Management Mess - I think I screwed up!

[thatsright]

Hey all, hope you can give some advice. So bear with me here....

I work at a company in PA and I am in charge of three contractors who are setting up servers at our Newark location for about two-three weeks. Next weekend I go on vacation for 8 business days and the guys will be on their own. (FYI: The vaca was planed way before this projects time line was determined.) I will be out Monday June 9th-Wednesday June 18th. I think I made a mistake by telling them they could stay while I am out. Coworkers are onsite for this time and can offer help, but they have their own jobs to do and don't have much spare time.

I know the guys can do the job, but they need some supervision. Can I find a balance? Instead of 40 hour week, have them take consecutive Mondays off? The contractors wont be thrilled about a shorter week, but I have to find some compromise so my coworkers dont hate me when I get back.

If you were managing a project like this what would you do?

 

[mozirry]

8 business days? Jesus

 

[KingGheedora]

Originally posted by: mozirry
8 business days? Jesus

I don't get what's so "Jesus" about 8 business days. It's neither a lot or a little.

 

[magomago]

If you screwed up...better hope you can play that vacation another time! Jsop as long as its clearly your fault...I don't see why you should be going on vacation lest you really want to screw over relations in the office

 

[maddogchen]

not quite sure what is the problem. How bout give them clear instructions to follow while you are gone. Take some time from your vacation to schedule conference calls with them to check up on them and offer any direction.

 

[Injury]

Originally posted by: maddogchen
not quite sure what is the problem. How bout give them clear instructions to follow while you are gone. Take some time from your vacation to schedule conference calls with them to check up on them and offer any direction.

Exactly.

Outline what you need finished before you get back and if you have any subordinates, delegate the responsibility of checking their progress and reporting directly to you about it.

If they are contractors then aren't they getting paid a certain amount to have the work done and not hourly wages?

 

[kranky]

1. Write down what you expect them to accomplish while you're gone and give it to them.
2. Appoint one co-worker to be the liaison with the contractors in your absence. Give the liaison a copy of what you gave the contractors. The contractors need to know your liaison is the person in charge while you are out.
3. Arrange to get in touch with the liaison at some interval while you're out. Questions will come up... some you can answer, some can wait until you get back.

That should do it. Let the contractors work while you're out.

 

[JJChicken]

Originally posted by: kranky
1. Write down what you expect them to accomplish while you're gone and give it to them.
2. Appoint one co-worker to be the liaison with the contractors in your absence. Give the liaison a copy of what you gave the contractors. The contractors need to know your liaison is the person in charge while you are out.
3. Arrange to get in touch with the liaison at some interval while you're out. Questions will come up... some you can answer, some can wait until you get back.

That should do it. Let the contractors work while you're out.

This.

Kranky, I'm still digging your tips for work threads. Any plans for adding more useful stuff to it?

 

[satyajitmenon]

Originally posted by: kranky
1. Write down what you expect them to accomplish while you're gone and give it to them.
2. Appoint one co-worker to be the liaison with the contractors in your absence. Give the liaison a copy of what you gave the contractors. The contractors need to know your liaison is the person in charge while you are out.
3. Arrange to get in touch with the liaison at some interval while you're out. Questions will come up... some you can answer, some can wait until you get back.

That should do it. Let the contractors work while you're out.

:thumbsup:

That's how I'd do it.

 

[nageov3t]

ooh, where in Newark? I worked at a data center there for 4 years

 

[kranky]

Originally posted by: Barack Obama
Kranky, I'm still digging your tips for work threads. Any plans for adding more useful stuff to it?

Thank you. I will probably bring it back again next spring (just before graduation) with more tips. But since you asked, here's one.

A lot of new people don't realize that they are being watched. Not every second, but people are paying attention to what they do, say, how they interact with others, etc. Many, many times I will ask someone something when I already know the answer, just to see if they will be honest and tell me the whole story. The BS skills that might have gotten someone through college aren't going to be effective in the workplace, since the boss and/or co-workers probably know more about the situation than the new person does. I value an honest but average worker more than one who is more skilled but isn't honest. This is because the advantage of the more skilled worker is negated when I have to spend more time checking up on him/her.