when an employee doesn’t want to make a formal complaint, can I act anyway? by Alison Green on March 24, 2025 A reader writes: I’ve got an employee who had a weird encounter with another employee. It wasn’t harassment but it’s made her feel uncomfortable whenever he’s around. She doesn’t want to make a complaint though. Is there anything we can do if there’s no complaint made? I answer this question — and three others — […] Read the full article →
my coworker refuses to share her calendar and says she’ll quit if she’s ordered to by Alison Green on March 24, 2025 A reader writes: I work at a small creative business with about 25 employees, Our structure is pretty flat, and there is no traditional HR or processes that come with working at larger organizations. There are three main departments. I run one, and my coworker who I am writing about, Maggie, runs one of the […] Read the full article →
I found “detox” propaganda in the office kitchen, I made a huge political mistake, and more by Alison Green on March 24, 2025 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. I found weird “detox” propaganda in the office kitchen I work at a small nonprofit of under 30 employees and we share one small kitchen. Articles relevant to our field or other interesting items are often left in the center of the table for us […] Read the full article →
weekend open thread – March 22-23, 2025 by Alison Green on March 21, 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: Real Americans, by Rachel Khong. This is an epic family saga told in three generations: a pair of scientists who fled China’s Cultural […] Read the full article →
open thread – March 21, 2025 by Alison Green on March 21, 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 embarrassed me at a meeting, pre-hire drug and alcohol testing, and more by Alison Green on March 21, 2025 It’s four answers to four questions. Here we go… 1. My boss embarrassed me at a department meeting My company is being bought out for a larger organization. Our jobs will no longer exist in four months. We’ve been encouraged to review the job postings and apply to jobs for which we might qualify. I […] Read the full article →
I’m a manager without enough work to do because my team handles everything by Alison Green on March 20, 2025 A reader writes: I work at a fairly large international company with several offices and remote workers all over the country. I manage a team of three graphic designers. My position and team are all new; previously all design work was outsourced. I was hired to put together a team and bring design in-house. I […] Read the full article →
update: my coworkers have way more money than me … and they constantly expect me to shell out cash for meals and gifts by Alison Green on March 20, 2025 Remember the letter-writer whose coworkers had way more money than her but constantly expected her to shell out cash for meals and gifts? Here’s the update. Thanks for posting my letter and for your advice a while back. I have a somewhat unsatisfying update. The gift-giving has slowed down considerably, presumably because the federal workplace […] Read the full article →
let’s discuss the weirdest hills to die on you’ve seen at work by Alison Green on March 20, 2025 Over the years, we’ve heard about people who chose some pretty odd hills to die on — people who became so strongly committed to a minor fight that they lost all sight of logic and decorum. To wit: “Our break room has a giant whiteboard calendar in it. Last year the company sent us a […] Read the full article →
swiping on a coworker on a dating app, bosses gave a perk to their spouses instead of to employees, and more by Alison Green on March 20, 2025 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Is swiping on a coworker on a dating app grounds for an HR meeting? Asking for a friend: They absent-mindedly swiped on a coworker in a dating app (whom they asked out once two years earlier). Said coworker was uncomfortable with that and went to […] Read the full article →