Dear Dr. Mimi- Dealing with Employee Complaints

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Dear Dr. Mimi:
What do I do about an employee who complains about other people? He is a hard worker, gets his work done on time and does it well … and finds time to come into my office to complain. He thinks he is being helpful. He even said that he is my extra set of “eyes and ears.” Sometimes he has a point, but often he is just complaining. As his manager, I want to show that I care, but it is wearing me down!
—Not Blind nor Deaf

Dear Not:
Remind your worker that while you appreciate all that he does, you have your own set of eyes and ears. Remind him that people work in different ways, and what works for him may not work for others in the same way. You might also want to ask him to put his thoughts in writing and/or give him more work to do, as he obviously has time on his hands.
—Dr. Mimi

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