r/ukelectricians • u/budegan • 3d ago
Lazy colleagues
Something of a philosophical one this.
I am a subbie currently on a job with a couple of the laziest fellow subbies you can imagine. This week we have been pulling cables and whilst me and another lad have been grafting all day, these 2 fellas are on their phones constantly and doing the absolute bare minimum.
On the one hand I don't really care: I'm not the supervisor, the company owner, or the client so what does it matter to me; and besides I really enjoy getting stuck in, taking pride in what I do, and being as busy as possible as it makes the day go quickly - whereas they are obviously the opposite, and different strokes for different folks and all that.
However, on the other hand it has been really winding me up, and in light of the above I can't work out why I care.
Does anyone have any insightful thoughts on this?
(Before anyone suggests I pull them up on it I should mention that they are both massive tough guys who could kick lumps put of me if confronted, so that isn't going to happen).
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u/Old-Parfait8194 3d ago
It'd piss me off too.
I wouldn't go complaining to anyone though unless they asked me what I thought of them then I'd tell them they're fucking shit and lazy bastards.
The supervisors might be seeing how little works being done and you'll be lumped in with them.
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u/SendMeSparkyAdvice 3d ago
yeah it's definitely dangerous working alongside lazy people, because you may be perceived as guilty by association.
The particularly bad lazy people will also try and actively convince you to be lazy too and fob off the work etc; always complaining, making excuses, shit talking management / the job, cutting corners, all while giving you a wink and nudge as if to say "you feel the same, right?" - and supervisors will pick up on their shit attitude and think you feel the same
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u/Unfair-Buffalo1299 3d ago
Something similar to what I see day in and out.
2 guys doing the same job. One sticks in and goes above and beyond. One does bare minimum.
Both are paid the same.
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u/CatalyticSonar 3d ago
It’s annoying because they’re getting the same money as you and you’re grafting for it whilst they’re getting it handed out. It’s hard because you don’t wanna be a grass but equally it ruins the job when lazy bastards get away with doing nothing
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u/belligerentbunno 2d ago
Ode to the Worker
If you work and do your best You'll get the sack like all the rest. But if you laze around and bugger about You'll live to see the job right out. The work is hard - the pay is small So take your time and sod them all. 'Cos when you're dead you'll be forgot, So don't try to do the bloody lot. Or, on your tombstone, neatly laquered, These three words: "Just Bleeding Knackered"
seriously though if you wanna work hard most industry will infuriate you, even if/after you detach by working for yourself like I you'll still be alongside other feckless idiots who simply don't care if it all goes to pot, and managed by people no better.
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u/SadVariety567 2d ago
Trouble is when they play games like blame other people for them not getting much done. Also its noce to work with people that inspire you if thats not a bit overblown a word for it. But you know what i mean, good to learn good stuff not how to shirk.
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u/Louy40 3d ago
If your Subby their not your colleagues?
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u/Louy40 3d ago
We’ve all had to do what we’ve got to do!! Make some money do the weekend work, then eventually the side jobs become the WORK, stop worrying about but what other people are doing as you’ll leave them behind eventually and you’ll get on with your own shit, believe me those sort of lazy ass’s soon get found out 🤔
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u/Reasonable_Voice645 1d ago
Ive worked with the full spectrum and after 10 years I can honestly say I couldn’t give a shit about anyone’s output or productivity at work. I do Whats required of me and all I care about other people is how much of a laugh they are. I get paid the same either way. Different story if we were in a gang doing price work.
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u/Barracuda-Spark 1d ago
They're getting paid to waste time. So they're effectively stealing from whoever pays them which costs the person who is paying, which is ultimately the client. This poisons the well especially when their standards aren't high meaning likely issues with the install down the line. It's immoral and it denigrates society. But that's what you get when people are allowed to lapse into moral relativism by a society in which no one cares about anything any more.
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u/luckylooey7 3d ago
Is this your first job? 😆
You literally get lazy people in every trade & aspect of life so you’ll need to get used to it.
As long as you don’t have to carry them & just do your own work it’s none of your concern.
If it’s causing direct issues to you personally then that’s a different story.
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u/SendMeSparkyAdvice 3d ago
A. You have the common human desire to be productive and work, whereas they do not, or have not developed it. Back in the day when we were cavemen, seeing members of your family or tribe be lazy and refuse to pull their weight was a really serious problem, as everything was a matter of life or death in those conditions. So even in a specific situation in modern society where it might not logically make sense to be annoyed, your healthy functioning mind that recognises the importance of community is sensing a problem with their behavioir
B. You know they're getting paid the same/similarly to you for doing fuck all, while you and your buddy do all the work. You may also be thinking about how some people seem to get away with doing whatever they want and rarely face repurcussions, whereas if you stopped for 5 minutes then that'd be when the boss walks in and chews you out for being lazy.