our Gen Z employees want to be coddled and are struggling with the realities of work by Alison Green on April 16, 2025 A reader writes: As a millennial (I’m 40) who spent years being mocked and maligned for enjoying avocado toast, I’m averse to generational generalizations. That said, I’m a manager in a large finance company struggling with how to motivate and manage our youngest employees. Our company is typical for finance; buttoned up, long-ish hours, high […] Read the full article →
I have to give an employee feedback, but I’m not allowed to share specific examples by Alison Green on April 14, 2025 A reader writes: I have a new employee (Joe) who joined us three months ago in a manager role that needs to collaborate with and support other team’s workflows. His 90-day review is scheduled to be held in a couple of weeks. I have received feedback from my manager that Joe has been stepping on […] Read the full article →
I manage a terrible slob — how can I convince her upset coworker that I’m handling it? by Alison Green on April 9, 2025 A reader writes: I supervise a team of seven, split between two offices. Sally is an employee in her early 20s working in the opposite office as myself. Sally is a slob. This is not typical workplace clutter. She leaves work and personal items all over the office — moldy food containers, piles of work […] Read the full article →
employee won’t report his hours correctly by Alison Green on April 8, 2025 A reader writes: At my small company, employees have a small number of set hours each week but can set their own schedule to be as full or as empty as they’d like by scheduling sessions directly with the clients they are connected with. We give them a calendar where they input their hours worked, […] Read the full article →
I saw my employee’s X-rated chat by Alison Green on April 2, 2025 A reader writes: Today, during a screensharing session with my new employee, Barb, I saw something inappropriate on her screen and did not speak up. I was so dumbfounded that I just quickly wrapped up our call. I’m almost sure I saw her chat session with a coworker with explicit reference to private body parts. […] Read the full article →
my employee wants us to stop ordering “unhealthy snacks” by Alison Green on March 26, 2025 A reader writes: I work in a small workplace, we’re about 40 employees. When I started at the company about five years ago, I started ordering granola bars and some treats. Then I started adding on some fizzy drinks and then progressed to some other snacks, like nuts, fruits, and cookies. None of this is […] Read the full article →
when an employee doesn’t want to make a formal complaint, can I act anyway? by Alison Green on March 24, 2025 A reader writes: I’ve got an employee who had a weird encounter with another employee. It wasn’t harassment but it’s made her feel uncomfortable whenever he’s around. She doesn’t want to make a complaint though. Is there anything we can do if there’s no complaint made? I answer this question — and three others — […] Read the full article →
I’m a manager without enough work to do because my team handles everything by Alison Green on March 20, 2025 A reader writes: I work at a fairly large international company with several offices and remote workers all over the country. I manage a team of three graphic designers. My position and team are all new; previously all design work was outsourced. I was hired to put together a team and bring design in-house. I […] Read the full article →
is it bad for managers to sound frustrated? by Alison Green on March 19, 2025 A reader writes: I’m wondering whether a good boss should ever show impatience. One of my employees, Jane, does a good job. I’ve given her a lot of (well-deserved) praise in public and private, and she’s said she’s happy in her work. However, she made a serious error the other day and when I brought […] Read the full article →
should managers stay out of private Slack channels? by Alison Green on March 17, 2025 A reader writes: I’m the head of HR for my small(ish) international company. I’m a mixed-race woman and a mom. We have a variety of private Slack channels, including channels for parents, women, people of color, etc. Our people of color channel is a relatively new addition started by an employee who wanted a safe […] Read the full article →