The Wellness Perspective — Employees Who Hate Their Job but Won’t Leave

I hear about them very often — the employee who constantly complains about their job, speaks negatively about management, or even spreads gossips and made-up stories within the team. 

Yet, despite all of this, they stay. Even when you know that they have been offered another job (because they told everyone), they’re still here.

They talk about quitting, they apply for other jobs, but never take action. They disengage, gossip, resist change, withhold information, and you keep wondering why are they still here if they’re so unhappy?

Some of the things you might have observed are:

🔴 Employees talking daily about their dissatisfaction or frustration with their work.

🔴 Negative comments and gossips spreading through the team, lowering morale.

🔴 Low performance and engagement - they don’t perform well, they don’t participate in team catch ups, but they still won’t move on

While these behaviours can be really frustrating, they often stem from deeper reasons.

On the surface, it might seem like these employees are unprofessional, ill-intentioned, or resistant to growth.

However, there are often deeper issues contributing to their behaviour:

🌿 Fear of uncertainty – Financial security, job stability, and the unknown can feel more terrifying than unhappiness. Many would rather stay in discomfort than face change.

🌿 Identity and self-worth – People often link their value to their job title or employer. Leaving can feel like losing a part of themselves.

🌿 Lack of direction or confidence – When someone doesn’t know what they want or believes they have no other options, they stay stuck and resentful. They wait for things to change instead of taking the lead.

All of these deeper reasons can trigger toxic attitudes, resistance, and low energy in the workplace. Over time, this behaviour impacts culture, trust, and team performance, not because people are “bad,” but because they feel powerless.

Coaching addresses the root cause, not just the surface frustration.

Through coaching, individuals can explore what’s really driving their unhappiness and gain clarity on what they do want. It helps shift them from a place of victimhood to one of ownership and possibility.

Here’s how we do it:

🎯 Build awareness – Helping employees recognise their beliefs, fears, and patterns that keep them stuck and unhappy.

🎯 Reframe their mindset – Moving from “I’m trapped” to “I have choices.”

🎯 Empower action – Supporting them to set meaningful goals, to build better communication skills, to make positive changes to their mindset and lifestyle, to essentially re-engage with their current role in a healthier way.

When employees gain that clarity and confidence, they either re-engage with renewed motivation or move on with respect and integrity.

For organisations, this means less tension, healthier communication, and a more aligned workforce. And for the individual, it means rediscovering a sense of control, purpose, and wellbeing.

As a starting point, organisations can:

1️⃣ Set a clear boundary and invite accountability.

Have a documented conversation about the behaviour, its impact on the team, and the expectations moving forward. 

2️⃣ Have an open, non-judgmental conversation about future goals with this employee.

Explore what they really want, in work and life, if possible. See if you can support any of it.

3️⃣ Offer a path forward — with support.

Provide access to confidential coaching or a wellbeing-focused development program. 

Have you noticed employees who are clearly unhappy, but can’t seem to take the next step?

Coaching can bridge the gap between the surface problem and its root cause, unlocking awareness, accountability, and positive change.

✨ Let us know how we can support you and your team through our education and coaching programs.

👉 Learn more about how Cairns Coaching can support your workplace with The Wellness Blueprint Program, personal coaching packages and speaking.