my boss says it’s “not her place” to say anything to my smelly, messy coworker by Alison Green on September 2, 2020 A reader writes: My coworker, let’s call her Pippa, leaves a layer of dirt everywhere she goes. Her hygiene is terrible and as the person who sits closest to her, I have to bear the brunt of it. I feel it best to give a bulleted list of some of her hygiene issues: * She […] Read the full article →
my mentor gives me terrible advice and berates me when I don’t follow it by Alison Green on August 31, 2020 A reader writes: I just graduated from college and am now in a full-time position in my field. I was assigned a mentor, John, who I worked with while I interned at this same company last summer. Last summer, he frequently made me feel overwhelmed by saying that I needed to complete all the projects […] Read the full article →
should I tell my boss about my slacker coworker? by Alison Green on August 25, 2020 A reader writes: My coworker, Gary, started at my company five months ago in my same role. We sit 10 feet across from each other and can see each other’s every move without even trying, and I’m definitely not trying. Since his first week, he has had punctuality issues, and I’m not talking being five […] Read the full article →
my older male coworker is obsessed with my weight and baby plans by Alison Green on August 5, 2020 A reader writes: I am a 30something newlywed woman and have been at my current job for just over a year and a half. Prior to accepting my job, my health took a devastating blow and I learned that I had a very rare genetic disorder and had two baseball size tumors in my digestive […] Read the full article →
I deeply dislike my try-hard coworker by Alison Green on August 4, 2020 A reader writes: Let me just say up front, you’re going to think I’m a jerk. The problem is, I deeply dislike someone I work with, someone everyone else seems to enjoy, but who nonetheless drains me of my happiness whenever they enter my atmosphere. A few months ago, I was promoted to a position […] Read the full article →
my boss hired his girlfriend and we are imploding by Alison Green on August 3, 2020 A reader writes: I work at a dysfunctional workplace. I will call us a media development company. It’s a high-stakes time in our work and tempers are very short. My boss, Ron, hired his girlfriend, Zelda. By “hired,” I mean that she works for free in exchange for him supporting her with food, rent, and […] Read the full article →
my coworker screamed at me and HR hasn’t done anything by Alison Green on July 28, 2020 A reader writes: I’m writing about a situation from last year that in many ways is still unresolved, in the hopes that I can learn to navigate situations like this in the future. Last January, a woman in another unit and a different chain of command, Dolores, gave my unit a small piece of an ongoing […] Read the full article →
my coworkers’ constant talk about stress is stressing me out by Alison Green on July 15, 2020 A reader writes: My team, like everyone else, is experiencing a high amount of stress right now. Recently I’ve noticed that when team members are announcing they’re taking a break, they will add something along the theme of “I’m incredibly stressed out and need a mental break.” Multiple people have reported having panic attacks. While […] Read the full article →
my coworker says our company is toxic — but is she the problem? by Alison Green on July 15, 2020 A reader writes: I’m three months into this great new job that I’ve spent a lot of time in education and unpaid internships to prepare for. I’m so excited to finally have it! It’s a high-pressure job that requires a lot of attention to detail. I was assigned to a trainer, “Jane,” who’s been here […] Read the full article →
my coworker told me to stop flirting with a student employee by Alison Green on July 13, 2020 A reader writes: I am part of the HR department at my workplace, and we hired “Andre” a few months ago as a part of our student group. He’s only 18, but he’s been a hard worker and always takes initiative around the office. I was part of Andre’s interview panel, so I’ve always been […] Read the full article →