Those who show up on time resent the coworker who is chronically late. Being late on occasion is tolerated, and when it is truly unavoidable, people usually understand. When it becomes a regular occurrence, however, tensions begin to build.
Henry Cloud, Jack Canfield, and other personal and business success experts claim that being late on a regular basis often indicates irresponsibility and a lack of respect for others. Furthermore, they claim that those who are chronically late are unsuccessful people. In The Success Principles, Canfield explains that successful people are on time. He quotes Werner Erhard, "Your life works to the degree you keep your commitments."
"Cover Me!" Shouldn't Mean "Lie for me!" Friends Don't Enable Bad Behavior
For dramatic effect, television episodes show an office worker suddenly look shocked, hang up the phone, put down the coffee cup, and dash out the door, saying, "Cover me!" People need to be away from work for short times in real life, too, but asking a coworker to facilitate that time away it isn’t usually that dramatic. For comic effect, shows also frequently show a coworker "covering" for someone by lying, sometimes creating elaborate and laugh-generating tales.
Covering for a coworker doesn’t need to involve lying, making excuses for that person, or spinning ridiculous yarns. Covering for a coworker simply means helping out during their absence, and explaining their absence to a superior or customer if it’s needed. Dishonesty does backfire.
When Covering for a Coworker is Enabling Bad Habits
Covering for a coworker on an occasional basis is helpful, but when it happens frequently, or continues for more than a short time, that is not helpful to the coworker or anyone else. Covering for someone on a regular basis actually can be enabling harmful behavior.
When the people in a workplace have been covering for someone for too long, they should put an end to it. In the book Boundaries: When to Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life (1992), Henry Cloud and John Townsend say that setting boundaries with the troublesome employee is the best way to do that. The boundary should be firm and clear. Everyone in a workplace benefits when the proper balance of responsibility returns.
How Setting a Boundary and Refusing to Cover for a Coworker is Better for Everyone
Setting a boundary and refusing to cover for that coworker is better, because either it will force the employee to be responsible, or it will reveal his inadequacies for all to see. There is a chance for improvement, even if the new situation results in that employee’s being fired. Then the employee has a clear opportunity to make improvements on his next job, and the rest of the office can return to equilibrium.
Every workplace has its own coworker expectations. Those who are successful will meet those expectations. They will also work together with others, and will be able to help coworkers without enabling destructive behavior or telling whoppers.
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