someone spends an hour a day putting on makeup in our shared bathroom by Alison Green on June 5, 2018 A reader writes: Hi! I work in an office building on a floor that has three different offices on it. The bathrooms in our building are not very big (four stalls, three sinks, and roughly 80 women on our floor). I have IBS. I’m on a medication to keep me regular, but every so often […] Read the full article →
my coworker’s kid disrupts our office every day by Alison Green on June 5, 2018 A reader writes: I started a new job a few months ago. Everything is great and I like my coworkers, except for one thing: one of my coworkers brings her daughter to work every day and it’s driving me crazy. Shortly after I started, we moved to a new office, going from individual office spaces […] Read the full article →
why do managers say they want feedback and then get annoyed when they get it? by Alison Green on June 5, 2018 A reader writes: I have a question for you about feedback — specifically, feedback that you’ve been asked to give. I’ve repeatedly been asked for feedback from managers, both at work and at the organization where I volunteer, and then it seems like the same thing always happens: the feedback vanishes into a black hole, […] Read the full article →
coworker is secretly taking photos of dress code violations, manager misses early-morning meetings, and more by Alison Green on June 5, 2018 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. My coworker is secretly taking photos of dress code violations Today at work I spotted a senior colleague taking covert photos of young female staff members in the workplace cafeteria. Her pictures were taken from the back, waist down, and I believe she’s taking them […] Read the full article →
update: my boss wants to give me his kidney — but I don’t want it by Alison Green on June 4, 2018 Remember the letter-writer whose boss was pressuring her to take his kidney for the kidney transplant she needs? Here’s the update. It’s only been a few days since I wrote in, but I wanted to update everyone with a (likely) resolution. My younger sister turned 18 a few months ago and was tested to donate. She’s […] Read the full article →
office kitchen wars, finding a good internship, and more by Alison Green on June 4, 2018 I recorded a piece for the BBC about office kitchen wars — why office kitchens are always so filthy, and the scourge of people stealing their coworkers’ food. It’s three minutes long and you can listen here. Also, I was on Marketplace this weekend, talking about summer internships, including what to do if you have an absentee manager […] Read the full article →
my coworker follows up on projects way too much by Alison Green on June 4, 2018 A reader writes: My team develops advertising, and we have deliverables due to other teams before each advertising change-out occurs. We have a very strict, ever-changing schedule of promotions, so the hand-off dates of our deliverables are very important to adhere to. One of my peers who receives our hand-offs is a VERY excessive communicator. […] Read the full article →
having a coworker walk my dog, interviewer asked what I’ve handled poorly in my personal life, and more by Alison Green on June 4, 2018 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Was I wrong to hire a student to walk my dog for me? I am a research coordinator in a lab, and we hire unpaid undergraduate research assistants who report directly to me. I got the job after being an undergrad RA at the same […] Read the full article →
weekend free-for-all – June 2-3, 2018 by Alison Green on June 2, 2018 This comment section is open for any non-work-related discussion you’d like to have with other readers, by popular demand. (This one is truly no work and no school.) Book recommendation of the week: Calypso, by David Sedaris. David Sedaris’s best writing has always been about his family, and his new book focuses exclusively on them. It’s funny […] Read the full article →
open thread – June 1-2, 2018 by Alison Green on June 1, 2018 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 →