updates from letter-writers (the anxiety, the trash-talking recruiter, the unreliable contractor, and the shared desk) by Alison Green on August 24, 2017 Here are updates from four letter-writers whose questions were answered here recently. 1. My anxiety caused a work problem (#2 at the link) I just wanted to thank you for responding in such a non-judgmental way. I wanted to send in an update for what happened. The coworker was not a friend outside of work but […] Read the full article →
how many hours are you expected to work? by Alison Green on August 24, 2017 A reader writes: I’m asking this question semi for my husband, but more as a general inquiry. I’m curious about how many hours salaried employees are reasonably expected to work, and when those hours are. (I’ve always been an hourly employee.) My husband, “Cory,” is salaried and works for a manufacturing company. He has fairly […] Read the full article →
working with an over-complimenter, former employee is angry we didn’t acknowledge a death in his family, and more by Alison Green on August 24, 2017 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Working with an over-complimenter We have this new coworker. She has a really nice demeanor, so when she gave me a couple of compliments, like clothes and makeup, it didn’t seem like a big deal. Now that a few months have passed, I can honestly […] Read the full article →
coworkers keep commenting on how quiet I am by Alison Green on August 23, 2017 A reader writes: I have always been a quiet person, especially when I’m new in an environment and trying to learn about the culture before diving in headfirst. I know when I don’t know things and would much rather listen to those smarter than me and bury myself in my own work so I can […] Read the full article →
my coworker keeps cc’ing our manager when she emails me by Alison Green on August 23, 2017 A reader writes: I’m a supervisor with not much experience and still learning. I do make mistakes, but I’m pretty good at taking responsibility and rectifying my mistakes. There is a customer service supervisor who constantly cc’s my department director if she disagrees with the answers I give to the customer service reps. Instead of […] Read the full article →
my employee apologizes for mistakes she didn’t make by Alison Green on August 23, 2017 A reader writes: I’m a new executive director. My assistant has been the executive assistant to my four predecessors and has been in the job for 15 years. She is young, in her 30’s but started in college, working part time with the first executive director’s permission and just stayed after the graduated because she […] Read the full article →
my office posted “no complaining” posters, dinner with my boss cost me $500, and more by Alison Green on August 23, 2017 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. My office posted “no complaining” posters My workplace recently put up these posters around the office in an attempt to… Well, I guess their hope is to improve morale in the long run. I find it condescending, but I’m not sure if that’s fair or […] Read the full article →
I ghosted my ex, and she’s about to be my new boss by Alison Green on August 22, 2017 A reader writes: I was hoping you would be able to help me with a conundrum I got myself into. I have been an expat since graduating and have been moving a lot. More than a decade ago, when I was still young, I was in a relationship with a woman, Sylvia, in a country […] Read the full article →
I have to share a hotel room with a coworker who screams in her sleep by Alison Green on August 22, 2017 A reader writes: I work for a nonprofit. Whenever there is travel, coworkers double up two to a room. The first time I shared a room with a coworker, she first talked in her sleep and then bolted upright in the middle of the night screaming, crying, and trashing. She was shouting about things like […] Read the full article →
how to reject a really bad internal applicant by Alison Green on August 22, 2017 A reader writes: I am in a fantastic position: I got promoted in May and get to build my own team from within the department. I’ve had interim team members up to this point, but people have now applied for two permanent positions. I have three applicants for these positions. Here’s the problem: our job […] Read the full article →