work colleagues have no backbone

[yummymum30]

I work in a small office with 5 people, one male is the MD, the rest of us are women and work on joining desks. I am getting constantly fed up with them moaning about things in the office, but not actually saying anything to the MD about their grievances. They moan and moan and eventually it is me who gets frustrated and blows my top with the boss and speak my mind. They never speak up and just go quiet when I air my views! Is it just me or do they have no backbone? I am going to just shut up in future and not say a word, but the boss would love that - anything for a quiet life, know what I mean....

[sara3]

this drives me nuts! I always say.. "say the right thing to the right person at the right time, or don't bother at all"!

no backbone, just whingers and moaners! don't get yourself into trouble with the boss on their behalf :o)

[Lil O'lady]

It is the nature of people and of life. As long as you are getting paid, put up with the work and ignore the bitching. Only approach your employer for your own personal requests.

[saxy_jag]

Whilst you may have some perfectly valid points to make to the boss, blowing your top is not the way to do it.

We have a colleague in a very slightly different position to you in that he has issues with the way a major piece of equipment has been purchased. Sure, there are issues, both with the buying procedure and with the quality and safety of the equipment, but all he does is rant and moan about it and go on about how he would have done things properly. When we give up taking notice of him then he turns on the boss - who just ignores him because this is what he's like all the time and the boss just has too much to do to spend time listening to this guy's ranting. The rest of us, well, we acknowledge the faults with the equipment but we also know that if we persevere quietly and talk properly to the right people, then things will get done.

Stupid thing is, the guy knows what he's talking about and he's right most of the time, but because he rants on so much then everyone tunes him out.

So I'd agree with you - shut up. If these girls get really peed off with the boss, then tell them they're the ones who should do something about it. Tell them if they can't put up, then they should shut up.

[~max~]

It happens everywhere, don't worry! I used to be a temp in a government office, for about a year, and all I heard was people bitching about things, including the way direct superiors were behaving.
One day, I'd just had enough, even if a few of my colleagues had become good friends, they were too scared for their jobs to do anything about it. As I was a temp, I just took it upon me to collect the grievances, and had a meeting with the office manager. You wouldn't believe how grateful he actually was! That someone would come forward and talk to him, instead of just bitch behind his back was a revelation! lol I knew none of it would actually affect me, as a temp, but there were a few changes, and people ended up being a lot happier. I had nothing to lose anyway! and in the end, apart from positive changes, nothing went wrong. So do it, talk to the MD and voice your concerns, in a professional manner. Keep encouraging others to do the same too!

[zig.zag]

could this be ummm?

[jedimistress]

It's normal to moan about your boss isn't it? It's just part of working life. Your colleagues probably do have backbones but also have tact, discretion and evaluate what is worth creating a stink over or not.

My partner is the same as you, he comes home, moans to me that he is the only person who ever says anything to his bosses. His bosses in turn think he has an attitude problem, and I think they would love to see the back of him. Whereas the others grumble to each other, but stay under the radar.

I wish my partner would shut up at times as his mouth has taken him to 2 disciplinaries this year. I feel he is now expected to grumble negatively at work anytime something happens for the sake of it.

I am more irked by people not pulling their weight at work....oh the joys of working life.