have you ever had a spooky experience at work? by Alison Green on October 31, 2023 Did you ever work somewhere haunted? Feel the ghost of your predecessor marooned in your office? Encounter an evil spirit lurking in the copier? It’s Halloween, so let’s hear all your stories about spooky experiences at work. Share in the comment section! And to start us off, here are some particularly creepy stories from past […] Read the full article →
Halloween costumes at work: where’s the line? by Alison Green on October 31, 2023 A reader writes: I’ve generally worked places where people like to dress up in costumes for Halloween, and sometimes I’ve wondered if I’m being too uptight or if my coworkers just have terrible judgment. I’ve seen people wear costumes that show a ton of skin (something I might wear to a bar but not to […] Read the full article →
I had a panic attack over a Halloween decoration at work by Alison Green on October 31, 2023 A reader writes: I’m writing about a situation that just happened today at my office regarding Halloween decorations. (If this is helpful context, I’m a mid-level manager at a nonprofit). A few members of my team brought in fun, low-key Halloween decor (think, purple construction paper bats and a few faux pumpkin heads), which I […] Read the full article →
my company hosts a dove hunt and only invites men, moving a meeting for Halloween, and more by Alison Green on October 31, 2023 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. My company hosts a dove hunt and only invites men I’m in finance and my company (with 5,200 employees) hosts an annual dove hunt for high net worth clients. Employees are included and it’s great opportunity to meet your clients and other employees, especially higher-ups, […] Read the full article →
the aggressive brownie recipe, the bad math and other times you mortified yourself in job interviews by Alison Green on October 30, 2023 Earlier this month, I asked you to share stories of bombed interviews and other job search mortifications. Here’s part two (part one was last week). 1. The phlebotomist I once applied for a job where it could reasonably be assumed that you would need phlebotomy experience. The ad did not explicitly say that, though, and […] Read the full article →
my office’s “kid-friendly” Halloween party was actually terrifying by Alison Green on October 30, 2023 A reader writes: My office held a Halloween party this week after hours and said in the invitation that kids and significant others were welcome. Some of us brought our young kids (ages 2-5 or so). When we arrived the signs were pretty ghoulish (dismembered bloody body parts, etc), and one employee, “Bob,” brought a […] Read the full article →
my employee was excluded from a team-building event because of their weight — how do I make this right? by Alison Green on October 30, 2023 A reader writes: I think I messed up with a team-building event I organized and I am not sure what, if anything, I should do to correct the situation. There is an adventure center about 30 minutes from the office where I work. Each year for the last several years (minus the Covid years) I […] Read the full article →
my wife is cheating with a coworker, employee uses my name in every sentence, and more by Alison Green on October 30, 2023 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. My wife is sexting a coworker on work systems My wife happened to leave her system up while working from home and I noticed a chat where she was cheating with another employee and there were sexual references and conversation in the messages. How would […] Read the full article →
weekend open thread – October 28-29, 2023 by Alison Green on October 27, 2023 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: High Maintenance, by Jennifer Belle – Reeling from her divorce — and perhaps even more from the loss of her New York penthouse […] Read the full article →
it’s your Friday good news by Alison Green on October 27, 2023 It’s your Friday good news! Coming into Covid, I had been searching for a new job, as I was no longer satisfied being in the same role for a decade, and I was in a place where it was only possible to move up if someone retired or died. I had several great interviews at […] Read the full article →