To think if you could raise a smile while doing your boring job you'd have a better day?

[Department]

We have two regular delivery drivers deliver to where I work. Now, I accept that it's not the most exciting job and it must be annoying when you have to wait for someone to tell you where to put things etc,

One of the men always has a cheerful good morning and something to say about last night's football, the weather, how busy he/we are.

The other barely speaks unless he has something to moan about - like us keeping him waiting! Please, you spend an awful lot of your life working, you'd enjoy it so much more if you smiled a bit. And we'd be happier to see you, which might make your life a bit better too.

YABU, OP.

You have no idea about his life or what could be happening in his life.

I can't stand forced smiles, either.

But perhaps he IS happy?- perhaps he is happy having a damn good moan and complain. A lot of people find this immensely satisfying ( I work with a lot of them), and cheering them up is not only exhausting but takes away their opportunity to vent.

Oh god. Do you walk around telling people to 'cheer up it might never happen' as well

My life is in a fairly deep trough ATM. I know that on the days that I can stop crying and perk myself up and just try to reach out a bit, then I do feel a shitload better and I do have a better day.

Other people are not generally arseholes so if you communicate with them and look at them and try to get on a bit, then I find it does come back to you and make you feel better.

I agree with the OP. It doesn't matter what job he's doing or how much he earns. If he tried to engage a little bit with the human race then he might find that he did have a better day.

People are quite nice really.

I love my job and i meet lots of different people everyday.... i work at a London Underground tube station.
I am always happy and smiling..... in fact loads of people say to me, you're always happy, how come you're so chirpy so early in the morning, you have a lovely smile, its nice to see someone smiling etc etc.

Firstly i do love my job so i guess that kinda helps BUT i always believe that once i enter that station, i'm at work & i try my best to leave problems outside.
No one wants to see my miserable face or me looking sad now do they.

I think you should try as much as you can where possible to be friendly, happy and engaging when you're in a customer based job no matter whats going on in your life.
I say this as someone who has been through a fair amount in the last 10 months......... my brother was murdered in Dec 2012, i've had to deal with the police, the coroners, arrange my brothers funeral, find 5k for the funeral, seek and deal with legal stuff with his ex trying to get his belongings, his body, his money, dealing with the trial that happened a month ago, dealing with my mum would wouldn't do a thing and who has now cut me out of her life for no reason, i've had problems with management at work, my panic attacks have returned and to top it all off my marriage of 12 years has broken down & we've separated ........ but i continue to smile because smiling is better than explaining why i'm sad.
Plus a smile is contagious.... you smile and people smile back.... it cheers others up too.... its a win, win situation :)

serendipity

Thank you for telling us.

I'm so sorry for your loss. I hope your smile brings happiness back to your life soon.

I smile all the time at work.while people are shouting at me for things out of my control,while ive got personal issues on my mind,while im thinking " i bloody hate this job at times" Its not hard to smile,i can forgive people having a few bad days,we are only human but Id expect some days that people will smile back at me.I just find it rude and disrespectful is someone never makes the effort to just be friendly once in a while.

I have to smile at work, it's a customer facing role and they expect a smile. I'm also expected to leave my 'emotional baggage' at the door and get on with things when I start my shift. Regardless of how difficult my life is, I am expected to be happy as it enhances the experience of my guests. It is far more draining for me to act happy and wear a fake smile than it is for me to relax into myself and be depressed. A smile doesn't always automatically make you feel better. Yanbu to mind that he doesn't engage with you, yabu to expect to understand someone you barely know and think that a smile is all it takes to make them have a better day

unless he has something to moan about - like us keeping him waiting!

With the fact that delivery drivers are usually on very strict deadlines and many get paid per delivery, then I imagine he doesn't have too much reason to smile at you if you keep him waiting all the time.

Well im going to just put it down to him being a miserable fecker.