How do you deal with negative toxic people in the workplace

[ThreeGlasses]

I'm dreading work tomorrow although I love my job!

I work in an office of 10 women and we sit on workbenches/desks along the wall. My colleague next to me is the most negative, depressed person i've ever met. She's worked there longer than any of us.

Since I started two years ago not a day has gone past where she hasn't let it be known she hates her job/is looking for a new job. Yet she never seems to actually do anything about it.

My day is punctuated by her loud sighs, slumping over the desk, stomping in and out of the door and over exaggerated huffing and puffing at her PC. She is a complete martyr to the cause, puts herself up for extra jobs and responsibility and then moans and complains loudly the whole time she's doing it.

It's got to the point now where even i'm looking for a new job just to get away from the joyless office life i'm living everyday. She had two weeks off and it was lovely, then she came back and was worse than ever as she was 'back in this place again'.

How do you deal with people like this? I can't move desks, the managers are more than aware of her attitude but she's part of the furniture, she's always been like that' - this was said when I brought it up at my last appraisal.

Your managers are failing here. They need to look at why she feels like that and take some action; either by encouraging her to find a different role or addressing whatever issues she has in the present one.

I can only suggest being persistent with your managers - tell them it is so bad you're thinking of leaving.

Keep raising it with your managers. Mentioned that her negative attitude is affecting team morale, satisfaction, productivity etc.

You could take her aside and raise it in a calm and neutral way as she may not realise the impact that her attitude has, but I appreciate that not everyone feels they can do that and tbh that's what managers should be doing.

I think some people do it for attention. The fact she offers to do more, is also possibly a similar sign.

Managers need to deal with this as its affecting your team although its very difficult when time has passed for so long with her getting away with it. But thats their problem.

May I assume that you’ve already chatted with her about this a long time ago and found that your friendship / presence / support has not made any difference to her attitude? If so, then instead of counting the days till management intervened (might take ages and thereby cause indirect damage to your productivity) or you / she found a new job, I would dig deep and rise above this. If you’ve tried and can’t help her, it might make your work easier if you count your blessings and enjoy the hell out of your job while minimising her and her ‘silly grumbles that are leading her nowhere useful’... almost to the point of childish arrogance? I wonder if that would inwardly cheer you up and lift you out of this puddle of grievance for the time being. Is it too much to think she might even be inspired by her dazzling desk neighbour?