Sloppy Workers Unite!

America’s financial bosses cite a lack of attention to detail or sloppy work as the most annoying behavior by coworkers, according to a new survey by staffing firm Accountemps.

These chief financial officers (CFOs) were interviewed recently to find out what bugged them.

For 28 percent of respondents, gossiping or engaging in office politics was their biggest pet peeve, marking a five percent increase from a similar survey in 2011.

CFOs are also annoyed by workers missing deadlines, being perpetually late and presenting other’s ideas as one’s own.

Accountemps recommends that workers not get on the bad side of CFOs. After all, they have “Chief” in their job title. They can fire people.

The staffing firm if offering these tips to help people avoid earning a reputation as a sloppy worker:

Reduce distractions. Checking emails while proofreading a critical report or perusing social media while performing complicated calculations can lead to embarrassing mistakes. Set aside dedicated time to focus solely on a task, while avoiding outside “noise” like texts and emails.
Simplify big projects. Large and complex assignments can be overwhelming — which can, in turn, lead to procrastination. In the mad dash to meet a deadline, mistakes can easily be made. Avoid this scenario by dividing work into smaller, more manageable tasks.
Take a break. Spending long hours on the computer can be exhausting. A short pause during the workday or stepping out of the office can help give fresh perspective when returning later to the assignment.
Enlist help from coworkers. Build time into the process for a trusted colleague to provide a “second pair of eyes” to check accuracy and work quality. Be sure to acknowledge that person’s contributions and reciprocate in the future.
Take time to assess expectations. Meet briefly with your manager at the start of a complex assignment to discuss goals and clarify any outstanding issues.

Now, what are we supposed to do about CFOs who hand in sloppy work, are perpetually late and present other’s ideas as their own?