December 2019

I’m frustrated that my company won’t hire my husband

A reader writes: My company encourages candidate referrals with hire-on bonuses. So far, I’ve referred three candidates to my job function, the most recent one being my husband. We are a huge, international company with a few other partner couples working here, so that’s not frowned upon. Also, we have several teams of people like […]

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is it OK to put up a Christmas tree at work?

A reader writes: I work at a public university, and together with a few colleagues, I supervise a group of graduate students who work in a shared lab office space. Our lab space is a little dreary — there are no windows, and there’s a fair amount of dusty old academic detritus. To add a […]

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updates: the mothering coworker, the fish microwaver, and more

It’s “where are you now?” month at Ask a Manager, and all December I’m running updates from people who had their letters here answered in the past. Here are three updates from past letter-writers. 1. Coworker sees herself as a mother figure Thank you times a million for your help! I talked to her today […]

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weekend free-for-all – December 7-8, 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: Be Frank With Me, by Julia Claiborne Johnson.  Assigned to be the assistant to a legendary and reclusive author, the protagonist instead ends up serving […]

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update: my boss yells for employees to come to her — over and over

It’s “where are you now?” month at Ask a Manager, and all December I’m running updates from people who had their letters here answered in the past. Remember the letter-writer whose boss insisted on yelling for people to come to her, despite the disruption it caused? Here’s the update. Before taking my issue to Jane […]

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