how can I get recruiters to just tell me the job’s salary from the start? by Alison Green on November 10, 2022 A reader writes: I am not currently job hunting but am interested in keeping my ear to the ground on salaries across my industry. I frequently receive LinkedIn messages from recruiters with possible job opportunities and an invitation to have a phone call to discuss. Every time, I respond with, “To make sure we’re in […] Read the full article →
is “we have a great culture” an attempt to disguise low pay and weak benefits? by Alison Green on November 10, 2022 A reader writes: I have been noticing for the last 18 months or so that my employer has been putting a lot of emphasis on their culture, most likely in response to the Great Resignation, but they have done little to change pay and benefits, or what I like to think of as the reason […] Read the full article →
when office potlucks go wrong by Alison Green on November 10, 2022 As we approach the season of office potlucks and other meals with coworkers, let’s discuss the many ways they can go wrong … from alarming cuisine to the person who takes an obscenely large share and never contributes anything of their own. To kick us off, some stories from years past: • “One of my […] Read the full article →
employer recorded audio and video while I was in bed … and more by Alison Green on November 10, 2022 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. My employer was recording audio and video while I was in bed I normally work on site, but got Covid and had to work from home for a week. I felt pretty bad, so I was in bed for the first two days. I always […] Read the full article →
my boss wants to know what the private appointments on my calendar are by Alison Green on November 9, 2022 A reader writes: The norm at my org, like many, is to keep your calendar updated so that meetings can be scheduled without doing the “Are you available at X time?” dance. Because of this, I include non-work appointments on my calendar, and I typically mark them as “private.” In the past month, I’ve done […] Read the full article →
how to say no without sounding negative by Alison Green on November 9, 2022 A reader writes: I’m by nature an over-thinker/highly analytical person. When I make a structural or wording choice, I put a huge amount of thought into which of the many options will be clearest and easiest to understand. When I then bring the draft to my client or to colleagues, they will often have many […] Read the full article →
my team excludes me from lunches because of my dietary restrictions by Alison Green on November 9, 2022 A reader writes: I have Celiac disease, which is an autoimmune disease that causes my body to essentially attack itself whenever I eat gluten. It’s not super common, but common enough that I know several people who have it. Since I was diagnosed 10 years ago, gluten-free options have gotten much more common at restaurants […] Read the full article →
my coworker doesn’t understand anything I say, working from abroad without telling your employer, and more by Alison Green on November 9, 2022 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. My coworker doesn’t understand anything I say I have been on my team a few months. My only colleague, Ernest, has been in the role 15 years so he is clearly able to do his job well enough. However, I often feel like we are […] Read the full article →
should I tell an employee that the new hire sitting right across from him all day is unvaccinated? by Alison Green on November 8, 2022 A reader writes: The company I work for has weathered the pandemic okay. We’re a 100% in person, small U.S. manufacturing company. I’m HR, finance, many other things, and sometimes reception. Because of that, I’m in a unique position to know the vaccination status of all visitors (due to a Covid screening form they complete) […] Read the full article →
my employee always gets other people’s help on his work by Alison Green on November 8, 2022 A reader writes: I’m a little stuck on how to handle one of my analysts. He’s reported to me for about six months and I have some performance concerns that I’m working to address. He procrastinates a lot, and he doesn’t ask me for help, even though I have encouraged him to do so on […] Read the full article →