> I guess the question I would ask back to you Darien is what part of the reprimand was deserved and what part wasn't. I have no idea of your job or the environment you work in, but sometimes it is appropriate to respond in a written format (to go in your personnel file) that outlines clearly which part you disagree with and why. Do you believe that you "go above and beyond" or just do what is required? Generally one is not entitled to the 15 minute break unless they are under some kind of union award demanding this. I also think the suggestion made by Grishny(?) about offering to take on some kind of team leader approach to get other's up to speed is a good idea.
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I don't know how things have progressed since Darien posted this; but I'll throw in my two bits anyway.

Just to put the record straight, leathal66, it's Brunnen-G who suggested Darien offer his services in the butt-kicking, rock 'em sock 'em team leader position. :-) In principle, I would agree that delegating disciplinary action to Darien might be the best approach for a hands-off kind of boss. On the other hand, I'm not sure I'd wish that kind of responsibility on anyone (hint: you get paid the same for forty times the aggravation).

Not knowing exactly what Darien does, I can only offer a vague suggestion for what he could do. The first assumption is that there is no general supervisor or appointed manager for the duration of Darien's shift; and each employee is to his own. I suppose an indirect method for improving efficiency would be to get everyone from each shift to write out a "job description" of all the tasks that each person *actually* does. Get them to estimate in percentage the amount of time they spend on each task overall. This will serve to identify the job problem spots (and for that matter, the more thoughtless employees... Sure, go ahead and include a job column for "goofing off." :-) Then compile all the real tasks into a master list. Work out all essential duties WHICH EVERYONE AGREES ARE NECESSARY, and the actual amount of time they take. Then, with concrete data in hand... and here's the kicker... ask your boss to REQUIRE that certain critical duties on the list be completed before the end of each person's shift, "or else Darien and elsewise will be happy to personally fire any lamers who aren't pulling their weight." If, for some reason, duties are not complete by the next shift, the 'offender' must record an official note and explanation on a duty ledger for the next person coming on-shift. The ledger, checked every day by your manager, would also be the place to record any irregularities observed during a shift.

The main reason for this exercise would be to wake up people to the fact that their possible inattention is causing problems for others (namely you). Some employees may be shirking duties not because they're 'lazy' (well yeah, they ARE, given my point), but because they figure certain tasks are irrevelant and non-essential. For example, a person who never cleans or vacuums, or who never wipes the coffee stains off his keyboard in his *own* home, is surely not going to think that cleaning up at his place of work is essential, either. It would be your boss' task to convince delinquent employees to think otherwise. Failing that, you could always offer to help him make your co-workers to "see the light."

Hope that offers some ideas for a possible approach. Or at least give a boost to your morale, in that it *might* be possible to get things changed in a structured way, permanently. Change is for the benefit of everyone, which in a healthy company, should occur by employee initiative -- and improvement should NOT be just a temporary measure following along the heels of a relatively futile verbal reprimand from the boss.

Wolf "Occasionally you get better living through more paperwork. Oh joy" spirit