Why is it so hard to get people to do their job, need to vent.

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Jan 13, 2016
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Northeast Nebraska
At work we rely on emails as I suppose all companies do to some degree so when I need someone to do something whether it's to customer service, a designer or even management I email them and wait. I've complained as well as a few others have about things not getting done. Managements response has alway been to email them again if you haven't heard back. I say bull :poop:, we're all adults here, I shouldn't have to nag you to do your job. So over the last few years I stopped doing it and many times have been approached asking why X isn't done, my response has been 'I sent them an email on x/xx/xx". Needless to say but it doesn't go over very well but I'm sticking to my guns on this, it's why I sent you an email so if you don't have time to do it now you will see it later and do it.

/rant
 
If your approach hasn't worked so far (clearly it hasn't), why would you double down on continuing the same approach?!?

That just seems like an intelligence test that you have failed.

There's a lot of different ways to motivate people to do things. Some overt, some implied. A true leader can interpret the team and circumstances presented to him and adapt to the situation in a manner that results in success for all.
 
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One thing to remember is that everyone you are emailing is likely just as busy as you.

So unless you have time to sit and answer emails all day, cut them some slack.

 
So unless you have time to sit and answer emails all day, cut them some slack.
This, exactly. I am on the phone all day. My running joke is that if you want to slip in under the radar, send me an email. Maybe I'll see it.... Eventually.

All too often emails are a waste of time. I get emails asking for a technician "tomorrow"..... But the email came in at midnight! So I reply, does that mean TOMORROW tomorrow, or tomorrow today? And the answer I get back is "Yes". So in the end I still don't know so I wind up having to call anyway to get all the answers.
 
I am retired now but before I left the company they had issued everyone a laptop. I was a Field Service Tech and every morning I would fire up the laptop and there would be 60 new emails, 58 of them were general info or did not pertain to me at all. I would get out on the road and get calls from the tech support center asking why I had not responded to their email request. The steam would start coming out of my ears and it was everything I could do not to yell. My job is to fix customer equipment not to read or write emails all day. I actually produced work not emails.
They finally got the message when a manager decided to rotate tech support into the field and field into tech support and we inundated them with requests that would stop them from working to look up info. Within a week none of them would respond to our emails until after 5 when they were off the clock and tried to bill OT for paperwork which did not go over well with the supervisor. They were much more understanding after that, emails are not urgent if you need an immediate response call me otherwise I get to it when I get to it.
 
..... and there would be 60 new emails, 58 of them were general info or did not pertain to me at all.
But you have to read all 60 of them because if you scroll way down, past thirty different messages from a dozen different people, there would be one single line on one email that actually does pertain to you.

I hate those!
 
If your approach hasn't worked so far (clearly it hasn't), why would you double down on continuing the same approach?!?

That just seems like an intelligence test that you have failed.

There's a lot of different ways to motivate people to do things. Some overt, some implied. A true leader can interpret the team and circumstances presented to him and adapt to the situation in a manner that results in success for all.
Because I have tried their way, for years, so instead of one email getting ignored they now have two or more. I think it comes down to these people are not organized and are easily side tracked and the managers we have are not really managers, they are family members that were brought into the family business.

Ya I get we are all busy but you never have to send me more than one email, if I don't have time and it may be a day or two I will let you know and keep you updated. Most here are good about this, it's just a handful of people.

I'm working on a project that needed to go to press last Friday, it's a local school sports program and football starts soon!

Thanks for the responses, I do feel better which is what I meant to accomplish.
 
So with Ford we can't call someone for issues with parts, well we can, but not for something like availability or ordering restricted parts. We have to fill out an online form and basically wait for them to ignore it for 2 weeks until we get a canned answer about them being understaffed. Meanwhile we will get about 10 calls from Ford customer service asking why we haven't received the backordered part yet and that we need to open a new case in order for them original case to get processed. Multiply this by the 790 or so parts that I have on backorder and yeah...
 
I wasn't "raised" in a work environment where it was ok to let E-mail requests go unanswered. I don't understand the work ethic or the business rules behind letting that slide, but it's rampant. In my world, every email gets a reply, be it "here"s what you requested" or " I'm working on your request, you should have it by x date ". Personally, I find it less disrespectful to get an e-mail saying "FU" than to get no response at all. It's the ultimate disregard, IMO, and it speaks to a person's character and complete lack of work ethic. So, I feel ya.... and don't feel alone.
 
This happens at all levels. I had a question about a patient so sent an email to the oral surgeon downstairs and no reply. Had my manager call downstairs a few days later and she said she'd make sure Dr. B gets the message and no reply. I called downstairs and he was with patients but I was assured he'd take a look at it. Finally, 7 days later, I walked downstairs and barged in on him having lunch - he was happy to take a look and discuss. Why didn't he respond? He did look at it but didn't think it was anything significant or urgent and so it was at the bottom of a very large pile. That's not how I operate but it happens at all levels...

Yes, I was annoyed, he drives a Taycan Turbo S and we refer between $750,000-$1M worth of oral surgery to him every year - just answer my GD email!
 
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IMO you get more flies with honey than vinegar. Email has become a virus! It is difficult to tell tone and no one likes barking orders. I get way too many emails every day.

If I need something done I will usually have a conversation either in person or over instant messenger. I like starting out with small talk and then moving into my request. Sometimes I need to follow up, which can be an email but I find that is very seldom.

Just my $0.02
 
I send one email.

If I don't hear back by COB, I email again and CC my manager or director.

I usually get a reply.
I get this with customer who go "radio silent" on me while I'm on-site.
Usually a message stating, "If I do not hear from you in the next 30 minutes, I am packing up and leaving" gets a response.

I willing to show some grace as I expect a lot of these folks are in off-shore boiler rooms and they might be working multiple issues.

However, I may have other calls as well, or may be into hour 20 of my day and really don't have the patience to keep waiting.

Often, it's after my work is done and I'm simply asking for a validation. I don't mind leaving if they don't reply after the allotted window.

I can always come back tomorrow and get paid again :)

"I'll get back to you in 5 minutes" means different things to different people.
 
I email, then I text message, then (if it’s important) I call. Problem with calling is, no one answers their phone, EVER! I answer mine, but for some reason others don’t feel like it, too busy…
 
As someone in a managerial role, I get a ton of emails, mostly FYI but some that I need to take quick and decisive action on. While some are a quick reply, some take research and others are asking me to review several 20 page reports and data analysis and get back to them with any comments. Oh, and they need it back in 3 days because that is their deadline from their boss. I work to establish a personal relationship with the folks that I work with so that there is no misunderstanding. I usually turn my work around very quickly because I'm a responsible employee and I'm also forgetful. They know because I've told them, if you don't hear from me in a day or two, remind me. I probably forgot. I look out for them to help them meet their deadlines and they look out for me so I don't forget. We both need to take responsibility. We send each other a lot of reminder messages so that we succeed as a team. Assuring that team succeeds is a leadership quality.
 
I always thought of it as a game of tennis.

I always did what was expected of me and passed the information on to the next person.
Then waited for them to respond.

My Boss was questioning me once about work and I said "I do my job like I was in business for myself"
Meaning I went the extra mile and did the best I could do.
 
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