I'm being v unreasonable but want to moan anyway...

[Wrongmoreoftenthannot]

I'm a boss and I treat my staff well, everyone has had a cost of living increase every year no matter what the financial climate, I have not had a pay rise for several years to fund this. We fund car parking and pay well. When there are stressful periods we try to soften the blow with "treats" in the office (I had hand made cupcakes delivered at Easter) and most of the time there is a general feeling of family.

BUT there are two or three people who are never happy no matter what.

I know staff always criticise how you run the business and have a moan behind your back but its getting to me today.

REMEMBER your Boss has feelings too

Please don't flame me.

Ha viv now I feel old ! See what you mean though - if you give the younger ones an inch they take a mile at times!

Gosh you guys are youngsters! I'm well into my 30's!!

Still would be nice to exchange my moaners for wise young uns like you!!

So glad I've read this. My lot had me in tears the other day. (Closed door, pulled blind down and hit in my office for a bit!!) I just got to the stage where I took all the whinges personally, thought everyone hated me and wondered why I bother.

I have over 100 staff with an age range of 17-76 and don't find age is relevant to the AMOUNT of whinging, just the subject matter!

hid not hit

I dont think age has much to do with it. I am a manager in a large organisation and I have employed many people into my department. Once 19 year old I took a chance on has turned out to be a model employee, I cant believe how good he turned out. One 22 year old I employed was sacked after 2 months, he was always late and never worked a full week.

But on the other side I have a 50 year old on my team and she is a nightmare, thinks she is entitled, stirs trouble and is a moany, bitchy, backstabbing nightmare, but the other 50+ year old I have is lovely.

If they're going to moan anyway, however nice you are....give them all the rubbish jobs to do! (only kidding)

Bonkers I had a hard time a few years ago realising that as I was becoming more senior, I was never going to win a popularity contest in the office any more. I am an easy going supervisor, but I am a supervisor rather than friend and they probably will bitch about me behind my back. It's a tough point to get to and easier when you realise that you are there to get the job done and need to grow a rather thick skin.

Age has little to do with it. Attitudes are hard to change and some follow others in having a moan because they feel they have to join in to work with them. Not knowing the situation fully, but they sound very lucky employees and so don't let the few moaners make your own lovely attitude change. Maybe give them chance to see the error of their ways but remember some people enjoy wallowing in disatissfaction no matter what and so don't take it personally.

eurochick you're spot on it took me a while to realise that but once I did I relaxed a lot more in work.

They do still wind me up though like today!!

I think people prefer to work in a nice atmosphere so I try to make it that but some people just bring it down...

You're both so right.

If things get bad I nip out for a Mcflurry. Feels indulgent to be eating ice cream without having to share with DD or DH. I can highly recommend it :)

Hope knowing you're not alone makes your day better.

ooooooooh ice cream

I so agree, i also work for a big organisation and think the benefits and perks we get are amazing. Some people just love moaning, and i always find its the older ones who hate change and are really bloody entitled, they just dont know how lucky they are! I really feel for my boss when she has to brief us about something new thats coming in, you can actually see her bracing herself after shes given us a brief!

OP YANBU, you sound like a lovely boss

yonwhalefish YABU 28 isn't young or a youngster

Sounds like your staff need to go work for T's!! They'd really have something to moan about then!!

Its not like we're a big place (only 10 of us)!

I get fed up with the "we're allowed to moan about everything, bitch about you and you're the boss so lump it" attitude!

I don't usually let it get to me but its so obvious from a couple of staff today!

Ho hum - fresh day tomorrow!

DP calls them 'well poisoners' - and they will never be happy, no matter what you do for them.

I remember once my nice old boss announced that as of next week, the whole office could dress casually every day if they wished. Cue one WP moaning that she would have to go out that weekend to buy new jeans.

Having said that, if people feel ignored or undervalued, then a doughnut isn't going to make them love you again. You sound like a great boss OP so I don't mean you, but my horrible new boss underpays us, overworks us and is generally evil.

Now and then she makes a big thing of saying 'thank you' by buying in cupcakes or whatever. Er, after a five year pay freeze, this cupcake doesn't make me feel valued.

I work in a small office where my boss treats us all amzingly well too! It really aggrivates me when everyone bitches and moans about this n that that he's done because I know for certain that they would NOT get the same treatment anyhere else! I'm only 22, but having been in employment since I was 16, I've had more than my fair share of evil bosses who don't know how to treat staff with common decency let alone the generosity you've shown your staff!!!! You have every right to moan!!!!

amieis tell me the things you like so I can add them in here!!