am I being blacklisted from my field, the silent snacker, and more by Alison Green on December 16, 2016 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Am I being blacklisted from my niche field? I have a degree in a niche field that works in the public sector. I was brought into my last position to make changes to personnel that had been ignored for years — in one case, decades. […] Read the full article →
update: my cousin got in trouble after mentioning her period to her manager by Alison Green on December 15, 2016 Remember the letter-writer whose teenage cousin got in trouble after mentioning her period to her manager? Here’s an update. I know I posted an update in the comments (HR guy turned out to be awesome), but I chatted with my cousin more at Thanksgiving. She was promoted to be a cashier lead to help cover […] Read the full article →
what to do when a new hire isn’t working out by Alison Green on December 15, 2016 If you’ve ever hired someone who was clearly struggling a few months into the job, you probably know that sinking feeling of wondering if you made a hiring mistake. Here’s what to do: First, review the person’s training. Did your new hire get a reasonably organized, thorough introduction to her role and how you do things? […] Read the full article →
I wasn’t invited to the company Christmas party by Alison Green on December 15, 2016 A reader writes: My company is a medium-sized company that has grown through (peaceful) acquisitions, so we have branches and offices in multiple cities and states. They consider the company to be very tight-knit, and I am on friendly terms with everyone up to the CEO/majority owner. The main corporate headquarters is in a city […] Read the full article →
updates: boss wants to talk about her feelings all the time, mother is a destructive force in my professional life, and more by Alison Green on December 15, 2016 Continuing our annual December “where are they now” series, here are four more updates from people who had their questions answered here this year. 1. My boss wants to talk about her feelings all the time Thank you so much for printing my letter. I must say, the first thing it did was give me some […] Read the full article →
can I ask my boss why my coworker quit, mentoring a student with questionable social media judgment, and more by Alison Green on December 15, 2016 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Can I ask my boss why my coworker abruptly quit? I have a question regarding an awkward situation at my work. I am currently working at my first ever office job, and really enjoying it. The work is a good pace for me, and the […] Read the full article →
update: should I tell my employer that I’m bringing a legal concealed weapon to work? by Alison Green on December 14, 2016 Remember the letter-writer way back in 2014 who wondered if she needed to tell her employer that she was bringing a legal concealed weapon to work? Here’s the update. I will fully confess that the answer I wanted from you was “Go ahead and carry, it’s none of your boss’s business” or something along those lines. […] Read the full article →
is it okay to fire someone close to Christmas? by Alison Green on December 14, 2016 A reader writes: I have an employee who has performance issues that are well documented. In fact, he has been slated for termination several times and, in each instance, managed to convince a former manager that he should be allowed to retain his position. However, after making a major mistake which could cost us a […] Read the full article →
tell us your weird office holiday stories by Alison Green on December 14, 2016 It’s the season of forced workplace merriment, inappropriate gifts from coworkers, and holiday party disasters! In the spirit of the season, I want to hear about office holiday-related debacles. Did a game of Secret Santa end in tears? Did a coworker throw a tantrum when she didn’t win a raffle? Did your boss try to give […] Read the full article →
my boss deleted an email from my account, the differences when an employer tries to recruit you for a job, and more by Alison Green on December 14, 2016 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. My boss deleted an email from my account I have been at my job for a year and half, a small company in the interior design industry. Since I started, we have had a very (almost alarmingly) expensive health insurance program that has proved unaffordable […] Read the full article →