Expert: Doug Staneart - 1/19/2006

Question
The company I work for is quite small - 2 owner/managers, 3 staff.
I have a co-worker that puts in a decent days work, but does nothing else above and beyond the minimally acceptable amount of work. She takes frequent personal calls and has a loud voice that resounds throughout the office all day. These are petty annoyances, except that she also backbites employees to management. Last year she complained to one of the owner/managers about me a week before the annual review. I was given a raise that was considerably less than I was told to expect by the other owner/manager a few months earlier.
I have spoken with one owmner/manager about the disruptive nature of her loud personal calls and her lack of co-operation with her co-workers and general refusal to involve herself in anything outside of her defined role and nothing has been done.
The managers seem afraid of her and indifferent to me. I do a fine job and contribute what I have to offer as often as I can, but I am very frustrated with the unfair treatment. Any suggestions.

Answer
Jack,

Unfortunately, there is not a lot you can do but just do your job well.  People can't hide their character, so management knows that this lady is a back-biter.  As the company grows, people like you become more important and people like her become less important.

Doug Staneart