My team members keep working the weekend. I’ve asked them to please enjoy their time on the weekend but these guys just keep putting in work. Tips on how control subordinates?

like
Posting as :
works at
You are currently posting as works at

As a starting point, try not to think of leadership as “controlling subordinates”. That’s a very revealing choice of language.

Secondly: are you certain you have set timelines that are compatible with their skill sets? Some people need about longer to complete tasks, so this may be their way of making sure they meet your expectations.

Thirdly, emphasize what can wait until Monday. If they hear this on a Friday afternoon, that may help reduce the weekend work habit.

Finally, you may just have to accept that some people like to work that much, and let them do it. Maybe they don’t have much going on extra-curricularly. Maybe they have too much, and work is a distraction that helps them cope. Maybe they just like it. Who knows?! BUT, if they have serious leadership aspirations of their own, you need to explain to them that modeling this behavior might not be the best habit to get into. It’s known as the “pacesetting” management style - helpful when used to hit occasional deadlines, but burns teams out and damages morale if used all the time

likehelpfulsmart

Don’t invite them for drinks on Saturday. Leave them alone. On Friday, schedule a meeting for Monday on what you’ll want to cover that day/week, tell them good job on he week, and just tell them to forget about work for the weekend - you need them fresh next week.

like

How can I get on a project with P1?!

like

It helps if you don’t respond during the weekend...lead by example

like

Hmmm principal 1 made great points :) how do you react when team members don’t meet deadlines? They may be working on the weekend to meet your deadlines, if you’ve made them appear non-flexible...

like

On Friday mornings I give my team a list of what we need to finish by the end of the day and what we will be pushing to next week. Then I check in throughout the afternoon to see if they are on track and when they finish I tell them to go and enjoy their weekends! Yeah it is kind of babysitting but I also have a workaholic team and they seem to need permission to chill out so I try to make sure they have know I think they are doing great and don’t need to work on weekends.

If I do see them to weekend work or pull a 10+ hour day I try to pull them aside and see if everything is ok/ task took longer then expected/ my directions were unclear etc... because I want to make sure I wasn’t accidentally cutting into their weekend/after work time.

like

Ultimately, I want these guys to enjoy their time at the firm and maintain healthy work life balance. They’re not behind in their work by any means and their workloads are light. My guys are just working way too hard.

like

I look at such situations a little differently - I make it clear that I'm not expecting anything over the weekend and that we'll pick up from where we are on a Monday. After that, they're adults, and how they spend their weekend isn't my business. I just don't email them or respond to emails.

like

As a “subordinate” my senior tells me to enjoy my weekends yet assigns me work that can’t get done on time without working extra hours. Check yourself

like

lol @ “control subordinates” I hope English is your second language

like

I would tell them how awesome your weekend was and make them feel dumb for working.

like

“My team” had less words you kiss ass

likefunny

^good advice. I remember how an infuriating, confusing, and stressful weekend emails used to be when I was an Associate. If you must email them, start by saying: “no need to read this until Monday.”

like

P1 - as a fellow partner, I applaud your guidance.

K1 - interesting. It really should not be happening. I work on the weekends, but it is self directed and while my teenagers are banging through their homework.

like

Invite them out for drinks on a Saturday to really drive home the point and lead by example. Also, make sure they don’t feel pressured because of other managers or staff that have to work weekends

Be direct. Just tell them every time you see them working on the weekend- “I don’t want you guys to be working on the weekend unless I say so, Okay?”

If they work even after this-let them. Don’t respond on weekends.

Make all your deadlines Fridays

D2, Agreed. Anyone on P1’s projects are lucky AF.

Thanks for the love, D2 and A1! Unfortunately, I’m at neither of your firms...

P1 please tell me you’re at k??

K2, it’s only happened with people who are poor managers. Sometimes I do enjoy working on weekends just to get ahead and make the week easier but most of the time it’s due to poor planning on my senior’s part

Related Posts

Anyone have a good website vendor? My firm is looking to change the website design

like

Looks like a promotion could be coming. Wondering what I might expect UX Design Director / in-house finance /Boston / 35

6th grade teachers: when you do read alouds, do you read a whole chapter to the class each day, or do you just read for a set number of minutes?- I.e: 10 minutes a day. (Please factor in books like Harry Potter that have pretty lengthy chapters)

like

I have no interest working today. Work Wife is on vacation so I have nobody to flirt with to pass the time. Who's looking to text flirt today to help the time pass?

funnylikeuplifting

Who wants to get 5 referral bonuses and hire 5 audit members that were promised a bonus on 6/30 and it still hasn’t hit our accounts? 🤣🤣

likefunny

It’s hard to understand COVID-19 rates of infection where I’m at or was, and the contracts was not inline with corporate ideals at least not in the IT sector. Their ideals was radical and the spread of harmful information on past events to prevent ethnicities to get vaccinated was alarming. It has highest infection rate in private sector. Don’t know death rates was strictly remote and put on non-sanctioned project NDA wasn’t signed and never knew until it came down the grapevine.

likefunny

Ranking in terms of home price / average income of residents for the peninsula cities? Trying to buy a home.

like

Would love to get some advice. I am currently a program manger and lead two amazing female project managers. I am looking into make a career change and hoping to either get into data analytics or finally bitting the bullet and doing a coding boot camp to get into software engineering. I know I want to be a people manger in the future, does anyone have advice on being a data lead vs Eng lead ? I worry I’ll constantly feel undermined since it tends to be heavily male dominated

like

I have given an interview in CitiusTech in a drive conducted by them .

I have not received any mail related to pipeline 5,4,3 etc.

After how much time can i expect from then to get the results?

Do they inform if the candidate is not selected or so?

like

I hit my juul without thinking on a zoom conference during a 2 hour meeting. Nobody said anything but I definitely got some weird looks. Is this going to bite me in the ass? Should I apologize or just not say anything?

likehelpful

Hi folks, what is the notice period in oracle IDC India?@

like

Has anyone made the switch from agency to editorial? how did you do it?

like

Are there any onsite or even online trainings that are relevant for Risk Assurance, Data analytics more towards Operational audits, Continuous Control Monitoring etc?

like

What are some good exit opportunities for someone about to be discharged?

like

Best tacos in SD? I'm all ears

like

Any TCS Hr here need small help?

like

Larsen & Toubro Infotech McKinsey & Company People says : Girls don't approach or ping usually first.

Hey Girls, Can you prove them wrong 🤪

Happy Weekend and Fri- Yay

Larsen & Toubro Infotech Tata Consultancy Infosys Accenture IBM PwC ZS Associates McKinsey & Company Amazon Deloitte JPMorgan Chase Optum EY NHS

funnylike

What is the pay one can expect from crisil for lead analyst in trade risk division (7yr exp)

Ps-- salary in glassdoor seems not recent figures

like

Additional Posts in Consulting

Applied for the role of an Associate at BCG Dubai, but after over a month I was informed by HR that I am better suited for the Doha office. A little puzzled by this, not sure if I should even consider it.

Is there anything fundamentally different between these two offices or anything else I need to know?

like

Any recommendation on contrast trim shirts?

Hi consulting bowl, I’m looking to apply to LEK for U.S. associate role starting in February. Is anybody willing to have a chat with me which can possibly lead to a referral?

like
likefunny

I take the water bottle off the FC armrest (where Delta puts a bottle for each person), stuff my bottle in the seat back pocket, and the dude next to me proceeds to put his drink down in that spot!?!

like

What are the best consulting firms for marketing and/or sales strategy work?

like

Can I update my LinkedIn to “Almost Partner” now that I’m an SM?

funnylikeupliftingsmart

If you start going out with someone, and they have anxiety-depression (or some other metal health challenge), when would you expect them to disclose? Date 3? A month or two in?

like

Anyone else not realize how whiny consultants are until FB?

like

Anyone daytrading? If you can determine a good low and good high, you seem to be able to make decent gains. Halliburton’s been doing well for me this week, but would love other recommendations!

like

How often do folks at the SM level get asked to leave/fired?

like

Anyone have an older iPhone, 5 or higher on Verizon they're looking to sell? Want to carry a separate work and personal phone.

like

Experiencing significantly more back pain since the last month. The work setup hasn’t changed. It’s a generic desk, footrest and ergonomic chair. Suggestions welcome on what I can add to my setup to make it more comfortable. I do take breaks and stretch once in two hours.

like

Fellow runners - I’ve been running 3-4x per week at about a 20-25 mile/week for the past year or so.

My questions: (1) does it make sense to take a week off and let myself rest or do other workouts (i.e. cycling) and (2) I’ve been running with the same shoes since August last year - make sense to get new ones?

like

How do you judge when to leave a company for something better if you never burn out or hate where you are?
My specific situation: 4 years out of undergrad with Slalom, I like my job/coworkers and am making solid money but am starting to be qualified for interesting/lucrative exit ops. Not trying to grass-is-always-greener myself out of a good thing and I'm in no rush to leave, but how do I know when it's time to take advantage of other opportunities? Would love any advice from older folks!

like

Some people have to already RTW!

Post Photo
likefunny

Any layoffs in big4?

like

When you wonder if your remote workers are hot or not

like

What is the longest you've been hung up on an ex?

like

Is PwC SAP team still hiring?

like

New to Fishbowl?

Download the Fishbowl app to
unlock all discussions on Fishbowl.
That was just a preview…
Sign Up to see all discussions
  • Discover what it’s like to work at companies from real professionals
  • Get candid advice from people in your field in a safe space
  • Chat and network with other professionals in your field
Sign up in seconds to unlock all discussions on Fishbowl.

Already a user?
Login here

Share

Embed this post

Copy and paste embed code on your site

Preview

Download the
Fishbowl app

See what’s happening in your industry
from the palm of your hand.

A phone with Fishbowl app

Send download link to your phone

OR

Scan your QR code to download
Fishbowl app on your mobile

By continuing you agree to Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Messaging rates may apply

Download app

Sign up for free to view this conversation on Fishbowl

By continuing you agree to Terms of Use and Privacy Policy

Already have an account? Log in

Sign up for free to continue using Fishbowl

By continuing you agree to Terms of Use(New) and Privacy Policy(New)
Messaging rates may apply

Already have an account? Log in

For account settings, visit Fishbowl on Desktop Browser or

General

Legal