Dear Eric: I work at a small, amazing nonprofit. It’s not perfect, but it’s one of my favorite jobs ever, aside from a few coworkers who seem to complain endlessly about the smallest things.
Their behavior has caused other employees to feel judged; some have even quit because of it.
I will take every opportunity to praise the place highly, and if the symptoms get worse, I will simply leave the work area.
I’m so sick of it. This really is a great place to work and it would be even better if we supported each other instead of falling into cliques and endless bickering. Do you have any suggestions on how to stop the endless (and sometimes vicious) complaining?
— I’m fed up with complaints at the water dispenser
Dear water cooler: Some people just love to complain about their work. I found myself tickling myself thinking what if the question about yours came from your coworker. “That person at my work is just SO POSITIVE…”
Try to talk to your colleagues face-to-face. Try to find out what their core problems are. Maybe they are complaining because they don’t feel able to make changes.
Or maybe they’re toxic idiots.
Ask a manager for help in changing the office culture. You don’t have to wave the Pollyanna flag all by yourself.
Send questions to R. Eric Thomas at [email protected] or PO Box 22474, Philadelphia, PA 19110. Follow him on Instagram and sign up for his weekly newsletter at rricthomas.com.
