How to Work with a Grumpy Co-Worker

There is nothing more aggravating than a co-worker who sighs, gives the silent treatment, acts all irritated, answers your questions with monosyllables, and puts on a pout. This person is a total energy sapper!

Try ignoring their behavior. This is not the easiest thing to do but if you alert them early enough that you are not prepared to play along, they may grow tired of doing it to you.

Ask them what is wrong. Be direct and call them on it. If it is something that you have allegedly done to slight them, here is a great opportunity to explore the problem together. If it is someone else's "fault", again you might be in a position to help them. If they have no reason at all, you are in a position to tell them to chill on it.

Tell the other person how it makes you feel. Some people are highly sensitive to changes in other people's moods and feel compelled to help. If this is you, tell your co-worker how their grumpiness interferes with your ability to work because you are worrying all the time if you have offended them. Or, if you aren't so sensitive to it but it is bothering you because your co-worker is putting a negative feel into the workplace, tell them that you feel the negativity and that this is affecting your enjoyment of being at work.

Ask them to be a bit more positive. A grumpy person is often a negative person in outlook. Counteract this by staying cheerful, asking them to see the good side to all the things they complain about, and telling a few jokes. If they act insulted or irritated by your lighthearted approach, suggest they learn to lighten up a little. Tell them how you enjoy helping to make everyone's enjoyment of the workplace a priority and that it is a good approach to life. Put it back on yourself a lot but demonstrate to them how mean-spirited they are being by not being involved and caring about others.

Have them sent to a course on dealing with negative emotions. If you're not the boss, have your boss do this. It should be a part of their performance review.