[LAkari]

Hello! I'm new here and have a couple of questions on managing people/getting them to do things that you need them to do.

It's really incomprehensible to me when one of my staff won't do what I need them to do, for whatever reason. I've never ever been that way with any of my supervisors. Anyway I've run across these issues in the past and am running into it again with my current job.

Right now I work from home and manage a staff of CS folks. I started working with them (one currently was there way before me) and have risen twice into management levels to where I'm now the Worldwide manager.

Issue 1: With the current group of folks, I never (so far) have problems with them when it comes to doing the actual work. The problem I'm having is when they need to do tasks outside of the typical work load. Case in point - timesheets and deadlines for these. I've set a deadline to have their timesheets into me by Friday COB (Saturday morning at the latest). I tried to be nice about it at first, and was chasing after people weekly to get their sheets in. I don't like working like that at all. They're adults - set a freakin' reminder if you can't remember - that's what I do. I even suggested this in one of my emails to them. After asking them repeatedly, I'm still seeing several people sending in their sheets whenever the heck they want. I'm seriously busy and the timesheets I've offered to do to help my boss so he doesn't have to gather that info (I'm support manager, not HR but hey anything to help my boss, and this is one way I got to where I am.) It's really to the point where I really don't have any other tips or tricks up my sleeve to help them get their timesheets in on time. At last resort, I can ask to turn the whole thing over to HR. However, I need to still monitor the hours of the work-from-home staff (we've had some slackers) and the only way I can do this is through their sheets. So even if I turn the process over, I still need that information on a weekly basis. What else can I do to get people to do a simple thing like this?

Issue 2. Currently I'm working with someone who can't read between the lines/cannot take my answer as definitive. It's at the point where she's straining the boss-worker relationship, and I'm starting to want to talk with her as little as possible because of this. That's not the way I like to work. I know some employees bring these problems upon themselves. Basically, we do support via email and IM. She constantly asks multiple times about my response to her, and she's second-guessing the answer I give her. When I've asked my boss something and don't get an answer, I figure either a. it's not my business, b. read between the lines and realize he doesn't want to answer it or cannot or c. he wants me to figure it out myself. She doesn't work like this, and won't let herself be satisfied with my answer (I do answer all emails the first time with my answer, unlike my boss hahaa). She also goes around me and discusses my answer to her with other support staff, and causes a small issue into a big to-do where everyone is involved. Do I just hold my breath, grin and bear it? I've half a mind to tell her to take a hint (when I don't respond for the second or third time) when I've answered her question already and she asks "Am I sure" about my answer. She's pretty young and I think that's part of it. I should know how to tackle this issue, but I'm coming up clueless on this one. (btw the issues are not ones that require further thinking through, or "here's a better way", etc. I'm all open for new ideas or willingly offer further explanation if I was unclear on something.) I tried to follow my boss' handling in this matter (ignoring the question), but it didn't work for me. Help!

How would YOU handle these issues?

I've been reading these forums and really like them. I like the participation and help people are receiving here.

[Fr_Chuck]

When I worke at a remote location, we had to fax our time sheets in, IT was real easy if they were not in by a certain date and time, we did not get paid on them till the next pay period. Getting that pay a week or two late is often a good way to remind them next time.

There should be no "reading" between the lines, manageement instructions should be clear as given, if not they are not being given right

Explain the chain of command and that your answer is your answer. And in the end you give them a warning if they are causing issues

[LAkari]

Thank you for your response Fr_Chuck.

I'll try the "my answer is my answer" approach. Let's see what happens there.

I'm also going to let the timesheet lapser go this month until it's time to get paid; then let them know that they missed the deadlines. They might try sneaking all their weekly timesheets in to me before the end of the month though so they can get paid. Not sure what I can do at that point other than giving them a firm reminder that they need to be in weekly.

[Wondergirl]

tips or tricks up my sleeve to help them get their timesheets in on time

If we don't turn our timesheets into the admin asst's mailbox by Mon morning at 8 a.m. we don't get paid, and have to jump through hoops filling out a special requisition in order to get our check later.

I've answered her question already and she asks "Am I sure" about my answer

Somehow you're giving her the message you aren't sure about your answer. Be very definite (when you know your answer is correct) and then ignore her.

**EDIT or like FrChuck said, add the warning if this goes on.