my employee is level 10 drama all the time by Alison Green on February 24, 2021 A reader writes: I’m the assistant director for a very small company that provides vocational training. Our classes are heavily regulated by the state, and there are a number of additional rules in place due to Covid. We are doing the best we can overall, and thus far it looks like we may be able […] Read the full article →
my mother-in-law got a job at my company, my new coworker is someone I talked to on a dating app, and more by Alison Green on February 24, 2021 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. My pushy mother-in-law got a job at my company Over the summer, I took a job at a new company. Last week my mother-in-law called to announce that she had also gotten a new job … at the same company. We’ll be reporting to the […] Read the full article →
how can I convince my employee not to work until 2 AM? by Alison Green on February 23, 2021 A reader writes: I am a manager who has a great team and several high-performing employees. We are all working from home these days due to COVID. One of my employees in particular will often stay up late into the night working on assignments I have given her. I know this because she will send […] Read the full article →
I got promoted, but I can’t get a fair salary by Alison Green on February 23, 2021 A reader writes: I was hired as an entry-level, salaried employee five years ago. After less than a year, a new position was created for me – not a promotion or lateral move, but an entirely new position, one with a different expertise. The salary for my original position was average, and my salary adjustment […] Read the full article →
our staff aren’t underpaid but think they are by Alison Green on February 23, 2021 A reader writes: I work at a nonprofit with about 200 staff. Staff constantly bring up how underpaid they are and ask for bonuses, cost-of-living increases, better benefits, everything. They take up a lot of meeting time talking about it, send all-staff emails, badger the board, send nasty emails to any committee that has anything […] Read the full article →
what are you wearing on work Zoom calls these days? by Alison Green on February 23, 2021 This post is sponsored by thredUP. So, what are you wearing on Zoom calls for work these days? For a very short time at the beginning of the pandemic, a lot of people on video calls were mirroring what they’d wear in the office – at least from the waist up. And then a lot […] Read the full article →
start-up founder with no work experience, my boss says I killed the business, and more by Alison Green on February 23, 2021 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. My friend’s start-ups are struggling and I think it’s because he has no real work experience I have a friend who I’ll call Jake. Jake is a genuinely nice guy, motivated and could charm just about anyone. He has his own podcast, has co-founded several […] Read the full article →
update: my new team is taunting me because I have a nut allergy by Alison Green on February 22, 2021 Remember the letter-writer whose new team was taunting her because of her nut allergy? She had repeatedly found Snickers bars lined up on her desk, and her manager knew and wasn’t stopping it — and thus become a Worst Boss of the Year nominee. Here’s the update. I just wanted to say a massive thank […] Read the full article →
what to do when a low performer asks for a massive raise by Alison Green on February 22, 2021 A reader writes: One of my employees has handed me a letter asking for a promotion and a 30% pay raise, detailing their desired new job title and new job description! This letter has shocked me, to say the least, as this person is underperforming in his current role and only last week he and […] Read the full article →
my boss called me “disgusting” for not cleaning up my male coworkers’ mess by Alison Green on February 22, 2021 A reader writes: I work for a medical facility (think live-in treatment or residential care). I share a desk with the night and weekend staff, “Jim” and “Dwight.” I’m an administrator, and the desk and surrounding area need to be neat and tidy during the day because of the type of work I do. I’m […] Read the full article →