How do you deal with miserable unmotivated people at work

[Neondisco]

Just feeling a bit frustrated at some miserable un motivated people dragging us down at work and being a bit of a road block.

I know work can be shit and I'm not asking people to merrily work on a production line or clean toilets. I work in a cultural venue, it's small but nice, staff a paid well and treated well. It's a sort after sector which many people want to work in.

There are a few staff in one team who are basically grumpy and seem to begrudge doing their jobs. As part of my role I've asked them to do something which was part of their job but not since before covid. It basically hasn't bern done since I asked and I've had a bit of push back. I provide info on how and what to do all polite in tone. Senior staff agree it needs doing.

I consulted them on it too so it wasn't just dumped on them. I hope I'm self aware enough to not just steam roller in with demands!

I'm really busy in my role (off this afternoon before anyone asks) and put so much into it. I'm actually a bit frustrated they do the bear minimum and have really negative attitudes to developing the organisation. This is one example but I know other people have issues with the team too.

Any tips or advice or sharing a moan with me about this type of colleague would be appreciated.

I annoy them by being me.. cheerful and hard working and I also ignore them, do my work and enjoy my life. Gets their backs right up that I’m not moaning about X in that department, or D in accounts ..

@MyShoelaceIsUndone

I annoy them by being me.. cheerful and hard working and I also ignore them, do my work and enjoy my life. Gets their backs right up that I’m not moaning about X in that department, or D in accounts ..

Haha! I think that might be part of the push back that other people including myself are happy to be there and passionate.

But you're right about not doing what they do. I suppose not letting it set the tone.

I think you need to work out if they’re naturally this way or if they have a different experience to you. You find it a “cultural venue, it's small but nice, staff a paid well and treated well” but that doesn’t mean everyone in the organisation does. I have a very different view of my company than the lady at head office in HR. I know because we’ve had the discussion and she’s been shocked (and refused to acknowledge) that other people don’t find it an inclusive, family friendly place that cares. She hasn’t had to battle every year about budgets just to do her job. She doesn’t have to battle internally all the time to get the basics in so that are other people aren’t undoing her job. Her being dismissive of what other people in the business are feeling and experiencing has definitely increased my lack of motivation at work.

If they’re naturally unmotivated, then there isn’t much you can do. Do the best job you can. Make it clear that they need to do their elements of their job. Ignore the rest. If they’re unmotivated because they aren’t finding the place as sunny as you describe, then actually listen to what their issues are. Maybe it’s historic and it’ll take time of consistently doing the right thing to change their mind. Maybe it’s flagging it to senior management that this is an area that needs working on.

I'd be direct
"I haven't seen any action on XYZ. Why not?"

I understand what you mean about how I find it vs how others find it @InTheNightWeWillWish
But there's under 15 people work in the whole organisation. I work with everyone personally so I feel if they were experiencing bullying or un family friendly policies I'd know. It is a very very relaxed work environment so while I so appreciate people have different experiences. I'm not sure that I believe they could have attitude because they find it awful to work for the organisation.

They are also long term staff so I'd be surprised if they felt really badly treated and stayed for 10 plus years.

I don't want to sound like I'm ignoring that people have different experiences though. As even if it's not awful to work for the organisation they may still have things they aren't happy about. So I'll bear this in mind.

If they arent doing their job maybe you need to seek some professional HR guidance around performance management. People cant be bright and sunny if that is not their manner but they should demonstrate a professional attitude towards their work and duties. If they are so unhappy maybe they need to be encouraged to move on

@Flapjak

I think you're right in the distinction between just not being sunny and not doing your job.

Do you think it's possible that you just aren't aware of how some people are feeling?

I ask because there is a crisis of frankly epic proportions taking place in my workplace at the moment, and even though it's obvious to everyone else how unhappy people are, and why, (and they are leaving in large numbers), it does not appear to be obvious to management.

It can really happen.

I have this at work. I feel the grumpy team are actually acting in an entitled way.

@ButtonRose

Do you think it's possible that you just aren't aware of how some people are feeling?

I ask because there is a crisis of frankly epic proportions taking place in my workplace at the moment, and even though it's obvious to everyone else how unhappy people are, and why, (and they are leaving in large numbers), it does not appear to be obvious to management.

It can really happen.

I mean I'm self aware enough to say of course this could be true.

But honestly I do think it's unlikely. I don't want to say too much but they work in roles without much ongoing workload. So it's not that they are overburdened. I also know how everyone behaves and its not like people are being really unkind or bullying. I think the crisis or the thing they aren't happy about is doing much beyond the minimum.

In my experience of dealing with people low in motivation we can either manage people up (nurture, support, guide, appropriate training, recognition and reward) or manage them out (so much harder!).

Did you ask them to proofread

@Susannahmoody

Did you ask them to proofread

Not sure if that is about my posts. But I'm dyslexic thanks and pay a different amount if attention to things using autocorrect in my phone than I do in the workplace. So I can get around my disability.

Where as if you're the type to mock somones spelling and grammar well I'm not sure that unpleasantness can be over come. hope you feel big and clever with your ableist piss taking

I have this at work. I feel the grumpy team are actually acting in an entitled way.

Same. Some of the more positive team members have actually started leaving now thanks to the negative atmosphere and I'm looking for a new role too.

I don't have any advice OP, all I do is just try not to engage when they're whinging about stuff. I think it's a tricky situation to manage - our management team put in place some "listening event" type things and I think that just made it even worse as it gave the negative ones an excuse to moan even more than usual.

Helpful thread op. Following, thank you

A full stop would be nice, Susannah.

A question mark, actually. :)

It's tough OP and I think you have articulated the issues really well. My offering is that it is common. To the pp who said that management don't seem to have noticed the issues of her office imploding,perhaps they have and are fine with it. I needed some change in my workplace and I am starting to get some turnover. We are now in touch times but it will ultimately be worthwhile.

(I thought you answered the rude person upthread really well btw)

@Wearywithteens

I would focus on their work performance rather than their ‘grumpiness’ and their ‘attitude’. Most of us have to sell our labour in this economy. As long as they do the job they are being paid for that is enough. Having management expecting you to be giddy with corporate love and no be ‘so entitled’ is extra bollocks that can also be demotivating and a source of resentment.

As I said it's a very small cultural venue. So I totally get what you mean about corporate love, but I'm not sure that applies here. The grumpiness is I suppose at being asked to do anything new or different.

Also though I think it's not the type of job you do if you don't care about the cultural form we deal in. You wouldn't work in a theatre if you hated the theatre for example. Part of the job is about engaging and enthusing visitors. So it does require a certain amount of enthusiasm.

Not fake I love xx organisation, but more the artform.

@xksismybestletter

It's tough OP and I think you have articulated the issues really well. My offering is that it is common. To the pp who said that management don't seem to have noticed the issues of her office imploding,perhaps they have and are fine with it. I needed some change in my workplace and I am starting to get some turnover. We are now in touch times but it will ultimately be worthwhile.

(I thought you answered the rude person upthread really well btw)

Cheers!

I think re management not noticing, some people just ignore things until it get impossible to ignore. My sister for example has told me me things about her colleagues getting away with shocking things. But they hey the work done so their managers just leave it be.

In our situation I think it's been an absence of management for a little while before covid hit. As I think I said things are quiet relaxed so that can end up with people not being checked on.

I think it's common too, especially when people have worked in a place for a while.