If as described this is happening with people on shows you are not in charged of or supervising at those times, I don’t think there is a lot directly you can or should do about it besides bringing the problem to the attention of their supervisor. Not your place to enforce discipline on other people’s crews nor enforce what is going on when you are not there or responsible.
If these crew people who are taking advantage of their status work under your supervision at times you can
express a knowledge of what they are doing and recommend that they get off their rears and help others, but in the end the enforcement of the crew is on the crew chief of the shows they are mis-behaving on and it is better not to step on the toes of the crew chief unless they are the person on the crew that needs replacement - another ball game in itself. Given this is the case where the crew chief allows it, there is not a lot you can or should do about it other than providing a safe haven for those looking for your leadership at times when you are in charged. Some times such things just happen on crews where it’s not fair or equal, that’s life and there in the end is nothing holding the working crew members from voicing their complaints to their direct crew chief, putting their
foot down and either boycotting select days or jobs or just quitting given they can’t join your crew. Given half the crew has a problem and would leave, I’m sure the
point would be made sufficiently, if not than they have to make the choice of living with it or not. Nothing you can or should do about someone else’s crew.
That’s part of being staff. Believe me I see people clowning around and being dead weight all the time at work. I might try to inspire those being the problem in private discussions some advice but it’s not as a boss as this is not the
role I
play for the most part. Frequently given I’m staff but not necessarily their direct boss those being problematic will open up to me and the discussion will be useful in helping them without their job being on the
line.
This is also the case with those effected by the lame work force. I’m a sounding board for the worker’s in similar situations as you describe - stuff like all he does is sit at his
desk or constantly talk on his phone while I’m doing all the work, or he spends half the day just pulling bolts while I’m slinging cable. I listen, offer advice where possible as someone outside of the chain of command, but don’t stick my nose into it unless the problem is on something I supervise -
safety and standards. Frequently someone to talk to that is outside the chain of command on behalf of both parties can be useful as long as they don’t get directly involved with more than advice. On the other
hand, the moment there is a problem within my area of supervision, I’m up like a light in enforcing policy no matter who they are. I don’t care how hard you work or not, as long as the gear is safe and done properly. This limited scope helps ensure what I say is listened to also.
When asked by the shop manager about people under him, I tell him frankly what I note, and we do have these discussions infrequently about the people he is in charged of. If a serious problem I might
drop by his office and mention a problem in an off the cuff way, but not really attempt to tell him how to run his people. This works well in that because I’m not going to directly get involved, I am a better sounding board for people to vent or get advice with, and because there is only one crew chief there is no chain of command or leadership problems in that area for discipline.
That’s the
system that works for me and what advice I might offer might work for you. Remember also that when I discuss things with the crew chief, it’s off the cuff and not a formal challenge to his authority. You have to be tactful with how you approach other leaders with problems they are in charged of because it often is not your business. Be tactful especially if you are junior in time in grade or status because how you deal with other staff at this time will
effect how you both get along in the future.