Let me Complain

about this reported study, which

found that the employees who complained about work were pretty bummed out as a result. In diary entries, they reported feeling crummy and dissatisfied with their work.

The study makes it sound as if the causal variable is how much you complain, and that more complaining leads to more misery. I can think of some alternatives.

1. The causal variable could be something about your job. If you have a bad relationship with your boss, you will have reason to complain and you will be unhappy.

2. The causal variable could be something about you. When I used to hire people, I was convinced that the easiest way to know that Joe will be a malcontent if I hire him is if he is a malcontent in the job that he would leave to come to work for me. In my hiring interview, I would always ask the applicants what they liked and did not like about their most recent job. If they put most of the emphasis on what they disliked, then that was a red flag.

My point here is that the methods of the study leave me doubtful about the inferences that were drawn. Particularly because I am a big believer in (2), that some people are intrinsically less happy than others.

4 thoughts on “Let me Complain

  1. Interesting philosophy. I would be worried I was passing on talented people stuck working in dysfunctional organizations or under bad managers, neither of which are in limited supply, but maybe that’s just me (yes, I have been known to register a complaint or two in my day).

    • Arnold’s just taking the outside view and assuming he’s a bad manager in a dysfunctional org 😉

    • I think most talented people would know that your interview for your next job isn’t the appropriate place to blow off steam about your idiot manager. At least for white collar jobs.

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