how to announce a demotion to the rest of your team by Alison Green on February 25, 2015 A reader writes: We have a manager who we are replacing due to performance issues. He’s a long-time employee who has a lot of skills that are beneficial to the company, but since his promotion to management a couple of years ago, he has not been managing his department. Rather, he continues to complete incomplete […] Read the full article →
my interviewer made me trudge for blocks in the snow with my luggage so she could get lunch by Alison Green on February 25, 2015 A reader writes: I am hoping you can weigh in something that happened during a job interview. I traveled out of state for an interview and incurred all the costs, like hotel and plane tickets, because the hiring manager told me that she really wanted me in the role and it seemed like a really […] Read the full article →
I’m missing my bus because of my manager, husband’s inappropriate new employee, and more by Alison Green on February 25, 2015 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. I’m missing my bus waiting for my manager at the end of the work day I work every day from 9-5:30 for a small company. At 5:30, we all leave together. The problem is that my boss is never ready at 5:30. She takes her […] Read the full article →
do you know what your staff isn’t getting done? by Alison Green on February 24, 2015 As a manager, you probably know to give your staff members input on how to prioritize everything that’s on their plate and to check in and see how key projects are coming. But there’s one question that most managers don’t think to ask that can reveal crucial information: “What things are you not getting done?” […] Read the full article →
my manager is ignoring my girlfriend’s request not to call her when he’s looking for me by Alison Green on February 24, 2015 A reader writes: After some miscommunication about whether or not I was to work a shift in a snowstorm, my boss called my significant other on the phone in order to find me. She is not listed as an emergency contact, nor did my boss have access to the number anywhere else regarding work. (He […] Read the full article →
should managers organize “fun” at work? by Alison Green on February 24, 2015 A reader writes: My company is going through some difficult financial times, and employees are feeling stressed, burned out, and anxious. Being fairly new to HR, I think that more fun activities (such as cook-offs, cookie decorating for Valentine’s Day, and maybe even a bean bag toss tournament in the summer) should be introduced to […] Read the full article →
my boss wants us to work late for no reason, inviting spouses to team-building events, and more by Alison Green on February 24, 2015 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. My boss wants people to work late for no reason My boss has told my two salaried coworkers on more than one occasion that she wants to see them working late more often (like she does), even while admitting that they get everything done on […] Read the full article →
when is it okay to call in sick? by Alison Green on February 23, 2015 If your office is like most at this time of year, it’s probably full of coughing and sneezing coworkers, or the empty desks of people who are out sick. The question of how to handle sick leave stresses workers out more than it should, so here are answers to some of your most common questions […] Read the full article →
yet another reason to stay far away from resume-writing companies by Alison Green on February 23, 2015 A few weeks ago, I was contacted by someone who told me that she had purchased a professionally written resume and cover letter from a resume-writing company … and then had realized that the cover letter was nearly word-for-word the same as the one from a reader that I posted here last year. That set off […] Read the full article →
my client constantly pesters me and micromanages my every move by Alison Green on February 23, 2015 A reader writes: I work as a contractor for a lice-removal company (I’m a recruiter). My tasks aren’t particularly time-sensitive — think mass mailings, follow-up texts, and phone calls. This is my second job; I work as a secretary for a local university as well. I have two questions about the company I contract with. […] Read the full article →