What to do if you have an incompetent coworker, according to a careers coach

“Approach the conversation with sensitivity and compassion, rather than annoyance.”

In our many working years, we’re bound to run into incompetent workers, or even be one ourselves. It’s the people who aren’t pulling their weight and can never get their gig quite right. And while we might empathise at first, show our support and offer to help them learn, it eventually morphs into frustration if said coworker doesn’t take our advice.

We wonder: did they even read the job description before applying? How did they land this job if they were so helpless? And before you think I’m a vile, merciless person, I’ve been that incompetent coworker before. In my hospitality job, I struggled to get the hang of the constant hustle, despite thriving in my supermarket role which was also very busy.

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No matter how much support I received from management and my team members, I always felt as though I could never get the hang of it. I’ve been on the other end, too – struggling to train coworkers who just couldn’t seem to grasp their roles. And when I couldn’t help them get better at their own job, I felt like I was failing at my own. What do you even do in that situation?

To find out, I spoke to Leah Lambart, Career and Interview Coach from Relaunch Me and Seek Career Expert. Leah is a career coach who works with clients across all industries to help them identify careers that are aligned with their natural strengths, interests and values in order to find meaningful and fulfilling work.

What exactly deems a coworker incompetent?

Leah says there are a number of reasons a worker might be deemed unskilled or inefficient in their role – and it’s not always the employee’s fault. “An employee may not perform well because the role may not be the right fit for their skills, strengths and experience. This can be because of a poor hiring decision and not actually the fault of the employee,” Leah tells me.

“Likewise, an employee may be hired for a role and then not receive the appropriate training or support to succeed in the position. Again, often not the fault of the employee.” On the other hand, a worker who others see as incompetent may not be performing adequately due to a lack of motivation. Their role in the organisation may not be playing to their strengths or interests, making the job unnecessarily boring or difficult.

Leah says there may also be another cause making the coworker perform poorly at their job. “This could be pressures outside of work, mental or physical health issues, difficulty getting along with colleagues or just not being engaged in the work that they are doing.”

If someone is working alongside an incompetent coworker in a team, what should they do?

Approaching situations like this is tricky – no one wants to tell their coworker they suck at their job. Knowing how to address the issue is key because you don’t want to walk away having offended your coworker or with a brand new enemy.

Before you go running to your manager and pointing fingers, address your coworker directly. Kindly ask them if they need extra support or guidance. Working up the courage to ask for help can be overwhelming. “They might just need someone to spend some more time with them talking through the processes or giving them some background information and guidance,” Leah points out. “Try not to focus just on the negatives. Instead, provide positive feedback on what they are doing well before pointing out any flaws in their work.”

If an open conversation with your coworker isn’t an option, then it’s best to go to your manager with your concerns – especially if it’s impacting your work or your team. Don’t dob on your coworker in a snarky way; instead express your observations, concerns and how it’s affecting you and others. “Ideally, have some examples prepared so that you can provide your manager with some evidence that they can also then use in a conversation with the co-worker,” Leah says.

What about if the person dealing with an incompetent coworker is in a management position?

“The role of a manager involves overseeing the performance of team members and ensuring that the team is performing effectively,” Leah explains. “If a team member is not meeting expectations, then a conversation needs to be had to understand why.”

Managers should prepare for the conversation to ensure it runs smoothly. Having examples at the ready, even in the form of dot points, can help you remember everything that needs to be said. It’s also incredibly important to approach the conversation with sensitivity and compassion rather than annoyance. “It could be that [the employee doesn’t] know exactly what is expected of them, so be sure to reinforce expectations so that there is no misunderstanding,” Leah says.

What happens if you can’t help an incompetent coworker become better at their job?

When you try your best but you don’t succeed (cue Coldplay), sometimes you just have to move on. “Some employees just don’t suit a role as it doesn’t play to their strengths or suit their skillset and even extensive training and support is not going to change that,” Leah tells me. “If this is the case, it could be better for the employee long-term to move to a different role or to leave the organisation.”

For more on becoming better at your job, head here.