weekend open thread – February 15-16, 2025 by Alison Green on February 14, 2025 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: Piglet, by Lottie Hazell. After her fiance confesses a betrayal two weeks before their wedding, a woman becomes inexplicably ravenous. (Amazon, Bookshop) * […] Read the full article →
open thread – February 14, 2025 by Alison Green on February 14, 2025 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 →
boss said “someone’s parents didn’t love them” about me, how to work with a former manager I can’t stand, and more by Alison Green on February 14, 2025 It’s four answers to four questions. Here we go… 1. Boss said, “Well, someone’s parents didn’t love them” about me In preparation for a team-building retreat, all employees in my department were asked to submit a baby photo for a “match the baby photo to the employee” icebreaker activity. The request for baby photos was […] Read the full article →
hiring manager wants to fire my mentor and replace him with me by Alison Green on February 13, 2025 A reader writes: I’m in a quandary and really second-guessing a decision I made regarding an offer that was made to me a couple of weeks ago. I work for a company that makes, let’s say, teapots. I recently found out that Cersei, the director of a different teapot-making company, wants to fire her entire […] Read the full article →
who should tell employees about raises? by Alison Green on February 13, 2025 A reader writes: I’ve been a manager at my company for 13 years. I have a team of five direct reports and meet with them for one-on-ones every one to two weeks. We review projects, develop strategies for hurdles, discuss what’s working and what’s not, and where they would like to see their careers go. […] Read the full article →
how to stay professional when you’re full of rage at your job by Alison Green on February 13, 2025 It’s the Thursday “ask the readers” question. A reader writes: A year ago, my boss was promoted into a new role at my company. I took on my boss’ job, in addition to my regular job, with my grandboss implying that I would soon be promoted into my boss’s old job. Well, you can guess […] Read the full article →
interview felt like an exam, HR is sending everyone Valentine’s Day candy “from” other coworkers, and more by Alison Green on February 13, 2025 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Interview felt like an exam I had my first job interview in over 20 years yesterday, and it felt like an exam. Five people peppered me with a long list of questions, mostly hypotheticals. None of the questions were about my experience or my training. […] Read the full article →
the questionable drop-off, the kazoo lover, and other tales of carpooling for work by Alison Green on February 12, 2025 Last week, we talked about carpooling for work, and here are eight of my favorite stories you shared — some heartwarming, some not. 1. The kazoo music I fondly think of the coworker who, when I offered her the aux cable to play music off her device, looked hesitant and then said, “Look, I need […] Read the full article →
my employee loves his job — but is bad at it by Alison Green on February 12, 2025 A reader asks: I manage a team and have run into a problem with “Bob,” one of my employees. Bob loves this job. Tells me almost every day how much he loves being at this company. But as much as he loves his job, he’s not very good at it. He’s gotten us incorrect information […] Read the full article →
more questions from people whose jobs are under attack by the new administration by Alison Green on February 12, 2025 Here’s part 2 of questions from federal workers who are currently under attack by the administration, as well as others affected by the fall-out. Part 1 (and an explanation of what’s going on) was here. 1. For those of us staying, how do we deal with this? For those of us choosing to stay and […] Read the full article →