中英双语新闻——217 How to deal with whiners

 　　There are always some people exuding¹ negativity in the workplace. For them, the temperature is never right, the boss is always a jerk, the canteen food is lousy, and they are always treated unfairly.

 

　　职场中，总有些人会怨声载道。对他们而言，办公室里不是太冷就是太热，老板难伺候，食堂伙食太糟糕，总是境遇不公。

 

　　Career experts say such chronic² complainers are highly contagious³ and that their attitude can easily affect an entire team in a company.

 

　　职业专家说，这种习惯性抱怨会在人与人之间传染，抱怨者的负面态度很容易就会影响到公司整个团队。

 

　　“While some complaints might be reasonable, others are taken from thin air. You need to discern between these different types and adopt the right tactic⁴ towards each,” said Li Ling, HR manager at Walmart (China) Investment Co Ltd.

 

　　“有些抱怨或许恰当合理，而有些则是空穴来风。你需要分辨这些不同类型的抱怨，并采取正确的策略应对。”沃尔玛（中国）投资有限公司人力资源经理李玲（音译）说道。

 

　　It’s especially hard to deal with complaints at work because you can’t just walk away or dismiss your colleagues’ grumbling⁵. If you do, it will hurt your co-workers’ self-esteem and you might be isolated⁶. In a team-based company you belong to a group and need to behave accordingly.

 

　　这些抱怨在你工作时尤其令人难以招架，因为你不可能充耳不闻或让同事噤声，否则，你会伤害同事的自尊，很可能会被孤立。在以团队为基础的公司中，作为小组成员之一，你需要“见机行事”。

 

　　But don’t show too much sympathy. Listening passively to others’ complaints could damage your image and give others the impression that you agree with them.

 

　　但不要表现出太多的同情。总是被动地听取他人的抱怨可能会损害个人形象，也给别人留下一种你也有同感的假象。

 

　　Whining⁷ can negatively impact on work productivity and even your health. This is similar everywhere. The Wall Street Journal reported in September that 18 percent of US employees complain about their colleagues, according to a Gallup poll of 31,265 employees.

 

　　满腹牢骚会对工作效率甚至是身体健康造成负面影响，普天之下皆相似。《华尔街日报》九月份的一篇报道称，在一项由31265名职员参与的盖洛普民意测验中显示，有18%的美国人对自己的同事抱怨连连。

 

　　The research shows that “work groups with a high rate of negativity tend to have lower productivity and higher rates of absenteeism and quality defects”.

 

　　该调查显示，若是工作群体消极情绪比例很高，往往会导致工作效率偏低，缺勤率偏高，质量缺陷较多。

 

　　“Listen to the whiners actively⁸,” says HR Li. “Help them find a solution, or see if there are ways to improve the situation.”

 

　　身为人力资源经理的李玲（音译）说：“积极应对抱怨者，帮他们找到解决之道，或考虑一下是否有改善现状的方案。”

 

　　Zhai Min, 24, a software engineer at Kingdee International Software Group in Shenzhen, found that three elderly workers liked to complain about everything, from prolonged working hours to cheap hotels on business trips.

 

　　24岁的翟敏（音译）现为深圳金蝶国际软件集团有限公司的一名软件工程师。她发现，公司里有三名老员工总是抱怨连连，从工时延长到出差住的经济型酒店。

 

　　“I let them talk about their opinions,” she said. “They feel better when they can tell someone how they want things to be.”

 

　　她说：“我让他们说出自己的看法，当终于可以对别人直抒己见时，他们感觉好多了。”

 

　　But listening actively is far from enough. Wang Dianxue, 27, is an Internet engineer at Beijing Push Marcom Group.

 

　　但光是积极倾听是远远不够的。27岁王殿学（音译）是来自北京普纳营销传播机构的一名网络工程师。

 

　　His peers always complain that their computer systems are not working properly. “I ask about the specifics and work together with them to fix everything technically,” he said.

 

　　同事们总抱怨他们的计算机系统运行不畅。“我会询问详细情况，并和他们一起努力，解决一切技术上的问题。”他说道。

 

　　HR managers believe that when staff complain, it is more a matter of perception than an actual problem.

 

　　人力资源经理们相信，当员工抱怨时，与其说存在实际状况，不如说其实只是一种认知问题。

 

　　“The real problem is that the whiners don’t feel they are being taken seriously,” said Xu Jun, HR manager at Guangqi Honda Automobile⁹ Co Ltd. “When you attentively¹⁰ give them advice or ideas, the problem usually disappears.”

 

　　广汽本田汽车有限公司人事经理徐君说：“真正的问题在于，抱怨者觉得自己没有受到重视。若你热情周到地给他们提些建议和想法，问题通常会迎刃而解。”

 

　　But it’s important to know your limits when advising co-workers.

 

　　当然重要的是，给同事提意见时，你要清楚自己的底线。

 

　　“Your role is not to provide comprehensive career advice or long-term recommendations,” said Xu. “Instead, you just point out a positive direction for others to follow.”

 

　　徐君说：“你不要提供泛泛的职场上的建议或是长期的解决方案，相反，你所要做的就是指出一个他们可以追寻的积极的方向。”

 

　　For some, complaining can be a lifelong habit. “Long-term complaining saps your energy and positive outlook,” said Hou Zhendong, HR manager at General Electric. “If you disagree with your colleagues’ whining, try to tactfully move on to more positive subjects.”

 

　　对有些人而言，抱怨可能成为一种终身习惯。来自通用电器公司的人力资源经理侯振东（音译）说：“长期抱怨会使削弱你的能量与乐观情绪。如果你并不赞同同事的抱怨，就试着巧妙地向更积极的话题转移。”

1 exuding   

v.缓慢流出，渗出，分泌出( exude的现在分词 )；流露出对（某物）的神态或感情

参考例句：

• Water-soaked exuding spots occur in the bark near the growing shoot tips. 靠近生长着的稍皮内有水浸出点，使该处膨大。 来自辞典例句
• Leaders get into everyone's skin, exuding positive energy and optimism. 深入到员工们中间，向他们传递积极的活力和乐观精神。 来自互联网

2 chronic   

adj.(疾病)长期未愈的，慢性的；极坏的

参考例句：

• Famine differs from chronic malnutrition.饥荒不同于慢性营养不良。
• Chronic poisoning may lead to death from inanition.慢性中毒也可能由虚弱导致死亡。

3 contagious   

adj.传染性的，有感染力的

参考例句：

• It's a highly contagious infection.这种病极易传染。
• He's got a contagious laugh.他的笑富有感染力。

4 tactic   

n.战略，策略；adj.战术的，有策略的

参考例句：

• Reducing prices is a common sales tactic.降价是常用的销售策略。
• She had often used the tactic of threatening to resign.她惯用以辞职相威胁的手法。

5 grumbling   

adj. 喃喃鸣不平的, 出怨言的

参考例句：

• She's always grumbling to me about how badly she's treated at work. 她总是向我抱怨她在工作中如何受亏待。
• We didn't hear any grumbling about the food. 我们没听到过对食物的抱怨。

6 isolated   

adj.与世隔绝的

参考例句：

• His bad behaviour was just an isolated incident. 他的不良行为只是个别事件。
• Patients with the disease should be isolated. 这种病的患者应予以隔离。

7 whining   

n. 抱怨，牢骚 v. 哭诉，发牢骚

参考例句：

• That's the way with you whining, puny, pitiful players. 你们这种又爱哭、又软弱、又可怜的赌棍就是这样。
• The dog sat outside the door whining (to be let in). 那条狗坐在门外狺狺叫着（要进来）。

8 actively   

adv.积极地，勤奋地

参考例句：

• During this period all the students were actively participating.在这节课中所有的学生都积极参加。
• We are actively intervening to settle a quarrel.我们正在积极调解争执。

9 automobile   

n.汽车，机动车

参考例句：

• He is repairing the brake lever of an automobile.他正在修理汽车的刹车杆。
• The automobile slowed down to go around the curves in the road.汽车在路上转弯时放慢了速度。

10 attentively   

adv.聚精会神地；周到地；谛；凝神

参考例句：

• She listened attentively while I poured out my problems. 我倾吐心中的烦恼时，她一直在注意听。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She listened attentively and set down every word he said. 她专心听着，把他说的话一字不漏地记下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》