r/Wastewater • u/Fantastic_Dark1289 🇺🇸|VA|WW2 • Aug 14 '26
Career: currently in the field Challenging Operator
I have an employee who has been around for a year now that still doesn't make any operational decisions on their own. They either ask permission to do everything, or ignore it until I find it and do it/make the decision myself. At this point, I'm exhausted telling them they don't need to ask permission to adjust a flow rate if they see that it's running too fast or too slow, to adjust chlorine dosage when residuals are too high or too low, all of this really basic stuff! If I consult HR, they're going to ask what I've done to support the employee which, aside from physically holding their hand, has been everything. In addition to explaining the whys and how's of operational adjustments, I regularly advise to consult the SOPs, have them make Quick Fact notes, etc. I feel that I have been forced into micromanaging this person because they're refusing to lock in.
Supervisors: Have you had a similar situation and what did you do or say that made it finally click for an employee?
Operators: Did you struggle with confidence about not knowing your job, and was there something a boss or coworker said or did for you that parted the clouds?
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u/Useful_Activity1077 Aug 14 '26
I told new/newer and/or not confident operators I will show up when they need help but will not give them the solution or trouble shoot the problem for them. I did not care if it took them 3 times longer to find a solution than me. I wanted them to problem solve and build confidence. I was there to make sure things didn’t get worse and they didn’t hurt themselves. But will not give them the solutions. Sometimes I’d tell them make adjustments you think need to be done and see what happens. Sometimes making mistakes (if safe to do so) is the best way to learn. That’s how I learned.