Reply to: Under-performing contractors on your team

[psychocandy]

I am staying out of it - it's just the fact that he gets paid the same as us but isn't that arsed about the delivery of the project. It's not like I am going to do or say anything about it, still pees me off though.

lol. Fair enough.

[NorthWestPerm2Contr]

But whys it your problem? Stay out of it dude....

I am staying out of it - it's just the fact that he gets paid the same as us but isn't that arsed about the delivery of the project. It's not like I am going to do or say anything about it, still pees me off though.

[psychocandy]

Following on from my "contractor bob" thread, I have an actual situation where one contractor (guess who) is being a complete joke. Strolls in at 10 and leaves at 4 and only doing the work specifically assigned by the lead rather than working to contribute the delivery of the project - as the the rest of us are. Drives me mad, but nobody seems arsed about it.

But whys it your problem? Stay out of it dude....

[Apox21]

As a contractor PM, anyone not performing are swifty taken off my projects, no discrimination between contractors or permies. Although as a PM it is easier to get Permies off the project as they can be moved sideways to other tasks within the organisation by their managers and then another one moved in to replace them. Get rid of a contractor from the project, there is no quck replacement you have to recruit another one and that takes time. The question is always, is the poor job the current contractor doing going to be acceptable to the client and what will be the impact of getting rid of him be (will delaying delivery be acceptable to the end client?)

[NorthWestPerm2Contr]

I have seen some pretty poor contractors on site and often wondered how they got away with it. In some cases managers know they were bad but seemed reluctant to do anything about it either through it being more hassle to replace him or just not knowing what to do about it.

Now what happens if the manager of a team, say a PM with responsibility for say a team of BA's is a contractor and knows his stuff about contracts and one of the BA's isn't up to it. Anyone seen a manager, or been part of advising a client about the lack requirement to give notice or withdrawing work from a contractor in order to have him out the door fairly quickly to get someone in that can do the job?

Is this generally more hassle than it's worth or considered bad form so avoided unless absolutely necessary? Let them hang themselves to the client and let them deal with it or take the bull by the horns?

Edit : Just a theoretical question, not related to a situation.
Edit 2 : Accountant asked, it's not in the newbie guides, IANCOTBAC yadda yadda.

Following on from my "contractor bob" thread, I have an actual situation where one contractor (guess who) is being a complete joke. Strolls in at 10 and leaves at 4 and only doing the work specifically assigned by the lead rather than working to contribute the delivery of the project - as the the rest of us are. Drives me mad, but nobody seems arsed about it.

[SteelyDan]

But I am talking specifically about a contractor line managing a contractor so if he is crap then it is your work that has been affected.

Might it be the case that the PM (line manager of the contractor) might not want to get rid of this useless contractor because a) either he has not got the balls to dump a fellow contractor (some dumb code of honour), or b) by dumping the useless contractor it would be seen as reflective of his initial judgement as the hirer?

If it was me, I'd dump the duffer, but ensure I had a replacement lined up if possible...previous candidate maybe...

[GB9]

But I am talking specifically about a contractor line managing a contractor so if he is crap then it is your work that has been affected. I agree with not getting involved with randoms around the office.

How mercenary would you guys be to get rid of him if he wasn't any good and you know you can terminate immediately?

Having been in that position I would get rid. How would depend on how bad they were. Anyone not up to the job at all i.e. Obviously didn't have the skills or experience they claimed, would be out within a day or two, notice or not. If they were ok but slow delivering then it would be a non renewal.

It has been my job to look after the client's interests, not to form a contractor club to make as much money as possible. Plus reputation in being able to deliver.

Let us not forget that many of us get very well paid and a large chunk of that is for being very good at what we do. If that means binning non-performers then so be it.

[doodab]

I once emailed some rather senior people declaring that a particular PM "needed a rocket up his arse" after he basically slated the consultancy I was working for in a project meeting and blamed us for a three month delay. I also detailed exactly why his lack of action had caused the project to become 3 months behind schedule. He wasn't binned but he didn't get renewed.

Oddly, despite the benefit to all concerned, the management of the consultancy weren't to pleased with this. I did point out that if they had heeded the warnings I'd been giving them for months and done their jobs it wouldn't have happened, and they didn't like that either. They went bankrupt a couple of years later.

[The Spartan]

But I am talking specifically about a contractor line managing a contractor so if he is crap then it is your work that has been affected. I agree with not getting involved with randoms around the office.

How mercenary would you guys be to get rid of him if he wasn't any good and you know you can terminate immediately?

If the decision was mine I'd terminate their contract I'm a mercenary and ensuring my survival is paramount plus I wouldn't want to associated with poor work in any form.

[The Spartan]

If I may ask, did the gentleman in question have any hair? If not then i fear I know who you are on about.

This one had hair and a mop of hair it was, I was working in their OTT division on Sky Store

[northernladuk]

IMHO keep out of it at all costs. Let the client worry about they want to keep and who they don't. Get on with your own work and don't worry about anyone else.

I've been in same position where client asked me opinion on fellow contractor in team. Refused to get involved even though guy was a lazy arse. At the end of the day though, it was this guys livlihood, if he wanted to screw it up for himself then it was up to him and client to sort out.

It might not be the case, but nothing I hate more than contractors who think they're it and will happily screw others to get ahead. Thats what it gets seen as.

But I am talking specifically about a contractor line managing a contractor so if he is crap then it is your work that has been affected. I agree with not getting involved with randoms around the office.

How mercenary would you guys be to get rid of him if he wasn't any good and you know you can terminate immediately?

[NickNick]

I worked at Sky with a lot of poor contractors and it was evident just how bad they were but nothing got done, I did ponder raising it but doubtless to say management wouldn't have listened. When I decided to end the gig there prematurely I did tell them how useless the Test Manager was, he was a contractor too and I hope to god that it's his first and last contract. I don't think he'll get sacked instead they'll make him a permie.

If I may ask, did the gentleman in question have any hair? If not then i fear I know who you are on about.

[Scrag Meister]

Isn't it the case that if you say there are no under-performing contractors on your team then YOU are the under-performer.

[d000hg]

That's not what my contract says!

(Practically, you're probably right, bugs in software development are normal and we do end up fixing them on the clock, but if I genuinely ****ed up, my contract stipulates that I will rectify at my own cost...you should see the additional clauses I add to my contract for iOS development relating to the Apple App Store review process!)

iOS dev you say... fancy working for £120/day?

[The Spartan]

I worked at Sky with a lot of poor contractors and it was evident just how bad they were but nothing got done, I did ponder raising it but doubtless to say management wouldn't have listened. When I decided to end the gig there prematurely I did tell them how useless the Test Manager was, he was a contractor too and I hope to god that it's his first and last contract. I don't think he'll get sacked instead they'll make him a permie.