Lack Of Agency Urgency

(I am working on a very busy evening with an agency worker, sending food up to the rooms and back. The night has been the busiest I’ve ever seen it, and we’re starting to run short on plates. I’ve just returned from a floor to see the agency guy just standing around.)

Me: “Hey, [Agency Worker], can you do me a favour and run up to the kitchen and grab some—”

Agency Worker: “I think I might make coffee first. I’m tired.”

Me: *taken aback from being interrupted* “Well, let’s get these orders out the way first. I don’t want us to run out of plates when we’re this busy, so can you get some for me, please?”

(With a huff, the agency worker walks off. I get another room service order, and quite a large one in fact. I’m then phoned by a room for a request for more cutlery, so I run upstairs with a pair of knives and forks. I return five minutes later to see the agency guy slouched on the officer chair with a cup of coffee in hand, totally oblivious to the HUGE order that just came through, and without a single plate brought down. In a fit of anger, I slam my hand down hard on the counter.)

Me: “Right! Either you can get off your arse and do the work you signed up for, or you can leave. I’m not running around just so you can take it easy.”

(With one more huff, the agency worker brought back plates as instructed — the wrong ones, however. Nevertheless we managed to get through the night, but after that incident I asked my boss never to take him on again.)