Workplace Whiner: How to Know If You Are Complaining Too Much at Work

Self awareness is hard to come by as it always seems that we don't necessarily see ourselves the way others do. For example, we may think we are a stellar employee with only the best intentions and come to find out, our coworkers and supervisors have the impression that we are a complaining whiner. You may think you are just trying to make the workplace better, but do your colleagues think you are a whiner?

Evaluating whether or not you complain too much at work really comes down to three things-what are you complaining about, who you are complaining to and how are you going about it. There is a big difference between being a "whistle blower" or someone who is really trying to bring about positive change in the workplace and someone who is just whining and complaining for less noble reasons.

If you find that you are complaining about things like the office temperature, the ring tone on the telephone, or the type of coffee that is available in the break room-you might want to evaluate whether these are major priorities in the workplace, or not. However, if you are trying to make the workroom safer by having non-slip mats put in a damp, slippery place-you are likely justified in trying to state your case and bring about positive change.

Do you complain about things that no one else is concerned about? The slowness of the fax machine, or the frequent jamming of the copy machine may be annoying, but they may also be a fact of life in the office and not something that can be fixed or changed right away. If everyone is affected and everyone knows the status quo of an inconvenience, your complaining about the reality just makes you come off like a whiner instead of a team player.