Things Miserable People Do At Work That Ruin Everybody Else’s Day
Samira Vishwas October 05, 2025 04:24 PM

Work isn’t necessarily anyone’s favorite place, but it’s where you spend an awful lot of time. It would be nice to have the best experience possible there. Unfortunately, among the people just trying to do their jobs and contribute to society are some workers who feel absolutely miserable and are determined to make everyone else feel that way, too.

Professor Emerita Susan Krauss Whitbourne, Ph.D., explained this phenomenon of “[trying] to bring others down to advance your own interests.” She asked, “Thinking about the astonishing abilities of your lauded friend, do you really want to try to seem more talented yourself by pointing out their flaws?” 

Although it may not make sense to you and me, some people follow this pattern of thinking. In a video, blogger Taty Domini discussed why some miserable people do everything they can to ruin everybody else’s day at work.

Here are 6 things miserable people do at work that ruin everybody else’s day:

1. They’re rude and have horrible manners

fizkes | Shutterstock

As unsettling as it may be, some people are just not nice. Maybe their parents didn’t raise them to have impeccable manners, or maybe they’re just so miserable that they can’t muster up any kindness. Whatever the reason is, they’re simply rude to everyone. It can be terribly draining to be around someone like this. We are just naturally drawn to nice people, and someone who’s rude is bound to bring down everyone around them.

A study from the University of Central Florida found that 70% of employees have encountered someone rude at work — certainly an overwhelming majority. Dealing with this behavior is “a delicate balance,” said Forbes contributor Dr. Cheryl Robinson. “Few workplace challenges are as emotionally draining as dealing with rude colleagues,” she stated. “Handling these situations requires more than brushing them off. If ignored, persistent rudeness affects productivity and, in some cases, can even lead to someone being fired, whether directly or as a result of escalating conflict.”

Domini’s personal advice when it came to this kind of situation was to simply ignore the behavior and act like it doesn’t bother you. Or, as she said, “pay them dust.” Unfortunately, that doesn’t always work, and sometimes you have to intervene to ensure the problem doesn’t get even worse.

: 6 Ways To Put A Rude Person Back In Their Place Without Picking A Fight

2. They act like they know everything

man who acts like he knows everything at work MDV Edwards | Shutterstock

No one likes a know-it-all, which makes it interesting to consider just how many people choose to act that way. Really, is there anything worse than someone who smugly works to convince others they’re the smartest in the room? There’s nothing wrong with being smart, but advertising it like you’re getting paid is never a good look.

Unfortunately, most companies are set up in a way that actually benefits these people. Writing for TED (the same as TED Talks), Amy Gallo said, “One reason know-it-alls exist in so many workplaces is that many organizations reward people who act as if they have all the answers … In many cultures, decision-making is a competitive sport, rather than a collaborative effort, so acting like you know everything is a shrewd survival technique.” This can easily get out of hand and just make everyone feel awful, though.

3. They’re never positive

woman who is never positive at work Nataliya Vaitkevich | Pexels

People who have negative energy are a major drain on anyone around them, and there’s no worse place to experience this than at work, where you’re trying to stay on top of everything and be as upbeat as possible while completing tasks. But that’s just the way miserable people are. They rarely, if ever, exhibit any positivity. Everything is a challenge for them, and they want everyone else to know it.

Career consultant Lea McLeod has experienced this firsthand. Writing about her experience, she said, “Now, I’m sure there’s some deep and weighty scientific reason why negative people are such energy sucks. But all I know is, they just are. And when you’re surrounded by them, it’s certainly a challenge, as both a manager and a colleague. That said, you can’t control other people; the only thing you can control is the way you choose to respond to them.” You can’t snap your fingers and make a negative person suddenly positive, but you can try to deal with them in a positive way.

: If You Feel Miserable In Life, These 2 Habits Are Probably The Main Reasons

4. They try to get others fired

woman who was just fired Miljan Zivkovic | Shutterstock

Perhaps one of the worst workplace offenses that miserable people commit is attempting to get colleagues fired. This is absolutely unacceptable. Unless a serious issue comes up, a co-worker’s opinion shouldn’t factor into a manager’s decision about someone’s future at a company. But if you’re not on that miserable person’s side and doing their bidding, then they’ll see you as a liability that they want to eliminate.

In another YourTango article, writer NyRee Ausler noted, “There is nothing worse [than] ending up in an ongoing conflict with a co-worker, especially if they would do anything to see you gone. This negativity can create a stressful environment where you can’t do your best work, which could have a negative impact on your career and your bottom line.” Depending on how much sway that colleague holds, they could really do some damage to your career, all because they’re miserable themselves.

5. They ostracize anyone who stands up to them

man ostracizing someone who stood up to him MDV Edwards | Shutterstock

Based on all of this information, it would seem like someone has got to stand up to these kinds of workplace bullies who take their misery out on everybody else. There’s a good chance that could backfire, though. Miserable people tend to form a little band of followers who go along with whatever they want to do, who can make things pretty bad for you if you’re the one to stand up to them. Domini said the miserable person will turn their co-worker into “public enemy number one” in this situation.

The Workplace Bullying Institute reported that bullying is four times more common than harassment at work, per workplace writer Erin Strybis. This is especially problematic for women. “Too often women ignore or dismiss belittling behavior in the office,” she said. “As women, we are conditioned to be nice, to not make waves, to submit to authority. However, the tide is turning. We can speak out to stop bullying, too.”

Being picked on and singled out sounds like something that would have happened on the elementary school playground, not by a co-worker at the office. However, toxic workplaces featuring resident bullies are all too common. Whatever gender you are, you have to do your best to stand up for yourself and your rights so the behavior doesn’t continue.

6. They try to control other people

woman trying to control other people at work by yelling at them voronaman | Shutterstock

The ultimate goal of a miserable person at work is to have control over their co-workers. These are all ways they’ll attempt to do that. By making someone feel attacked, hurt, and alone, they’ll make it harder for them to seek help from higher-ups and make them feel like they have no choice but to submit to the horrible behavior. This is not true at all, though. The best thing you can do to fight back, according to Domini, is to just do your job, go home, and enjoy your life.

“Giving in to controlling behavior may convey that you’re okay with the person’s behavior, essentially enabling it,” said PsychCentral writer Sarah Barkley. “Going along with the control can unintentionally encourage the behavior. Resisting it can help you maintain your independence and values.” It is never okay to let someone else control you, even if it seems like the path of least resistance. You can fight back against miserable people at work and win, even if it’s just with a smile.

: 6 Behaviors Controlling People Use To Assert Power Without Losing Your Trust

Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer with a bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism who covers news, psychology, lifestyle, and human interest topics.

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