update: tubs of butter are taking up all the room in our tiny fridge by Alison Green on June 7, 2019 I am on day 3 of illness and do not have the ability to write a short-answer post for today, so instead please enjoy this update from the letter writer earlier this year whose tiny office fridge was crammed full of tubs of butter. Thank you for answering my question. Unfortunately getting a larger fridge was […] Read the full article →
how can I say no to my coworker’s boyfriend sharing our co-working space? by Alison Green on June 6, 2019 A reader writes: I work at a small company with four employees: three in different cities (including our director) and two of us, including me, co-located in the same large city. It’s an unusual setup, but it works great, and I adore our work. Part of the reason I knew how to find a work […] Read the full article →
update: my office wants us to celebrate by wearing pink and blue by gender by Alison Green on June 6, 2019 Remember the letter-writer whose office wanted to celebrate Nurses Week by ordering their nurse to wear pink and blue by gender and to bake things? Here’s the update. Thank you so much, from the bottom of my apparently not-so-Lone Cranky Feminist heart, for all of the thoughtful and encouraging feedback from you and the AAM […] Read the full article →
what’s the worst case of helicopter parenting you’ve seen at work? by Alison Green on June 6, 2019 In response to last week’s post about the father who got on the phone with questions during his daughter’s job offer, some readers asked to hear more about parents trying to interfere with their adult children’s careers. So, what’s the worst case of helicopter parenting you’ve seen at work? Share in the comments … Read the full article →
my boss says “yes, my child,” I don’t want to travel to an unsafe country, and more by Alison Green on June 6, 2019 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. My boss says “yes, my child” My boss tends to operate informally, preferring “drop in” conversations to formal meetings. I needed to check in with him about a project I was working on, and so when I saw him sitting in a common area I […] Read the full article →
my boss sent a chat message I wasn’t supposed to see — but it popped up on a shared screen by Alison Green on June 5, 2019 A reader writes: Something happened to me at work and I honestly have no clue what to do. My coworker (let’s call him Mark) and I have been equally working on a project for over a year, developing some software for our specific job function. My boss all of a sudden decided that he wanted […] Read the full article →
can we just assign interview dates to job candidates? by Alison Green on June 5, 2019 A reader writes: I have been scheduling phone screenings and in-person interviews with job candidates. For calls, I offer two days, allowing them to tell me a time that works best for a brief chat. For interviews, I provide a few options for days and time. I’ve had a few candidates respond saying they can’t […] Read the full article →
my employee tells me “good job” when I correct his work by Alison Green on June 5, 2019 A reader writes: My direct report, who is fresh out of college, is often not very thorough or good at his job. He’ll submit work that clearly lacked any attention to detail. And 90% of the time, there are errors that I end up pointing out or discussing with him. I am fair, factual, and […] Read the full article →
here’s a subscription box that will simplify your life by Alison Green on June 5, 2019 And now a word from a sponsor… I really like the idea of most subscription boxes – things arrive at my doorstep with no effort from me, at reasonable intervals so I don’t need to think or put any effort into them. But not all subscription boxes are good enough to make me want the […] Read the full article →
parking space shuffle, coworker is stealing money from my purse, and more by Alison Green on June 5, 2019 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Should I only apply to jobs in my field when job hunting right out of college? My friends and I have made it to the most exciting time of year: college graduation! While some of us have work lined up already, others are bracing themselves […] Read the full article →