyone.

Answer 10

I'm not sure this question should be in the gender studies section of yahoo answers. Hopefully you're not saying that one gender is lazier than the other.  

Answer 11

What feminism is to blame, because you have a load of minimum wage earners who won't jump like lackeys when some jumped up supervisor on a dollar more an hour is telling them just how worthless they all are?

Yep! that bloody feminist management theory at it again!

It is difficult to inspire in the work place when there are no real attainable goals.  Here's one for you a true manager leads by example and from the front, never asking anyone to do anything they would not be prepared to do themselves.  Great leaders are admired and respected, not feared.  Explain that if they all pull together, they look good, you look good, and keeps the bosses, who are making the real money happy!

Answer 12

Seriously don't worry about it. There is no logical explanation other than these are probably the low lifes of society that will bounce around from job to job because their lazy asses can't keep one.

EDIT- Wait, please tell me you are NOT on here while at work....that you live in England or something.

Answer 13

why are you at work playing on Yahoo Answers?  Is that in your job description?

Answer 14

Be nice to them, if they like you and you're friendly with them they will not want to disappoint you, do the job yourself once with them watching you to show them how you want it done.

I'm a manager and this has worked for me for a while. Be sure to thank them for doing a good job.

Edit: To the people who give me a thumbs down, who would you rather work for? Some b*tch who thinks that being a hard a** is another way of saying 'assertive' or someone who's approachable and won't make you want to quit your job and beat your dog when you get home?

Answer 15

Some people want to do the least amount of work for the same pay cos they are lazy or arent really interested in the job only when the next pay check comes in