My boss is wrong in a work situation but I can’t quit – what can I do?

A furious boss shouting at his team in a meeting in office while employees listen. — Employees wonder what they can do when their boss is in the wrong and when their colleague is a serial complainers.
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A co-worker quit suddenly after a big fight at work in which we all thought that the boss was very much in the wrong. Unfortunately none of us can afford to quit in solidarity, and now there’s a really awkward atmosphere. Should we say something? Or put it behind us and give him another chance?

As gratifying is it might feel to walk out en masse, saying take this job and shove it, you can’t pay the rent and buy groceries with principle. You also may not know the full story.

If the situation is awkward and bothering you, there’s nothing wrong with the person most senior or closest to the boss to talk to him or her privately. Explain how the incident went down with the staff, the impact it is having and see if it’s worth addressing in some way, without revealing confidential information. Team dynamics and morale are important, so the boss should want to clear the air in some way. I’d see how that goes and let some time pass to see if the awkwardness dissipates.

Tired bothered businesswoman — Chronic complainers in a professional setting can have a negative affect on colleagues. Getty Images/iStockphoto

My colleague is excellent at her job but all she does all day is complain — about her workload, the other workers in the company, management, her pay — the lot. Should I say something to her? Or to the boss? It’s getting me down.

Almost every office has a “Debbie downer.”

People who lead with negativity and see the glass as half empty are entitled to their views, but sometimes consistently high negativity is a symptom of a broader mental health issue — if that’s the case, hopefully they are receiving treatment.

You can’t control any of that, nor should you try. All you can do is establish boundaries for how you want to interact. Before running to the boss, try to have a nice conversation with this individual.

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Don’t diagnose, but state factually that they frequently adopt a negative attitude which is is affecting you in a negative way. If it doesn’t improve, go to the boss and explain that you tried to deal with this directly to no avail, and how it’s affecting you.

Gregory Giangrande has over 25 years of experience as a chief human resources executive. Hear Greg Wed. at 9:35 a.m. on iHeartRadio 710 WOR with Len Berman and Michael Riedel. Email: GoToGreg@NYPost.com.

Follow: GoToGreg.com and on Twitter: @GregGiangrande