my employee is a great worker but she’s quiet and aloof by Alison Green on September 11, 2024 A reader writes: A staff member I manage, Marianne, is very good at her job. She’s easy to manage in that she’s on top of her work, understands the organization, and takes constructive criticism very well. She’s also the most aloof person I’ve ever met. Though she’s been part of our small team for years […] Read the full article →
my boss asked us to hold him accountable for losing weight, employer is trying to get out of paying overtime, and more by Alison Green on September 11, 2024 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. My boss asked us to hold him accountable for his weight loss plan I recently left an admin position at a resort that includes a high-end athletic facility in an affluent tourist area. It is a very old three-star resort that has made serious investments […] Read the full article →
is a reminder to vote too political? by Alison Green on September 10, 2024 A reader writes: I currently work in a management role in a government agency. For anyone who cares to do a quick Google/LinkedIn search, it is clear from my previous jobs for campaigns/issue groups/certain politicians that I’m a Democrat, but I maintain pretty strict boundaries about discussing politics at work. We are a service agency, […] Read the full article →
I can’t recommend the colleague who listed me as a reference by Alison Green on September 10, 2024 A reader writes: One of my coworkers was laid off two weeks ago. She was an easy choice because her work and attitude weren’t great. Her office was next to mine so we’d have friendly conversations every day and I got along with her, but she yelled at her team constantly and wasn’t available to […] Read the full article →
our boss hired his emotionally unstable son to work with us by Alison Green on September 10, 2024 A reader writes: I work in a preclinical (no patients) research lab in a hospital. The team involved in our day-to-day work is small, consisting of three full-time employees and the lab manager. We all have to work together closely to get studies done. Our top boss and PI, Cyrus, is the head of the […] Read the full article →
coworker doesn’t listen, candidate assumed I was a man, and more by Alison Green on September 10, 2024 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. My coworker doesn’t listen and then pretends she was never told I’m having an issue with my coworker, Christine. I am in no way her supervisor so I’m not sure there’s anything I can do, but here goes! Basically, she complains that our boss, Lars, […] Read the full article →
the pumpkin conspiracy, the illegitimate squirrel, and other office competitions gone bad by Alison Green on September 9, 2024 Last week we talked about office contests gone awry. Here are 13 of the funniest stories you shared. 1. The bugs Early in my career as a software engineer, the company wanted to improve the quality of the software products. They offered cash bonuses to the testing teams for finding bugs, and cash bonuses to […] Read the full article →
do we have to accommodate a dieting employee? by Alison Green on September 9, 2024 A reader writes: I know that we need to accommodate employees with dietary restrictions due to health or religious needs, but what about employees who choose to go on diets? I have a colleague, Collette, who has been willingly doing a Keto diet for the last year, and she still is insufferable about it. Anytime […] Read the full article →
my husband’s boss was fired after he told the truth about her in an exit interview by Alison Green on September 9, 2024 A reader writes: I’m writing on behalf of my husband, Bob, who recently left his job after two years. During his exit interview, he explained exactly why he was leaving. The reasons included his supervisor’s disorganized management style, expecting him to answer texts and phone calls at all hours, expecting him to log on to […] Read the full article →
is it weird to bring my toddler’s sippy cup to work, I don’t have time to answer a new hire’s questions, and more by Alison Green on September 9, 2024 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Is it weird to bring my toddler’s sippy cup to work with me? Is it weird to bring my toddler’s sippy cup into the office? I drop her off at daycare in the morning, and she brings her milk in the car. I don’t want […] Read the full article →