update: there’s nothing I can do about my nightmare workload … right? by Alison Green on April 23, 2024 Remember the letter-writer asking whether there was anything they could do about their nightmare workload? Here’s the update. I wrote in about getting through a staffing crisis after both my coworkers quit right when one of my company’s two owners went on maternity leave. I wanted to make sure that my “this is awful but […] Read the full article →
I feel overwhelming guilt about taking time off work by Alison Green on April 23, 2024 A reader writes: I genuinely don’t understand how folks deal with the overwhelming guilt of taking time off work. I’ve had this problem since I started working right out of college, and it’s persisted through multiple job and industry changes and multiple PTO policies — from seven days to unlimited — in my over 15 […] Read the full article →
I don’t want to participate in my office’s steps challenge, returning to a job I criticized, and more by Alison Green on April 23, 2024 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. I don’t want to participate in my office’s steps challenge My office is getting ready to start a months-long steps challenge, and there’s a big emphasis on participating because we’ve got a mix of in-person, hybrid, and remote employees and this is supposed to be […] Read the full article →
the noise complaint, the romantic violin, and other business trips gone awry by Alison Green on April 22, 2024 Last week we talked about business trip mishaps and here are 12 of my favorite stories you shared about business trips that went very badly awry. 1. The stomach bug I got a stomach bug while attending a trade show. Realized I felt bad, so went outside the conference hall to get some fresh air. […] Read the full article →
former employee is lying about her job with me … to cover up her time in jail by Alison Green on April 22, 2024 A reader writes: A couple years ago, I managed an employee who was arrested at work for stealing from a former employer, among other charges. She was put in jail for a considerable amount of time. She is apparently now out, because I received her resume. I’m no longer at the previous company. I did […] Read the full article →
an employee showed up for a video training while lounging in bed and smoking by Alison Green on April 22, 2024 A reader writes: I work in a low-level supervisory role for a social service agency. Most of our employees work remotely and are issued desktop computers with a monitor and camera. The majority of these remote employees do not need to be on camera to complete daily tasks; however, when meetings or training sessions occur, […] Read the full article →
interviewing with blue or pink hair, building staff damaged my bookcase, and more by Alison Green on April 22, 2024 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Interviewing with blue or pink hair In the last few years, I have started coloring my hair bright colors (blue, pink, green, etc.). I have always felt self-conscious about my hair, and the colors now make me feel much better about it. Also, I just […] Read the full article →
weekend open thread – April 20-21, 2024 by Alison Green on April 19, 2024 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: Victim, by Andrew Boryga. A man from a disadvantaged background finds success by embellishing his life story. Things don’t go entirely accordingly to plan. […] Read the full article →
open thread – April 19-20, 2024 by Alison Green on April 19, 2024 It’s the Friday open thread! The comment section on this post is open for discussion with other readers on any work-related questions 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 take your questions to […] Read the full article →
coworker interrupts me with questions she could answer herself, playing a game at a public-facing job, and more by Alison Green on April 19, 2024 It’s four answers to four questions. Here we go… 1. My coworker interrupts me with questions she could answer herself My coworker and I used to work in the same extremely toxic workplace. We leaned on each other, commiserated, and when I told her I was done, she pointed me in the direction of a […] Read the full article →