the fake crossing guard, the controversial coat rack, and other abuses of tiny amounts of power by Alison Green on March 7, 2022 Last week I asked about the smallest amount of power you’ve ever seen someone abuse. Here are 12 of my favorites of the stories you shared. 1. The emails I worked with someone who would not read messages if he was cc’d rather than included in the “to” field of emails. 2. The crossing guard […] Read the full article →
what’s the smallest amount of power you’ve seen someone abuse? by Alison Green on March 3, 2022 Remember the person whose company accountant was nitpicking his travel expenses to the point of responding to a $12 Chipotle tab with,”Ordering extra guacamole is wasteful of member dues”? Or the weeks-long battle about the purchase of a $10 calculator? Or the admin who wouldn’t give anyone a new pen unless you turned in your old, […] Read the full article →
my wife’s complaints about work are overwhelming me by Alison Green on February 24, 2022 It’s the Thursday “ask the readers” question. A reader writes: My wife and I have a generally happy household, except for after work times: I think of this as the Airing of Grievances hour. And let me be clear in saying that it is my wife who does the complaining. She is pleasant with her […] Read the full article →
can you really ever get past being a procrastinator? by Alison Green on February 17, 2022 It’s a new “ask the readers” question. A reader writes: I’m a lifelong underachieving procrastinator, so this post and the other update that mentioned it caught my attention. In thinking about them, it occurred to me that although I’ve read a ton of books and advice on how to cure procrastination, I kind of never […] Read the full article →
Covid has made my job a slog — when should I give up on it? by Alison Green on February 10, 2022 It’s the Thursday “ask the readers” question. A reader writes: I am an administrator in a public service organization, and have held this job for just over four and a half years. Covid hit when I was just shy of three years in the role, so more than a third of my time here has […] Read the full article →
working parents with little kids: how can your coworkers help you? by Alison Green on February 3, 2022 It’s the Thursday “ask the readers” question. Thanks for posting the letter from the overwhelmed mom last week. It obviously got a lot of traction. And it’s great that there were plenty of folks in the comments who are not in the same boat (no kids, older kids, etc.) expressing “silent solidarity” or sympathy or […] Read the full article →
it feels impossible to be a working mom with little kids by Alison Green on January 27, 2022 It’s the Thursday “ask the readers” question. A reader writes: My question is rooted in an issue I think a lot of working moms with kids under five must be facing right now. I have two small children, one who is just barely two and a four-year-old. Since Covid started when I was on a […] Read the full article →
how can I advocate for workers’ rights when I’m the customer? by Alison Green on January 20, 2022 It’s the Thursday “ask the readers” question. A reader writes: My sister and I are members of a community pool/gym that is run under the umbrella of a larger nonprofit. The greater organization serves people with disabilities, but membership to the gym is open to the entire community. Both my sister and I have varying […] Read the full article →
my coworker tried to film her pregnancy announcement and now there is chaos by Alison Green on January 13, 2022 It’s the Thursday “ask the readers” question. A reader writes: So this is an enragingly dumb breach of basic manners and I need to know I’m not crazy. I’m technically in an executive role but I don’t have authority over people, just finances, but I was told I should have “acted like a better manager” […] Read the full article →
are employers really so eager to hire right now? by Alison Green on January 6, 2022 We keep hearing that employers are desperate, can’t find good workers, and jobs are going unfilled … so if you’re currently job-searching, how does that match up with your own experience? Based on my mail, lots of people are still getting ignored by employers … or offered laughably low salaries … or seeing ads requiring […] Read the full article →