I resent lazy co-workers (04/14/2022)

I worked for a small company and one of my co-workers was the sister of the owner. She was a nice lady and we worked together very well. She always worked hard and made sure things were done in time.

Then she decided to leave. The physical work became too much for her and she wanted to do something different. An ad was put in the paper (no Internet yet), and we received quite a few responses.

Hank seemed to be the best candidate He was in the right age group, had a positive demeanor and he had a degree in art history. A most welcome qualification for someone who works at an auction house. 

I led the job interview and I put emphasis on the fact that, especially right before and during the auctions, there was a lot of physical labor to be done. “No problem,” he said. “I like being busy physically, it’s good for the body.”

Soon after he was hired I noticed however that he was more talk than substance. He willingly slacked on certain things and was in the habit of asking others to do it for him. Many times, one of us jumped in and as soon as we did he went off the gas even more. 

Sometimes I needed a hand, but it was pointless asking him. Hank always had an excuse, or he flat out refused saying that he was too busy. His favorite thing to bring up was that he had back problems and he couldn’t lift anything. However, he only seemed to have a sore back on weekdays, on the weekends he played soccer without a problem.

I had it with him when he eased off completely and we had to call in two freelance workers to do the work that he easily could have done himself. And as soon as those workers showed up, Hank went into the office, sat at the desk, and only pretended to do be busy.

He could see someone struggling with something, but he would never offer to help. Hank just walked by smiling and sat down in his workplace goofing off.
He was also incredibly slow. I used to make the newspaper ads and it never took me more than two hours. When he took over, because I had plenty of other things to do, it took him almost a full day.

Running a small errand meant he would stay out for hours, probably drinking his coffee leisurely in a café or a friend’s house. Lunch break was thirty minutes, but he always took an hour, even in the busiest of times.

Since I was second in command I warned him many times. He just ignored it; he did not change his ways.
I talked to my boss and asked him to reprimand Hank, but for some inexplicable reason he never did. “He makes the same amount of money than I, and I do at twice the amount of work he does,” I couldn’t help mentioning.

Finally, Hank got what he deserved. Business was getting a little slow and he was let go. He came out the bosses’ office with a grim look on his face after he received the bad news.

“I’m sorry to hear that,” I said just to be polite. But I was happy to see him go. One less source of frustration to deal with.

After his departure I got even more work on my plate, but I didn’t mind. And at the end of the year my employer handed me an envelope with a handsome cash bonus. “For all your hard work,” he said. “But don’t tell anyone else.”