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They are the perpetually grumpy co-worker, the negative person who never has anything nice to say.  In theory, it’s very easy to tell someone to just ignore the office grump, but in reality, being around someone with a bad attitude wears you down.

While you don't need to be best friends with everyone at work, being around negativity is no fun. While there's no chance of changing the person, you can improve the situation. 

One approach is to try and find some common ground. There has to be something that you can both relate to – are you both lifelong fans of The Simpsons? Do you both have children about to fly the nest? Do you share the same love of books or travel? The point is to find something that gets the person talking, so that they feel like you're on the same side. It might not cure their perpetual grouchiness, but at least you might not be targeted by it.

Many people feel uncomfortable in direct confrontations, and you do want to be careful when asking if anything is wrong. It could open a floodgate of anger, or provide them with the opportunity to complain about you. If you want to try this method, try asking them if they have any concerns about something in particular, rather than just life in general. For example, if they seem really grumpy when asked to do a certain task, use this opportunity to ask them what bothers them about that particular task. This way, when you focus on something concrete, rather than making a complaint about their general grumpiness, you have a direct issue that can be worked on, rather than just picking on their personality.

If all else fails, don’t take it to heart. There is a high chance that if you find this co-worker difficult to work around, so do others. Some people are just cranky, and it doesn’t matter what you do. Just try not to let it get to you. It’s also important to remember that if this person is taking out their bad mood through bullying and harassment, most employers have anti-harassment and respectful workplace policies. Consult your human resources department on what your next steps should be, because grump or not, no one should put up with bullying or harassment in any circumstances.