Oftentimes, we’re put in situations where someone is complaining all day. It’s not always easy dealing with them because you still have to work and do your job. But you can still try to help out and make them feel better by pointing out their flaws to them.
Here are some tips on how to deal with a coworker who complains all the time.
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How do you deal with negative, complaining coworkers?
Complaining can be a drain on your energy. It’s also contagious, so if you’re surrounded by people who complain all day, you might feel the same way. If you have coworkers who are negative, it’s important to not let them bring you down.
If you’re working in an environment where negativity is common, it can be hard to find a way out of it. Here are some suggestions on how to deal with negative, complaining coworkers:
- Listen, but don’t engage. If someone is complaining, try to listen without adding any commentary of your own. Don’t get sucked into the negativity or start agreeing with them just because they need an audience; that will only make things worse. Instead, listen and offer support if appropriate (e.g., “That sounds like a tough situation.” “How can I assist?”).
- Offer solutions. If you feel like it’s appropriate, offer a solution to the problem at hand. This can be as simple as saying, “I know how frustrating that must be for you!” “Is there anything I can do to help?”
- Don’t take it personally. If someone is venting about a problem in their life and you offer advice or support, don’t take it personally if they reject your help. Sometimes, people just need to vent and don’t actually want any solutions.
How do you ignore a coworker who complains at work?
If you’re the one who gets the job done and your coworker is whining about how bad things are all day, it’s time to put up some boundaries. Don’t let them complain or make a big deal out of every little thing that happens.
If they really want to be heard, talk with them about any problems directly—but don’t engage in a back-and-forth about it. It will only make everything worse for both parties involved in this kind of situation.
After ignoring the negativity for a while (or until it stops being productive), try giving constructive feedback on what you think could improve their work habits or attitude towards work (for example, “I noticed that when we get together outside of meetings, people tend not to interact as much because they are worried about saying something wrong”).
This way they can begin working on improving themselves without feeling like someone is judging them harshly every few minutes at work; instead, they’ll know how important their opinions and ideas truly are.
How do I help a coworker solve his complaints rather than ignoring them?
If you can’t ignore it, help the coworker problem-solve.
If the complaining coworker isn’t going away and you have a good relationship with them, then consider helping them feel more comfortable in their role by providing suggestions on how they could be doing things better.
This will also help keep your job from feeling like a chore for both of you. If there’s one thing we’ve learned about coworkers over our years of employment at various companies and organizations (including Mother Jones), it’s that nobody wants to do anything boring.
Here are some ways to go about this if you’re the coworker who’s complaining:
- Try to identify what about your job is bothering you, and then brainstorm solutions for those issues. For example, if you’re frustrated with your manager’s lack of feedback on projects, ask him or her directly what he or she thinks could be done differently.
- If the problem is with a client and how they are managing their work—and not necessarily with your organization’s policies—then share this information with another colleague who has similar responsibilities.
- If you feel like your boss is being unfair, then set up a meeting with him or her to discuss this. You may want to bring another employee along for support. Try to ask someone who has been at the company longer than you have and who has experience dealing with difficult situations.
How do you professionally tell someone to stop complaining?
It’s a difficult thing to do. Complaining is a natural part of everyday life, and it’s often not something that people can control. When faced with someone who complains too much, most people just try to change the subject or walk away.
But if you are in a position where you have to deal with this person—such as in the workplace—it can be impossible to ignore their negativity for very long. So what do you do? You have to tell them to stop complaining.
But how exactly do you do that without making yourself look bad in the process? Here are some tips for how to professionally tell someone to stop complaining:
Use a “wake-up call” approach.
The best way to tell someone to stop complaining is by using a wake-up call approach. This means that when you tell someone to stop complaining, you also need to let them know that their negativity is affecting other people too.
For example, you can say something like, “I know you’re frustrated about this situation, but I think it would help if you took a step back and considered how your negativity is affecting other people.” This approach doesn’t just address the person’s complaining; it also helps them see that their negativity affects others.
Provide an alternative approach.
If you want someone to stop complaining, offer them an alternative approach instead.
For example, if a friend keeps complaining about how their spouse doesn’t help around the house, you can tell them that they need to work on their communication skills instead of focusing on what their partner is doing wrong.
Focus on solutions, not problems.
When someone starts complaining, don’t get caught up in trying to solve their problem. Instead, offer them solutions for how they can fix the situation or make it better in the future.
This is a great way to turn a negative situation into a positive one. A lot of times, people complain because they want attention. When you offer them solutions instead of just listening, you’re showing that you care about what’s going on, and that can make all the difference in how someone feels about themselves.

How do you end a conversation with a complainer?
If you are in a situation where you need to end a conversation with a complainer, it’s important not to feel like you have to take on all of their negativity. It’s okay for the other person to vent about their problems; just make sure that you don’t get sucked into becoming overly invested in their negativity.
The best way to end a conversation with a complainer is by saying, “I hear what you’re saying, but I want to change the topic now.” “Is that okay?” This will help to soften any harshness in your words and show your understanding of their feelings.
It’s important to note that changing the topic doesn’t mean ignoring their feelings or dismissing what they have said. It simply means moving on to another topic of conversation. If the complainer continues to vent, it may be best for you to excuse yourself from the conversation altogether and move on with your day.
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Conclusion
If you’re the one complaining all the time, take a deep breath. We’ve all had those days where we just can’t seem to get past our own problems, but that doesn’t mean your coworkers should have to deal with them.
Remember that there are ways around this problem: acknowledge it, help solve it (if possible), and document everything so that you don’t forget about it later on down the road.
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