How to Tell a Coworker Their Work Is Affecting Yours
Peer feedback is awkward in a way that manager-to-employee feedback isn’t — you don’t have the authority to require change, and you risk the relationship in a way a boss-employee dynamic doesn’t. But staying silent while someone’s work consistently affects yours is also a cost.
Make It About the Work, Not the Person
“You’re late on everything” is a character judgment. “When the handoff comes in after 4pm, I can’t get my piece done before end of day” is a process problem. Same underlying issue, completely different conversation.
The Script
“Hey, can I bring something up? When [specific thing] happens — like last Tuesday’s handoff — I end up [specific downstream effect]. I don’t think you realize the impact it has on my side. Is there something we can figure out together to fix that?”
If It Keeps Happening After the Conversation
“I wanted to check in on what we talked about last week — it happened again yesterday and I want to make sure we actually solve this.”
If it continues after two direct conversations, you have a reasonable basis for involving your manager. You’ve tried to resolve it peer-to-peer — which is exactly what a manager will want to know.
