open thread – November 22-23, 2019 by Alison Green on November 22, 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 […] Read the full article →
coworkers say we shouldn’t attend a work party, I feel insulted by my new job, and more by Alison Green on November 22, 2019 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. My coworkers say we shouldn’t attend the work party we were invited to I am a new youngish admin in a law firm that is extremely hierarchical and old school. My department’s practice group leader (PGL, the head of a certain practice in a firm) […] Read the full article →
how should you address coworkers who take way more than their share of free food? by Alison Green on November 21, 2019 A reader writes: I have a question sparked by this part of a recent letter about the coworker who was eating much more than his share of food at a work event: “At one point I had to remind him that the appetizers were for the entire five-person table and not just him, and he […] Read the full article →
Ask a Manager in the media by Alison Green on November 21, 2019 Here’s some coverage of Ask a Manager in the media recently: I’m on NPR’s Life Kit podcast talking about holidays at work, including forced cheer and awkward parties. I’m in USA Today talking about why bosses shouldn’t date employees. I’m in the Guardian talking about why bad managers spawn more bad managers. I talked to CNBC’s personal […] Read the full article →
how to discuss moving for a job with your partner, when your partner might not want to move by Alison Green on November 21, 2019 It’s the Thursday “ask the readers” question. A reader writes: I’m in my last year of a PhD program and am currently on the job hunt. This graduate program has been a really long process — I was meant to graduate earlier, but some family and health issues came up that pushed the graduation back […] Read the full article →
I don’t want to work with my estranged father, changing in front of coworkers at the gym, and more by Alison Green on November 21, 2019 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. My amazing new job has a catch: my father I just started a new job at what appears to be a great company. On my first day, I learned that my new company is owned by the company my father works for. I also learned […] Read the full article →
my coworkers come by my desk to check on emails right after sending them by Alison Green on November 20, 2019 A reader writes: I am hoping that you can shed some light on the best way to deal with my most dreaded work pet peeve — people who send an email and call immediately afterwards to see if I received it, or who send a non-urgent email and then follow up no more than a […] Read the full article →
my employee is openly job searching at work by Alison Green on November 20, 2019 A reader writes: I am the team lead of a two-person admin team for a sales department. I am the supervisor of the second person, Jane, but not her manager; however, most critiques are expected to flow through me first unless there is a serious problem. Jane spends most of her time in our reception […] Read the full article →
I’ve been accidentally dating my boss’s husband by Alison Green on November 20, 2019 A reader writes: I’ve been accidentally dating my new boss’ husband, and I don’t know what to do. I landed my dream job at my dream company. My boss is usually supportive and competent. My only issue is that she’s made some homophobic comments (I’m a gay man), but this is a conservative area and […] Read the full article →
coworker wants to mother me, telling an employee he’s not welcome at our holiday party, and more by Alison Green on November 20, 2019 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Coworker sees herself as a mother figure I’ve been working in my current company for about three years, and that whole time I’ve worked closely with someone else in my very small department (four people at present), Catelyn. Catelyn is some 20 years older than […] Read the full article →