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Ask HN: How to handle a workaholic colleague?

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Re: Ask HN: How to handle a workaholic colleague?

#71

Post by cableshaft »

3pt14159 wrote: post #11

Sun Tzu: When you cannot win the battle, deny the field. Switch teams or departments, or mention to your manager that you're getting discouraged by how the incentives are set up in your company. Most managers are happy to have a hard working team member, but not at the cost of their other 5 good team members leaving or getting discouraged.

This seems to be paraphrased. Is this the quote you meant?

"If you cannot win the battle it is better to withdrawal and think of another plan rather than losing."

I can find that in a google search, but not yours.

Re: Ask HN: How to handle a workaholic colleague?

#72

Post by znpy »

webmaven wrote: post #62
znpy wrote: post #57

I am reading so many different opinions here. I wonder what would you all reply to an "Ask HN" thread like "I am working day and night and sending emails even outside business hours, but my colleagues do not reply unless it's business hours and that is really bugging me". Btw, did you all consider that maybe that guy just needs or wants really hard that promotion or that salary level-up and is "just" working as hard…

Ask HN and you shall receive: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12722587

Woah that was totally unexpected

Re: Ask HN: How to handle a workaholic colleague?

#73

Post by atmosx »

I think you should raise the issue to the team (most likely they feel the same as you) and in a meeting raise the issue to him as well.

However, if this is going for a long time, then it's just bad management.

I recall that I was working on a project and was hooked, I mentioned in the meeting that I'm planning to do some extra work while on vacation. My lead engineer specifically told me absolutely NOT to do so and he went as far as assigning the task to another engineer while I was gone, mostly to avoid having me do any progress. He knew that I was killing my self trying to show off my work and was trying to protect me (from myself). I admire him deeply for his conduct, he set a great example.

Just when you talk to the guy who's doing such damage or to other guys, be away that might be feeling that he needs to prove himself. I might be wrong of course as each one has a different personality.

Re: Ask HN: How to handle a workaholic colleague?

#74

Post by Yaziyumaru »

phkahler wrote: post #20
tex0 wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That is a very american attitude, I'd say =) I consider it a management duty to stop people from working too much (which is a rather european attitude :D).

>> That is a very american attitude, I'd say =) It always amazes me that most people here don't know what Mayday is, or why other countries have it.

I mean I'm a Canadian working in Germany and to me it seems like Mayday is very similar conceptually to the American/Canadian Labour Day idea, but I will agree work-life balance is better here.

Re: Ask HN: How to handle a workaholic colleague?

#75

Post by [deleted] »

phkahler wrote: post #20
tex0 wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That is a very american attitude, I'd say =) I consider it a management duty to stop people from working too much (which is a rather european attitude :D).

>> That is a very american attitude, I'd say =) It always amazes me that most people here don't know what Mayday is, or why other countries have it.

[deleted]

Re: Ask HN: How to handle a workaholic colleague?

#76

Post by bendixso »

This kind of reminds me of clients who send emails late at night. My general policy is to just make myself unavailable, or simply send a polite reply telling them I will address it first thing in the morning. I figure if I do that enough, it will nudge them toward understanding which times are appropriate and which ones aren't.

Re: Ask HN: How to handle a workaholic colleague?

#77

Post by pc86 »

ronnier wrote: post #37

I work a lot. I'm working right now (took a break to read HN). I just enjoy getting things done and it's paid off well for me. I've learned though that my ability to work many hours and my drive to do so doesn't mean I should enforce that on others, so I don't let my teammates know when I work outside of normal hours. I don't send emails at night or weekends. I don't send code reviews on nights and weekends. I try to…

> I figured I'd work hard while I have any bit of youth and energy left

Some would argue your youth and energy is better spent on things outside of work.

Re: Ask HN: How to handle a workaholic colleague?

#78

Post by pc86 »

webmaven wrote: post #61
jakobegger wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I guess it's convenient when you've eg. fixed an issue at 3AM in the morning to send an email to affected people right away (so you can focus on the next thing) instead of remembering to send the email in the morning.

There are solutions to write and 'send' an email now for scheduled delivery. Gmail users for example can use Boomerang: http://www.boomeranggmail.com/

Wouldn't this potentially result in the same person receiving multiple emails from you at 8:01 am (for example)?

I would think a better solution would be a manual summary email early in the morning of everything you did since the office closed the prior evening.

Re: Ask HN: How to handle a workaholic colleague?

#79

Post by Spooky23 »

Everyone is very nice and proper on this thread. There's another option if he's affecting you negatively -- burn him.

If he likes to work, arrange to dump the worst, tedious gigs on him. Nitpick random bullshit. Blame him for stuff. If you don't he'll set the benchmark for everyone.

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