my team’s assistant is grumpy and impatient by Alison Green on January 4, 2021 A reader writes: My team’s administrative assistant, Olga, is incredibly impatient, and expects me to quickly complete things that I don’t have any control over. For example, I work often with her on finalizing the contracts for freelancers that we work with. She will create the contract and I will email it to the freelancer, […] Read the full article →
should I tell my boss about my coworker’s temper tantrum? by Alison Green on November 24, 2020 A reader writes: Today at work, something happened that I need some perspective on because I’m still rattled by the incident. I work in retail-based sales with roughly 50 employees, but just three people at my location (my manager, my coworker, who has about four weeks more tenure in the position than I do, and […] Read the full article →
the people I train keep failing — am I the problem? by Alison Green on November 24, 2020 A reader writes: I’m fairly positive I’m the jerk in this situation and I’m worried I might be throwing another new hire under the bus. I know I need to be better at training but I’m not sure what else I can do. I was promoted from a coordinator job to a new position. Due […] Read the full article →
new director got drunk on his first day by Alison Green on November 19, 2020 A reader writes: I have been with my company five years and recently had an awkward situation. In our company we have four broad levels — VP, director, associate and trainee (there are different levels of seniority at each level). Our company is around 80-90 people, and the VPs are owners and decision-makers with about […] Read the full article →
my coworker yells and is disruptive — and we’re afraid to confront her by Alison Green on October 28, 2020 A reader writes: I work in a very small office with an open floor plan. Most of us are friendly enough and get along well, with the exception of Jane. Jane is one of the unhappiest, most negative people I have ever met. She complains almost constantly about anything and everything — and the complaining […] Read the full article →
I won money on a game show, and my coworkers resent that I wasn’t laid off by Alison Green on October 22, 2020 A reader writes: Pre-pandemic, I was on a game show. The game show itself isn’t well known, but I did win a small but not life-changing sum (think like three months salary after taxes). My coworkers knew I had been on this show, but per the contract I signed, I wasn’t allowed to reveal the […] Read the full article →
new coworker is a rude know-it-all by Alison Green on October 20, 2020 A reader writes: I have been working on a project for over a year, and over the last six months I have taken over the lead responsibilities. For the last year, our entire team of four has been women. Several weeks ago, a new coworker, “Mark,” started. Mark has experience in our field and has […] Read the full article →
I’m the lone progressive in my company — how do I deal with all the political talk? by Alison Green on October 15, 2020 It’s the Thursday “ask the readers” question. A reader writes: I work in an extremely conservative industry in a red state. While my city did flip blue in 2018, I believe I am the only person with progressive beliefs in my company. However, I keep that information to myself because political discussions can be very […] Read the full article →
my early bird coworkers grumble that I start work later than they do by Alison Green on October 13, 2020 A reader writes: Over the past months, my imminent return to the office has been pushed back several times until our leadership gave up and told us we were going to work from home for the rest of the year. Prior to the pandemic, I worked from 7:30-4:30 every day to beat an absolutely brutal […] Read the full article →
my coworker berates me all day long by Alison Green on October 13, 2020 A reader writes: For the past four years, I’ve worked at a small company of about 40 people spread over three states. I am the only person in my type of admin role and the only person who handles all of the documents coming into and out of all three offices. Everyone who has documents […] Read the full article →