short answer Sunday — 7 short answers to 7 short questions by Alison Green on May 12, 2013 It’s short answer Sunday — seven short answers to seven short questions. Here we go… 1. My manager humiliated me in front of everyone I am in a toxic work environment that I am desperately trying to leave. A large project I work on had a massive cock-up. I am unsure what happened, to be […] Read the full article →
short answer Saturday — six short answers to six short questions by Alison Green on May 11, 2013 It’s short answer Saturday — six short answers to six short questions. Here we go… 1. How long can a reference take? I am supposed to start a new job on the 13th, but they are still waiting for a reference from my old employer. It has been a week so I can’t start my […] Read the full article →
my boss wants to ban skirts, leggings, and v-necks for curvier women — but not for others by Alison Green on May 10, 2013 A reader writes: I’ve read some of your posts about dress codes, but I have a slightly more complicated issue. I supervise student employees at a university (all female, in a closed department), and my boss is essentially asking me to hold certain students to a different dress code than others. Yesterday an employee who […] Read the full article →
company is requiring a reason before time off is granted — and is tracking it in a log by Alison Green on May 10, 2013 A reader writes: I am a manager of a team of employees and some contractors. My upper management has told all managers that every time an employee leaves early, comes in late, or takes time off, they have to tell us the reason. The company gives people 80 hours of paid time off and 40 […] Read the full article →
fast answer Friday — 7 short answers to 7 short questions by Alison Green on May 10, 2013 It’s fast answer Friday — seven short answers to seven short questions. Here we go… 1. I accepted an interview while I was asleep I got a phone call for an interview from a company at 10 a.m. But I was still sleeping at the time, due to coming home at 4 a.m. the same […] Read the full article →
how to help an employee become less long-winded by Alison Green on May 9, 2013 A reader writes: I have an employee who is extremely detailed in every way. This can be great in some cases, but whenever she speaks (in a meeting or just one-on-one) she is extremely long-winded. She will generally say the same thing in three different ways, and then summarize again. Her emails and written projects […] Read the full article →
my carpool driver is often late and talks on his phone while driving by Alison Green on May 9, 2013 A reader writes: I work for a large company with an office out in the suburbs, and I live in the city without a car. So most days I carpool with one of the project managers who lives near me. He’s a nice guy, generally a safe driver, etc., but there are two problems: he […] Read the full article →
terse answer Thursday — 7 short answers to 7 short questions by Alison Green on May 9, 2013 It’s terse answer Thursday — seven short answers to seven short questions. Here we go… 1. Accepting a job at a lower salary with the promise of a raise later A networking contact recently put me in touch with a past coworker of his who is starting up his own firm. I met with the […] Read the full article →
my coworker is taking cell phone photos of us during staff meetings by Alison Green on May 8, 2013 A reader writes: I work at a mid-sized private university. I can’t begin to describe the number of odd characters we have working here, myself probably included in that. The department I work for at the moment is far from professional, unfortunately, but so far I have been able to deal with most of the […] Read the full article →
do I have to contribute money for a baby shower at work? by Alison Green on May 8, 2013 A reader writes: My group director recently emailed the whole department (the department has several groups, and within each group, several teams; I am not this person’s direct report) announcing that another group director was expecting a baby with his partner (who is not an employee of our company). The email proposed a baby shower […] Read the full article →