how do I stop my desk from looking like a tornado hit it? by Alison Green on January 17, 2019 It’s the Thursday “ask the readers” question. A reader writes: I have never been someone who is good at keeping tidy. I have what many refer to as “an organized mess.” I know exactly where everything I need is, but my desk is by no means orderly. I’ve noticed that my coworkers are all able […] Read the full article →
I can’t trust the snacks from my coworker, large employee won’t use heavy duty chair, and more by Alison Green on January 17, 2019 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. My boss wants me to fire a heavier employee if she won’t use a heavy duty chair One of my employees is a rather heavy person and has broken four chairs in the past year. My office is pretty flexible about office equipment, so after […] Read the full article →
at what point in a very long cold should I stay home? by Alison Green on January 16, 2019 A reader writes: Despite getting the flu shot and frequently washing my hands, I catch two or three bad colds a year that last at least two weeks. They start out with three days of feeling terrible (headaches, nausea, aches) but looking fine. The next two days I feel better, but my eyes turn red […] Read the full article →
we are all awkward creatures by Alison Green on January 16, 2019 On today’s episode of the Ask a Manager podcast, I talk with awkwardness expert Melissa Dahl, who’s the author of the amazing book Cringeworthy: A Theory of Awkwardness (paid affiliate link). We talked about what causes situations to feel awkward, why we’re all especially prone to awkwardness at work, the amazing letter here from someone whose […] Read the full article →
my boss cares more about “confidence” and “strength” than truth and accuracy by Alison Green on January 16, 2019 A reader writes: I need advice navigating communication style differences. I manage an office of about 12 employees and four interns, all working under “Fergus,” the company’s owner. I report directly to Fergus, and the others report directly to me. The issue is that our communication styles differ vastly. Fergus demands what he calls “decisive […] Read the full article →
my boss is obsessed with not being invited to my wedding, I earn more comp time than I can use, and more by Alison Green on January 16, 2019 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. My boss keeps talking about not being invited to my wedding I got married late in 2018. It wasn’t a small wedding, but I only invited a handful of my current coworkers, and I work for a mid-sized company. Leading up to the wedding, my […] Read the full article →
my company moved me to 5 countries in 12 months, got me deported, and is angry I want to quit by Alison Green on January 15, 2019 A reader writes: I started my current job knowing I would be based abroad in Morocco. However, there were visa issues and I ended up spending the first year across five different countries — each time not knowing the end date for my stationing. The company does not help with housing. I did eventually get […] Read the full article →
I’m not getting opportunities at work – should I move on? by Alison Green on January 15, 2019 A reader writes: I’ve been at my job for almost two years now, and in the industry for a while. During the time that I’ve been here, the team I’m on has undergone a lot of changes, including two re-orgs, several upper-level leadership changes, and I have personally switched managers. Throughout this time, I’ve heard […] Read the full article →
how to say “I’ll quit over this” by Alison Green on January 15, 2019 A reader writes: Two coworkers and I are outspoken and willing to quit or get fired over some changes to our jobs that are happening due to a new (and terrible) director. An additional two will also quit, but their personal situations prevent them from taking it to our extreme. (I understand, I’m not judging.) […] Read the full article →
can my husband be fired for my social media posts, letting a no-call no show return to work, and more by Alison Green on January 15, 2019 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Can my husband be fired for my social media posts about his coworker? We had a friend who is also a coworker live with us for five months. During those five months, she was very promiscuous and was having sex with her married supervisor and […] Read the full article →