Feeling Overwhelmed at Work: How Can I Encourage My Colleague to Share the Load?

Good day all,

Kindly assist with adequate advice. I work in the HR Department with a total of 8 members. Unfortunately, I feel as though I am under too much pressure. My boss ignores my emails or considers what I provide as minor. The other staff members are generally just about getting paid with no passion at all for the job. My equal is the worst of all and always does things at her own time. Since people do not even talk to her, they always put pressure on me. I am about to quit this organization. Please assist on how I can get at least my equal to do her job without always sulking or responding negatively.

Analyzing Indifferent Behavior in the Workplace

The situation you are facing needs to be rectified through careful thought and analysis. What could be the reason for such indifferent behavior towards you? What is your designation? Is your organization privately owned or part of the government/public sector? Do the other seven members behave in a friendly manner with each other?

In your place, I would make an effort to reach out to all members in a friendly way, even if there are rebuffs from some. Show some patience with them. From your side, do the job and move it to the next in line. Delays will then be attributed to the defaulter. Keep in close touch with your HR boss and keep informing them of progress in tasks. Be diplomatic and decline jobs pertaining to your counterpart. This kind of situation does happen in other organizations as well. Patience, diplomacy, and networking with the other six members can help out.

Thank you for your reply. In response to your thread, I would like to notify you that I am a bottom-level HR practitioner, who is the lowest in the chain of command. Delays occur quite often and they are often attributed to the whole team, where you find me being reprimanded the most as I cannot defend or speak out due to my status.

Work Ethic Challenges in Africa

What I have noticed is that in Africa, the work ethic is very low, which is why we are in the 3rd world. People are concerned more about status than actually doing any job. I guess I can't blame them as it is how they were raised. The best thing I can do is to keep quiet (keep it inside) until it kills me. When I speak out, I tend to seem as though I am not a team player. But hey, what goes around comes around. I guess one day they will be taking orders from me.

Thank you again for your worthy advice.

Don't let stress get the better of you. As the most junior, extra strain will fall on you, but treat it as a learning opportunity. Being the most junior has its own pains and compensations. At least show your work ethics and do your level best. You will learn more, and over time, others will understand that you are an achiever and a ready worker/employee. That image/reputation will pay dividends. Hard work never kills and always pays dividends in some form or another.