Complaining About Others at Work

Abstract

ABSTRACT The article investigates the interactional work required to launch a complaint about nonpresent third parties in discussions between employees and their manager. The study shows how the complaint recipient (the manager) creates opportunities for the complainer (the employee) to complain, and how the recipient and complainer collaboratively facilitate entry into complaining by means of building joint epistemic access and affective stance toward the complainable. Focusing on the institutional context of performance appraisal interviews, the study further indicates that the legitimation of complaining is collaboratively treated as a managerial task. Data are in Finnish and Danish with English translation.