From the office fridge raider to unrecognized overtime, there are plenty of things to complain about in the workplace. But most of us think there’s no point in griping about office issues to coworkers or that it’s not appropriate to vent at work, but it turns out we’re wrong. According to University of Melbourne researcher Dr. Vanessa Pouthier, whining at work is actually good for us.
She studied a team of nurses and health professionals over a year and found that joking and complaining can help build bonds among staff and improve moods as well, when used in a certain way. Pouthier found that when the doctors and nurses she was observing griped as a group, they felt better about the situations and got rid of some of their negative feelings.
“It helps people reduce stress and frustration and you notice palpable changes when team members engage in these activities,” Pouthier explains. “By engaging in those little rituals in their care planning meetings they processed some of that negative energy and left feeling more energized.”
But she warns these venting sessions can turn toxic if you’re not careful. So she advises not griping about anyone in the room and keeping the target of the complaints something that everyone can agree on, like the difficulties the team is facing, and not an individual on the team. Aside from that, keep complaining to keep building those bonds with coworkers