Work is a necessary yet often unmotivating part of life. When interesting opportunities arise, it’s tempting to push duties aside. Likewise, when overwhelmed, people may neglect responsibilities accidentally So how does one get colleagues to complete tasks without being overbearing?
This article explores creative techniques to inspire action in others through respectful requests. By acknowledging demands on their time while emphasizing shared goals, you can motivate the fulfillment of obligations.
With the right words and empathy, people rediscover purpose in their roles. Learn tactful ways to remind coworkers of their responsibilities without micromanaging. Together, we can accomplish more.
15 Interesting and Polite Ways to Tell Someone to Do Their Job
- I know you’re busy, but could you please help me out by doing X? It would help me get my work done faster.
- Hey, sorry to bother you, but I would like you to take care of X when you get a chance. It would be a big help.
- I know you’re capable of doing this well. Let’s work together to get it done right.
- I appreciate your unique skills. Could you please use them to help complete this task?
- I understand you’re helping your colleagues but could you focus on your tasks?
- You’re very skilled at your job. Let’s direct that talent to meet this deadline.
- I appreciate your enthusiasm, but we need to make sure we don’t lose steam. Back to work!
- I admire your passion, but we can chat later. Right now, task focus is key.
- I know you love diving into new ideas, but we’ve got to deal with what’s on our plate first.
- I appreciate you’re trying to make things more fun, but we can’t lose sight of the bottom line.
- I will take it you have forgotten but here is a friendly reminder: you have two important tasks to handle and your boss is waiting for feedback
- We don’t have much time on our hands for this project and procrastination will only make things worse. Let’s get busy.
- Reports show that for the past few weeks, you have seriously slacked off. I don’t want to have to take any disciplinary measures so I will ask you to continue along the lines of your job description.
- I see you are having a good time resting, we’re getting back to work in 5 minutes
- I appreciate your efforts on the last task. I would like you to keep that up.
1. I know you’re busy, but could you please help me by doing X? It would help me get my work done faster.
Make it seem like they are giving you a hand. Altruism is not a definite thing in all humans but for those who have it, it is something you can count on.
It is what will make people do you a favor. The good thing about placing your saying this way is that it doesn’t seem like work, especially if it is brief. Here’s a sentence example:
- I know you’re busy, but could you please help me by doing X? It would help me get my work done faster. Claire told me you can handle this effortlessly.
2. Hey, sorry to bother you, but I would like you to take care of X when you get a chance. It would be a big help.
Put a small reminder. While you must not be exact with the time and date, you must be clear on what they must do.
Being casual with the time makes it sound less mean and forceful. This saying is also perfect to use two hours later and by are free and they still haven’t done the work. Here’s a sentence example:
- Hey, sorry to bother you, but I would like you to take care of X when you get a chance. It would be a big help to the project at hand.
3. I know you’re capable of doing this well. Let’s work together to get it done right.
Motivate them. Work isn’t something people enjoy doing if they are not motivated at all. This motivation hence will be about their capacity and what they can handle.
A person who feels they need to be spoonfed to do any meaningful work or wants to shy away because of its difficulty will need this. It’s a big boost when I hear someone, even if it’s a colleague, say something like this. Here’s a sentence example:
- I know you’re capable of doing this well. Let’s work together to get it done right. Alright? I believe in you.
4. I appreciate your unique skills. Could you please use them to help complete this task?
Highlight their expertise. When you promote someone’s skill or talk about it, it is that you consider them good at what they do. Asking them to handle a particular task tells them you have thought hard about the work and considered them the best to handle the job.
It is best to tell them to do their job casually. Here’s a sentence example:
- I appreciate your unique skills. Could you please use them to help complete this task? You would be the best for it. Let me know if you understand the job description.
5. I understand you’re helping your colleagues but could you focus on your tasks?
Call them to order. Sanguine or very nice people at work will be easily distracted and try to handle every problem that comes by them except their own.
This is a great way to speak to them without sounding harsh and giving them the impression that they are wrong for helping people. Here’s a sentence example:
- I understand you’re helping your colleagues but could you focus on your tasks? They are of utmost importance to you now.
6. You’re very skilled at your job. Let’s direct that talent to meet this deadline.
Urge them to do a task with a deadline. One thing that keeps workers on their toes is a looming deadline.
For someone who is not doing their bit, especially when you are working as a team, you can point out their work so they focus their minds on what they should be doing. Here’s a sentence example:
- You’re very skilled at your job. Let’s direct that talent to meet this deadline. Maybe on the next task, you can work on the designs but for now, just focus on the analytical bit given to you.
7. I appreciate your enthusiasm, but we need to make sure we don’t lose steam. Back to work!
Take a charged tone. What it does is that you match their energy and they don’t see it as you shunning them or trying to make work a suffocating affair
Also, appreciating people for their good qualities like enthusiasm and genius will always be a boost to their confidence which will reflect in the way they do work. Here’s a sentence example:
- I appreciate your enthusiasm, but we need to make sure we don’t lose steam. Back to work! After this next batch, we can take a lunch break and get some afternoon coffee.
8. I admire your passion, but we can chat later. Right now, task focus is key.
Help them direct their focus. A person can be talking about work and not doing the work. This saying is a polite way to tell them that you are willing to hear their ideas and ideals later while in the meantime they carry out tasks at hand so things can keep progressing smoothly.
A harsh reproof can kill their spirit and affect their productivity and the quality of their work since what they are talking about is related to work. Here’s a sentence example:
- I admire your passion, but we can chat later. Right now, task focus is key. Help me with those boxes over there.
9. I know you love diving into new ideas, but we’ve got to deal with what’s on our plate first.
Kindly encourage their geniuses. Many people are not comfortable with people who are smarter than them or who are always thinking of good ways to see things better.
This is even worse when these people are under them. Instead of shutting them up, use this saying. It will tell them they are heard and understood and if possible they will be given a chance to put their ideas into manifestation. Here’s a sentence example:
- I know you love diving into new ideas, but we’ve got to deal with what’s on our plate first. When we finish this we can focus on those great ideas of yours. What do you think?
10. I appreciate you’re trying to make things more fun, but we can’t lose sight of the bottom line.
Remind them of the goal. When work becomes monotonous, it is boring. A colleague trying to brighten the corner where they are is great until it becomes a distraction and no one is working anymore. Call them a corner and tell them this.
You don’t have to tell them to stop, especially if for example what they are doing can be done while talking. They will meet the target in mind and work while having fun to ensure they reach the goal. In the case where they are still out of line, you can be firmer. Here’s a sentence example:
- I appreciate you’re trying to make things more fun, but we can’t lose sight of the bottom line. We have to hit our target today or we will fall behind.
11. I will take it you have forgotten but here is a friendly reminder: you have two important tasks to handle and your boss is waiting for feedback
Let them know what they are to handle. Some people don’t do their jobs because they are not aware of it. It can be because the people over them did not clarify their job description or what they’re supposed to do.
Other times, due to much more pressing tasks, they can forget to do others. This is where your reminder comes in. Here’s a sentence example:
- I will take it you have forgotten but here is a friendly reminder: you have two important tasks to handle and the boss is waiting for feedback. Be sure to put them in format one. It’s the end to use for the one you are missing. You can meet me if you have any challenges.
12. We don’t have much time on our hands for this project and procrastination will only make things worse. Let’s get busy.
Use this to address a team. Just as it happens to individuals, it can happen to teams of people in a formal organization.
This procrastination is collective, due to miscalculation and no urge to push the working people. In the face of misunderstanding, you can use this saying to correct them and tell them to do the jobs. Here’s a sentence example:
- We don’t have much time on our hands for this project and procrastination will only make things worse. Let’s get busy. We have the schedule and the system working.
13. Reports show that for the past few weeks, you have seriously slacked off. I don’t want to have to take any disciplinary measures so I will ask you to continue along the lines of your job description.
Get serious. If you are in a position of authority above said person, such as a supervisor, you can use the saying. It’s polite and it tells them several things.
That first they are wrong to slack off and not do their job. Another is you are aware and you can take measures if they continue that way. I can’t say it’s the friendliest but it is very effective. Here’s a sentence example:
- Reports show that for the past few weeks, you have seriously slacked off. I don’t want to have to take any disciplinary measures so I will ask you to continue along the lines of your job description. If there is a reason you can’t do so lol let me know at once so we can tackle it together.
14. I see you are having a good time resting, we’re getting back to work in 5 minutes
Go gentle on them. Work can get monotonous and boring so trying to rest, relax, or have a bit of fun is not wrong. It is only wrong when there is more fun than work and productivity drops. In that case, a small reminder like this should get them back on track. Here’s a sentence example:
- I see you are having a good time resting, remember we’re getting back to work in 5 minutes. You can have all the fun you want during your lunch break.
15. I appreciate your efforts on the last task. I could tell you put a lot of work into it. I would like you to keep that up.
Motivate them. Instead of chewing them out, give them a bit of encouragement especially if they did well or have been doing well. It tells them you are serious about their work and you are grateful.
They will want to put in more work after that. It works even better if you are a superior. Here’s a sentence example:
- I appreciate your efforts on the last task. I could tell you put a lot of work into it. I would like you to keep that up. I can’t wait for you to send in your next work.
Final words
Work often loses meaning when overburdened employees feel their efforts go unrecognized. Likewise, pressing deadlines and exciting distractions can temporarily shift focus from responsibilities.
When colleagues avoid duties, it damages morale and progress. However, with tact and understanding, you can realign priorities positively. This piece has provided 15 polite techniques to request action from others while respecting their autonomy.