R E S E A R C H

Holding Slacking Coworkers Accountable

The study collected responses via an online survey of 549 individuals in August 2012. Margin of error is approximately 4%.

1. Please describe your contribution to your work team.

Count

Percent

Below the average of my

co-workers

0.97%

Right at the average of my

co-workers

193

31.08%

Above the average of my

co-workers

422

67.95%

621

100%

2. How many of your co-workers fail to do their fair share of the work?

Count

Percent

None

46

7.38%

One or two

360

57.78%

A few

159

25.52%

Quite a few

44

7.06%

Most

10

1.61%

Almost all

0.64%

623

100%

3. How much extra work or hassle do you do each week because of co-workers
who fail to do their share?

Count

Percent

None

40

7.14%

1 to 3 hours a week

332

59.29%

4 to 6 hours a week

147

26.25%

7 to 9 hours a week

22

3.93%

10 or more hours a week

19

3.39%

560

100%

Total

Total

Total

2013 VitalSmarts. All Rights Reserved.

4. Has the quality of your work ever suffered because you were coping with
co-workers who werent doing their share?

Count

Percent

Not at all

79

14.11%

Some extent

346

61.79%

Moderate extent

90

16.07%

Great extent

38

6.79%

Very great extent

1.25%

560

100%

5. Who have you spoken with about your co-workers who fail to do their share?
(select all that apply)

Count

Percent

No one

19

1.20%

Other employees in my
department

232

14.66%

Other employees in my company

117

7.40%

My manager

330

20.86%

The co-worker(s)' manager

125

7.90%

Spouse or family members

261

16.50%

Friends outside of work

156

9.86%

Ive hinted about it to some of the

co-workers who dont do their
share, but I havent shared my full
concerns

91

5.75%

Ive hinted about it to each of the

co-workers who dont do their
share, but I havent shared my full
concerns

69

4.36%

Ive spoken with some of the

co-workers who dont do their
share, and I have completely
shared my concerns with them

102

6.45%

Ive spoken with each of the

co-workers who dont do their
share, and I have completely
shared my concerns with them

61

3.86%

Other

19

1.20%

1582

100%

Total

Total

6. Think of the times when you have shared your full concerns with a co-worker who wasnt doing
their share. What impact did the conversation have? (select all that apply)

Count

Percent

I have never shared my full

concerns

158

16.27%

Hurt our working relationship

124

12.77%

Ended up in a bad confrontation

77

7.93%

Hurt my reputation on the team

52

5.36%

Upset my manager

49

5.05%

Didnt improve the persons

performance

249

25.64%

Helped our working relationship

70

7.21%

Helped my reputation on the team

36

3.71%

Pleased my manager

40

4.12%

Improved the persons performance

69

7.11%

Other

47

4.84%

971

100%

Count

Percent

I have always shared my full

concerns

27

2.19%

It isnt my job to manage them

168

13.63%

Others on the team would have

resented me for trying to manage
a peer

86

6.97%

I didnt have time

59

4.79%

It wouldnt have made any

difference in the persons
performance

202

16.38%

It would have undermined our

working relationship

172

13.95%

They would have retaliated in

some way

155

12.57%

It would have hurt my reputation

for being a team player

80

6.49%

I had no idea how to approach the

conversation

141

11.44%

Others discouraged me from even

trying

70

5.68%

Other

73

5.92%

1233

100%

Total

7. Think of the times when you havent shared your full concerns with a co-worker who wasnt doing
their share. Why didnt you speak to them and share your full concerns? (select all that apply)

Total

8. Think of the co-worker who creates the most problems by not doing his/her fair share of the work.
Describe this person as he or she appears to you.
Count

Percent

Pleasant

482

4.610

Friendly

482

4.685

Rejecting

473

3.932

Tense

480

4.075

Distant

482

3.919

Cold

477

3.507

Supportive

479

3.541

Boring

477

3.633

Quarrelsome

480

3.950

Gloomy

480

3.763

Open

479

3.526

Backbiting

481

4.139

Untrustworthy

482

4.396

Considerate

477

3.667

Nasty

477

3.434

Agreeable

479

3.921

Insincere

481

4.349

Kind

478

4.126

Average

Very Strongly Disagree 

Very Strongly Agree

3.954

2013 VitalSmarts. All Rights Reserved.