What to Do With a Workplace Whiner

As a speaker I hear some amazing comments from my audience about business etiquette.   I will never forget when I spoke about a suggestion I had read  many years ago in a book.  It is imprinted in my mind.  The suggestion was “Don’t Complain – Don’t Explain.” One woman in the audience raised her hand to make a comment.  The room was so silent and we all listened.  She asked the question, “What is there to talk about if we don’t complain?”  Well, we all laughed.  At first I was a bit embarrassed for her but she was being very honest and I can appreciate that.  Can you imagine a world without complaining and long explanations?

Do you work with a whiner?  Are you the office whiner? According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, it is getting harder to avoid the office “complainer”.  The article goes on to say that 18% of US workers are actively disengaged, negative and likely to complain about their employers.  Negativity spreads quickly in the workplace.  Business teams with a high rate of negativety tend to be less productive and have higher rates of absenteeism.

So, how do you deal with a complainer or whiner?  The Wall Street Journal points out these five tips:

1. Change the subject by asking the complainer what is going well.
2. You can always drift and think about something else while they are complaining
3. Ask the complainer what they are planning to do about the situation.
4. Move your desk away from those who are complaining.
5. If you are in a meeting, set aside time to listen to the complaints in a constructive manner.