I think my on-call coworker was high when I contacted him by Alison Green on August 31, 2016 A reader writes: I’ve got a bit of a very modern doozy here. I work in a position where I regularly call on-call personnel after hours to investigate technical issues, often states away. I had to call our on-call person and, well, I’ll be honest here, I’m pretty sure he was high: he was laughing […] Read the full article →
when employees complain about favoritism by Alison Green on August 31, 2016 A reader writes: We’re in tourism/hospitality and gearing up for our busy season. Before we get there, I’d like to have a meeting with all the direct reports to go over policy issues, answer questions, and blow off a little steam. We have three people on staff who were all hired at the same time […] Read the full article →
I said “EEOC” and things got weird by Alison Green on August 31, 2016 A reader writes: I received a dinner invitation from my “big boss,” Niles. The invitation list included my supervisor, a colleague (who is junior to me in both experience and title), and that colleague’s supervisor, who I’d never met before. The colleague, Fergus, while in the same department, supports a different line of business and […] Read the full article →
my boss helped my girlfriend’s mom ambush her at our house, what does “polished” mean in job postings, and more by Alison Green on August 31, 2016 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. What does “polished” mean in job postings? I’m office temping and looking for a full-time job. I was at first focusing on nonprofits, but after some great experiences temping in the corporate world, I’m expanding my search. Every now and then I see in a […] Read the full article →
what’s the minimum amount of time I have to stay in a job that’s making me miserable? by Alison Green on August 30, 2016 A reader writes: I’ve been at my new job as an executive assistant and I’m already feeling very miserable. I made the mistake of taking a job that’s heavier on the administrative side and it’s just not the right fit for me. I was desperate because I’ve been job searching for nine months while relying […] Read the full article →
my junior employee’s expectations are out of whack by Alison Green on August 30, 2016 A reader writes: I have a relatively new staff member who is in his first professional job after grad school. He’s a great employee and is always eager to take on more, but I’m starting to see a problem that I need some help with — he’s getting dissatisfied because there isn’t always more for […] Read the full article →
I’m being compelled to testify at a coworker’s divorce hearing by Alison Green on August 30, 2016 A reader writes: I work as a receptionist in a very small office. A few months ago, I started getting belligerent and uncomfortable phone calls from a coworker’s wife where she would yell and curse at me, culminating in her threatening to send the police over if her husband didn’t answer the phone (he wasn’t […] Read the full article →
should we fire an intern for extending her vacation without permission, coworker makes rude remarks about my quietness, and more by Alison Green on August 30, 2016 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Should we fire an intern for extending her vacation without permission? I’m a mid-level manager at a medium-sized startup. We recently hired a very young intern who just graduated from college. She took a three-day trip to New York, and had asked for the time […] Read the full article →
company wants to have tea with my family as part of an international interview by Alison Green on August 29, 2016 A reader writes: I’m going on a final interview in another country next week, and they’re flying out my whole family so we can decide together if we want to expatriate. They’ve been very accommodating and have been wooing me, which I appreciate. My problem is this: we’re taking a red-eye, overnight, from the west […] Read the full article →
6 things you should unlearn to succeed at work by Alison Green on August 29, 2016 Life has a way of instilling lessons in us that don’t always apply in every context. That’s especially true when it comes to work: You may have habits or ways of thinking that served you well in school or beyond, but which will actually hold you back in your professional life. Here are six of […] Read the full article →