June 2019

our HR director might be a pathological liar

A reader writes: I’d really appreciate your advice and guidance with a big secret I’ve had to keep at work. I’m an assistant-level employee in a small, California-based publishing company. We have about 30 employees and our HR director, “Jane,” does double duty as the HR and finance director. As such, she manages all personnel […]

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I ran into my new boss in the apartment of my one-night stand

A reader writes: I recently engaged in some, um, consensual adult activity under the mutual understanding that it would be a temporary relationship at another person’s apartment. No work productivity was harmed in the making of this hookup. After a pleasant night, I walked out of a room to discover that, not only did the […]

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what to do about a coworker who slacks off all day long

If you’ve ever had a slacker coworker — someone who goofed off all day, getting little done, and often leaving other people covering more than their fair share of the work — you’ve known a frustration that’s rampant in many workplaces. You might also recognize there’s something that takes that situation from annoying to downright […]

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how much should I hand-hold a disorganized employee?

A reader writes: I am a new manager struggling with how the handle one of my direct reports who is struggling a bit himself. He is a smart guy but super disorganized. For example, he is in charge of ensuring all internal audits in our company have been set up, executed, etc We discuss this […]

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weekend free-for-all – June 8-9, 2019

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: Ask again, Yes, by Mary Beth Keane. The saga of two very different neighboring families, and how they intersect in ways both tragic and loving. […]

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speak up directly to an annoying coworker: a success story

A reader writes: I used to think I had a very easy workplace. Most of my coworkers are very easy to get along with. I read your site to peek into the wild stories you’ve published. Then came along “Polly.” She has the tendency to overshare and get aggressive when stressed. I felt like she […]

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open thread – June 7-8, 2019

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 […]

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