Have you ever worked with someone who so obviously hates their job that they literally reek with the stench of dissatisfaction? I can recall starting out as a new nurse many, many years ago and working alongside a chronic complainer who hated our unit. I didn’t even realize it was that bad until she continuously brought it to my attention, and I’ll always remember something my charge nurse stated after the disgruntled nurse trudged away.
She said, “you know, one bad apple can totally ruin the barrel.”
And to this day I realize she was so right. A grumpy coworker can ruin your entire day, or even ruin your workplace in general. As I’ve recently been almost infected by the rants and rages of another unhappy peer I’ve started to wonder if these disgruntled people even know how bad they’ve gotten. I mean, do they realize that they’re the bad apple ruining the barrel? Probably not. I think when you’re unhappy with your job it can creep up on you, pile up day after day, and finally just turn into a trash pile of discontent.
So being that gal who doesn’t desire to be around Negative Nancy any longer than necessary here’s a friendly checklist to let you (or someone working alongside you) know if you’ve become that grumpy coworker. After all, in the end only you can change your circumstances.
1. Constant complaining. If every single time you open your mouth nothing but complaints pour out, then you might just be disgruntled. No one is asking you to take on more than is fair, or to persevere silently through cruel and unusual treatment. In fact, if you’ve been unjustly assigned more work than you can handle then please speak up. Be the change! Take it straight to management! But here’s what not to do. Don’t grumble and gripe incessantly to anyone who stops long enough to hear you. We all work hard. That’s why it’s called a job rather than vacation.
Here’s the hard truth. If you truly have something to complain about that speaking loudly the injustice will solve then by all means put it in writing. Do something about it. And if taking your concerns up the ladder does not induce change then move on. Otherwise, if your consistent moaning is just to make yourself feel better, please stop. I mean, I’m all for venting. It’s good for us all, but in moderation. When every spoken word is a whining complaint it only serves the purpose of bringing the entire crew down. If you’re griping about duties that are part of a job description you agreed to then you don’t have a right to protest.
It’s pretty simple. If the job no longer meets your satisfaction then find a new one. No reason to persist in something you obviously hate, and no point in poking holes in the ship the rest of us are sailing in.
2. No respect for the job. When you can no longer treat the position you hold with the high regard it deserves then it’s time to try something new. Especially in a job like the medical field, we are professionals. When you accept the mantle of responsibility to care for other human beings you must walk in the manner that entails. There’s a pride that most any profession has. Most job positions involve serving others. So whether you’re a nurse, waitress, or sanitation worker you accepted the responsibility to do a job to the best of your ability for the betterment of someone else. Your service to your fellow man is something you should be proud of, but if you’re having trouble finding that sense of accomplishment then perhaps it’s time to take a step back and reevaluate what you want to do in life.
If your behavior reflects poorly on your title or position in general then you’re doing a disservice to the entire profession by continuing in your job. These may be harsh words to hear, but sometimes you have to be selfless. In your discontent you may be only thinking about how the job is negatively affecting you, but have you considered how you might be negatively affecting the job?
Which brings us to…
3. It affects how you treat others. If you are working in a job where you take care of people in one way or another, and you’re finding that you hate the people you serve, then it’s time to change your vocation. No one deserves maltreatment. No one deserves disrespect. If your customer, client, patient (or whatever you want to call it) is coming to you for help and you’re bitter and angry, then change jobs now! No one, and I repeat no one, wants or deserves a disgruntled employee. To inject your bitterness on someone else is unfair and downright rude. Am I right?
Here’s the thing. Only you can change your circumstances. I’ve been in jobs I didn’t enjoy, and the worst thing I did was hang around. If you’re unhappy then find something new, go somewhere else. Don’t be afraid, and don’t feel stuck. I’d rather take a pay cut than persist in an unhappy situation for years to come. If you’re the grumpy employee, quit! Find another job. And if it’s your coworker who’s displaying these characteristics then you might want to print this out and put it in their locker. Believe me, they’ll thank you for it in the long run. We all will.