5 of the Worst Petty Complaints Managers Hear and Best Ways To Head Them Off

Ever feel like you spend more time handling petty complaints than managing, coaching and encouraging employees?

While managers want — and need — to take all employee complaints seriously, some petty complaints might remind you of grammar school behavior: “He’s picking on me!” “She’s bugging me!”

Petty Complaints Fuel a Fire

One of the worst things about petty complaints is that they tend to fuel a fire. Once one person points a finger, you can almost count on a finger being pointed back.

So you want to head off the disruptions.

Here are five classic petty complaints that riddle almost all workplaces, plus some deft handling tips so you can head them off.

1. ‘I Do More Work Than She Does!’

When an employee hollers that she works harder than employee A, B or C, what she likely means is that she feels overworked. So, to her, it seems everyone is pulling less than their weight.

It could also be a time management issue.

Try this: Take the employee aside and ask how she’s doing and if she feels a little swamped.

When she starts to open up, explain that you know she can do the work, but you’d understand if there’s too much on her plate right now.

She’ll likely appreciate your concern and will be more candid. Then you can both address how to prioritize tasks and set some deadlines so she feels less overwhelmed. Then she may feel less inclined to take out her stress on co-workers.

2. ‘Everyone Steals My Ideas!’

This is often an employee who doesn’t speak up. He has great ideas for projects but keeps them to himself. Sooner or later, someone else comes up with the same idea and claims it.

Try this: Once he complains about it too many times, encourage the employee to be more open about his thoughts when he has the chance. Help him recognize that others are just doing their jobs by bringing up ideas he didn’t mention sooner.

Encourage the employee to come directly to you if it’ll make him less reticent. That way, you know that good idea was his from the start – and he doesn’t feel slighted by his peers.

As a manager, you’ll want to recognize and call on employees who are frequently introverted and don’t speak up during meetings.

3. ‘I Got In Trouble For Something Everyone Does!’

The classic “but everyone’s doing it” dodge never worked when you were a kid, and it definitely shouldn’t work in professional life. But that doesn’t stop some employees from using this lame excuse.

In the event an employee breaks the rules because he saw others doing it, it’s best to stand firm and tell the employee that it doesn’t make whatever he did less wrong.

Try this: Explain that if someone else committed the same offense and seemingly got away with it, it was because it went unnoticed, not because it’s acceptable.

Reassure the employee that he’s not being picked on or singled out in any way. Then have that difficult talk with the other employee(s) who broke the rules but weren’t busted.

This way, everyone knows what’s acceptable and what isn’t, and no one gets special preference.

4. ‘He Got the Assignment I Wanted!‘

It can happen when two employees want the same thing or ask for a project they know will elevate them in the ranks.

When one gets the job the other wanted, it can start a cycle of resentment and cries of “playing favorites.”

Try this: Clarify for all employees how the choice will be made and the efforts you take to make an impartial decision. Relay the qualifications, expectations and the timing involved.

In any case, emphasize that all employees are given a fair chance to improve or get ahead, and they should focus on the next opportunity rather than dwelling on what went to someone else.

5. ‘She Thinks She’s Better Than the Rest of Us!’

This one’s tricky because employees can put this label on a co-worker when they feel that person is subtly trying to “show them up” in front of the boss.

Sometimes it’s actually warranted, but other times the employee in question just does her job well and speaks up frequently. Naturally, she’ll get noticed – but the rest of the team might resent it.

It’s important to take note when one employee seems ostracized or excluded. This is when petty jealousy rears its head and can threaten the entire team dynamic.

Try this: Remind employees that everyone is treated equally, and it’s not a crime to be eager about work and do it well.

Encourage the team to follow the tried-and-true rule: Concentrate on your own work, and don’t get hung up on someone else’s.

Putting out employee fires effectively so they don’t flare up again requires persistence and active management. Unless they’re handled early, they could become much bigger and affect an entire department.