our motivational speaker got drunk and went off the rails by Alison Green on January 24, 2022 A reader writes: My partner’s small company recently held their annual team retreat. Most years, they hire a facilitator to run standardized workshops for some of the retreat, and then have more casual “fun events” the rest of the time. This year, however, they hired a motivational speaker to MC and run a few lightweight […] Read the full article →
why aren’t the companies “desperate” for workers doing the one thing that would attract them? by Alison Green on January 24, 2022 If you believe reports from employers, they’re desperate to find good employees but can’t lure them at any price. Dig deeper, though, and it turns out that many companies are still operating on a model of underpaying and overworking at a time when workers have much better options. At Slate today, I wrote about employers that […] Read the full article →
my coworker told me he’s hiding a terminal illness by Alison Green on January 24, 2022 A reader writes: I feel odd even writing this email. But I am at a loss for what to do with this information. I feel horrible talking to people about it, so I don’t but I HAVE to get this off my chest. About a month before I left my small team (of six) for […] Read the full article →
recovering from angry outbursts at work, surgery right after starting a new job, and more by Alison Green on January 24, 2022 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Can I recover from two angry explosions at work? I’m a senior manager at a public agency, and been in the role for about three years. Last week, during a stressful time at the office, I learned of a serious error from another department that […] Read the full article →
weekend open thread – January 22-23, 2022 by Alison Green on January 22, 2022 This comment section is open for any non-work-related discussion you’d like to have with other readers, by popular demand. Here are the rules for the weekend posts. Book recommendation of the week: The Maid, by Nita Prose. The narrator, a neurodivergent maid at a high-end hotel, finds a wealthy guest dead in his bed and is accused of […] Read the full article →
it’s your Friday good news by Alison Green on January 21, 2022 It’s your Friday good news! 1. “Your blog has truly been invaluable in shaping how I approached my recent job search as a recent college grad and leaving Old Job, which was toxic, even though I felt passionately about the mission. There were a number of reasons to leave Old Job, but this one epitomizes […] Read the full article →
open thread – January 21-22, 2022 by Alison Green on January 21, 2022 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 (that includes school). If you want an answer from me, emailing me is still your best bet*, but this is a chance to talk to other readers. * […] Read the full article →
part-time admin got a full-time job, what to say when your boss is laid off, and more by Alison Green on January 21, 2022 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Our part-time admin got a full-time job and wants to do both Recently I hired a part-time contractor to help with administrative work. The pay is respectable, but certainly not enough to live on. We’re flexible on schedule — most of the work is admin […] Read the full article →
don’t trust the answers to “how would you describe your management style?” by Alison Green on January 20, 2022 When you’re interviewing for a job, you want to know what kind of manager you’d be working for. Here’s a question that isn’t that likely to tell you: “How would you describe your management style?” That question shows up over and over on lists of questions that job seekers should ask their prospective managers in […] Read the full article →
updates: employee got pulled over during a Zoom meeting, and more by Alison Green on January 20, 2022 Here are four updates from people who had their letters here answered in the past. 1. My trainee got pulled over during a Zoom meeting Thank you for your advice on this. Your answer was about what I was thinking, and I think what I did worked out well. The new employee immediately apologized during […] Read the full article →