by Amela Piric

Created on: March 02, 2011   Last Updated: July 25, 2011

Negative co-workers can be difficult to manage either because of their attitude, low morale, or unhappiness with their remuneration.  Whatever the case, they can be a real pain in the neck when it comes to delegating tasks to them or managing their behavior.  The reasons why these negative employees need to be handled carefully is so that the production within the company or firm is not suffering.

Employees who are negative at work will not respond to a usual business conversation and etiquette in a professional way.  They’ll rather moan and groan about everything. Thus, the best one can do is to remain at a distance with them so as to not allow them to control your feelings and emotions.  If we come to work every day, we better make it a pleasant experience for ourselves.  Thus, don’t let your co-worker ruin your day at work or make it less pleasant by soaking as a sponge their negative thoughts and statements.  It is better to remain at a professional distance from them and act proactive by feeling and remaining positive.  Thus, you will be acting proactively rather than simply reacting to negative circumstances. 

Keep your professional distance

If at all possible keep a good level of professional distance from a negative co-worker who constantly complains and gossips.  Even though you can take the time to listen to a negative co-worker, do not take the bait and swallow into the same kind of behavior.  Once they loose colleagues who will approve them, they will most likely stop with the negative behavior. 

Stay cheerful

If surrounded by negative co-workers rather than reacting to circumstance, keep your head up and respond positively.  Others may perceive you as strange temporarily but you will soon become the winner.  Your positive energy will outflow their negative energy and they will soon follow the suit. 

Bring the issues to the next level

If by no means you can find compromise with this negative colleague and if the unsatisfactory situation lasts longer than desired, you may want to seek advice from a counselor in order to make the situation easier on you.  Eventually you may want to suggest to a superior or a human resources manager if you have one in your firm to establish a procedure against prolonged negativity if there is no such in place.  If not, you may want to openly confront this negative co-worker about the issue in order to seek mutually satisfying resolution.

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