Here’s what to do when other departments at work aren’t playing their part

Colleagues from another department refuse to help me with a task that seems to fall within their job scope. What should I do?

If you find yourself in this situation, you can approach the colleagues involved to discuss the task, providing clear context and any relevant documentation to explain why you believe it falls under these colleagues’ responsibilities, says Mr David Blasco, country director of Randstad Singapore.

“Seek to understand their perspective and reasons for refusal, as this can uncover any misunderstandings, assumptions or valid concerns.”

Ms Betul Genc, head of Asean at recruitment firm Adecco, adds: “It would be beneficial to highlight the potential benefits of their assistance, and if possible, provide any necessary resources to help them complete the task on hand.”

Mr Blasco says that if direct communication does not resolve the issue, it may be necessary to involve your supervisor or their manager to mediate and clarify responsibilities.

“Such refusals can arise due to various reasons, including misunderstandings of responsibilities, excessive workload, lack of resources, or inter-departmental conflicts.

“There could potentially be underlying personal reasons, which may contribute to their reluctance to take on more work.”

Mr Blasco adds that ambiguous job descriptions, insufficient communication and organisational changes can also contribute to a greater likelihood of misunderstanding job scopes.

“Additionally, complex or overlapping roles and insufficient training can lead to unclear boundaries, causing confusion about who is responsible for certain tasks.

“Understanding these factors can help in addressing and resolving the situation effectively.”

Circumstances that warrant escalation include repeated refusals to assist without valid reasons, potential negative impacts on project timelines or business outcomes, and tasks involving compliance or regulatory requirements that cannot be ignored, Mr Blasco says.

Escalation should be considered carefully, ensuring that it is done constructively and with the goal of resolving the issue, not placing blame.

“When escalating (matters), employees should be well-prepared with detailed documentation of all relevant communications, outlining the requests for assistance and the responses received,” he says.

“Additionally, employees should provide relevant job descriptions or organisational charts to highlight why the task falls within the colleagues’ responsibilities and suggest possible solutions or compromises that could address concerns while achieving the task’s objectives.”

Ms Genc says a clear explanation of the issue allows the management to assess the situation effectively and forge a resolution.

Mr Blasco says seeking support from the human resources department can ensure a fair and objective assessment of who is responsible for what, if the issue has to be escalated.

“This may involve holding meetings where team members can discuss and delineate their tasks and responsibilities clearly,” he adds.

A task might sometimes involve highly specialised knowledge or access that only one department possesses, with seemingly no alternatives to approaching colleagues from that department.

Even so, you should first try to communicate the importance and urgency of the task to the person or department in question, Mr Blasco advises.

He adds: “It is best to first find out why the person refused to assist before involving senior leaders, as the issue may have arisen from a simple miscommunication, allowing you to resolve the issue more diplomatically.

“Engaging leaders prematurely can create unnecessary tension and escalate a situation that might be resolved more easily at a lower level.”

Information silos could arise in disconnected work environments, where departments operate independently with little interaction, leading to conflicts on task ownership.

“Employers who are facing siloed teams or communications should endeavour to strengthen the relationships between colleagues by engaging in team-building exercises, whether that’s organising a simple lunch or having drinks together after the work day.”

Still, Mr Blasco notes that it is reasonable to expect each department to internally handle straightforward tasks related to corporate functions like finance, human resources or procurement, reducing the administrative burden on centralised functions.

However, he adds: “Core functions such as payroll processing, financial reporting and regulatory compliance should remain under the purview of specialised departments to avoid errors and ensure adherence to organisational policies and external regulations.”

Mr Blasco also notes that clear, detailed job descriptions and comprehensive onboarding processes that thoroughly explain each role’s responsibilities minimise the risk of any confusion over job scope to begin with.

“Leaders can also be more directive in assigning roles and responsibilities to specific individuals – making the tasks part of their deliverables or key performance indicators so there would be no ambiguity around who should do what.”

This article was originally published in The Straits Times.