update: should I care about my employer when figuring out when to have a baby? by Alison Green on August 5, 2016 Remember the letter-writer last year who was wondering whether she was over-thinking how the timing of her future pregnancy might impact her employer? Here’s the update. I was indeed over-thinking it, and I was being way too accommodating to my employer in my planning. In hindsight, my question really came down to two issues: first, […] Read the full article →
our intern told us our ideas were boring and stupid by Alison Green on August 5, 2016 A reader writes: Recently, my company designated a week for working on any project we want, even if it isn’t necessarily a part of our normal role and with people who we don’t necessarily work with. Some folks and I decided to use this opportunity to organize a series of small morale events for the […] Read the full article →
open thread – August 5-6, 2016 by Alison Green on August 5, 2016 It’s the Friday open thread! The comment section on this post is open for discussion with other readers on anything work-related that you want to talk about. If you want an answer from me, emailing me is still your best bet*, but this is a chance to talk to other readers. * If you submitted […] Read the full article →
I offended people at a staff meeting by saying my staff works the hardest, recruiter told me to wear jeans to an interview, and more by Alison Green on August 5, 2016 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. I offended people at a staff meeting by saying my staff works the hardest At a recent staff meeting, I said in a light way, “My staff are the hardest working staff here!” Of course, the other managers could have immediately said the same thing […] Read the full article →
hiring manager seemed annoyed that I called for more information by Alison Green on August 4, 2016 A reader writes: I recently found a position that I was interested in applying to on a very trade-specific website. The position is for a very large company that is headquartered on the East Coast, but the position is on the West Coast, where I live. The job ad didn’t list much information other than […] Read the full article →
who you sit next to can impact your performance, what happens when you give up multi-tasking for a week, and more by Alison Green on August 4, 2016 Over at QuickBase’s Fast Track blog today, I take a look at several interesting work-related stories in the news right now, including how the person you sit next to at work can impact your performance, what happens when you give up multi-tasking for a week, and more. You can read it here. Read the full article →
ask the readers: our volunteer group wants to get rid of a problem member by Alison Green on August 4, 2016 I’m throwing this one out to readers to weigh in on. Here’s the letter: I have a question about a situation I’ve got. It’s not actually in my workplace; rather, it involves an online community of which I am an administrator. The community isn’t incredibly large, it just has over 800 members, but despite that […] Read the full article →
should I move into my boss’s spare bedroom, I told a coworker I was disgusted with her, and more by Alison Green on August 4, 2016 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Should I temporarily live in my boss’s spare bedroom? I’m in a bit of a housing bind, and dealing with some pretty serious anxiety to boot. I mentioned my anxiety issues to my boss to explain any lapses she may be seeing in my performance […] Read the full article →
how can I get my staff to sign up to work after-hours events? by Alison Green on August 3, 2016 A reader writes: I’m a department manager for a small public entity that specializes in education and recreation. We have a small staff (less than 20, and most are part-time). My department coordinates our outreach efforts. This often involves having a presence at local community events that typically fall on weekends or evenings. Weekend/evening hours […] Read the full article →
how fast is too fast to reject a job candidate? by Alison Green on August 3, 2016 A reader writes: Sometimes we screen a job candidate and know pretty much immediately that the person won’t be a good fit. But I feel like it might be discouraging to be on the other end of such a situation (to interview and be declined the same day). Right now, I’ve been waiting a day […] Read the full article →