In a work setting, it can be overwhelming to encounter a fellow team member who is never willing to pitch in or seemingly always “too busy.” This situation can get frustrating and put a strain on your working relationships. If you are having trouble with a coworker who is “always busy,” here’s how to handle it.
Ask For Help
First and foremost, before you assume your coworker won’t assist you, you should ask for their help. After all, no one can read your mind. Asking for help sounds simple, but it can be difficult to do in the workplace. However, none of your coworkers will be able to help you if you don’t ask.
Make an effort to ask for help early on if you need it and not when you are on a tight, strict deadline. When you make your needs known early on, you have made a request for help. This means if the project fails, your request will be documented and you can point out that, if you had help, you may have gotten different results. Another key thing to remember is that you should continue to ask for assistance, even if you believe the answer will be no.
Inquire About Why They Can’t Help
If one of your coworkers has consistently turned you down when you ask for help, probe for a reason as to why not. When you ask for deeper reasons you can also emphasize the fact that your concerns lie with the success of the team overall, not personally. Ask questions like, “Why don’t you think you can help me?” and “How important is this project to you and your role?” This will cause them to stop and think about why they are saying no.
Provide Ways to Better Manage Their Time
Sometimes the reason your coworkers are saying no constantly is that they need better time management solutions to get the job done. They may not be able to see a way that they can get everything done, which can make saying yes to assisting you a bit overwhelming. Offer a helping hand to them by suggesting some solutions for the problem.
You can do this by offering a resource or suggesting a fellow coworker that can help them with their workload. In some cases, it is possible that speaking to your manager is a good solution as well. Ask about getting an extension on deadlines or additional resources. It is also possible that you might be able to offer them some help and, in return, they can give you the assistance you’re looking for. Discussing potential solutions to the problem will always be a good idea.
Chat With Your Boss
No one likes to be the one to bring an issue to your boss directly, but it can be necessary. If you have exhausted all of the other options and are still not getting the assistance you need, bring it up during a chat with your boss. It will always be better to bring up needing support to your supervisors before it becomes an issue with your work performance. Be sure to remain calm and collected during the conversation.
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