my employee wants us to stop ordering “unhealthy snacks” by Alison Green on March 26, 2025 A reader writes: I work in a small workplace, we’re about 40 employees. When I started at the company about five years ago, I started ordering granola bars and some treats. Then I started adding on some fizzy drinks and then progressed to some other snacks, like nuts, fruits, and cookies. None of this is […] Read the full article →
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 →
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 →
is it bad for managers to sound frustrated? by Alison Green on March 19, 2025 A reader writes: I’m wondering whether a good boss should ever show impatience. One of my employees, Jane, does a good job. I’ve given her a lot of (well-deserved) praise in public and private, and she’s said she’s happy in her work. However, she made a serious error the other day and when I brought […] Read the full article →
should managers stay out of private Slack channels? by Alison Green on March 17, 2025 A reader writes: I’m the head of HR for my small(ish) international company. I’m a mixed-race woman and a mom. We have a variety of private Slack channels, including channels for parents, women, people of color, etc. Our people of color channel is a relatively new addition started by an employee who wanted a safe […] Read the full article →
do I need to give my rude, difficult employee more positive feedback? by Alison Green on March 12, 2025 A reader writes: I recently started a new job where I manage two employees. One of them, “Carol,” is challenging to work with. I’ve learned that some candidates even withdrew from the role I now hold because they couldn’t see themselves working with her. While I generally get along with Carol, managing her is difficult. […] Read the full article →
I’m inheriting an employee who causes chaos wherever they go by Alison Green on March 11, 2025 A reader writes: What do I do about a staffer who has a history of personal drama and blurring professional boundaries who’s about to be added to the department I manage? According to a number of people I know who have worked with “Lee” over the past couple of years, while Lee is okay at […] Read the full article →
should managers go to happy hour with employees? by Alison Green on March 10, 2025 A reader writes: What are your thoughts and the etiquette around getting drinks with coworkers when you’re in leadership position? I’m a female, on a younger side, in a leadership role at a small-to-medium size organization. We recently had a company event, after which 5–10 people went out for drinks and stayed for a couple […] Read the full article →
my employee is needy and gossipy by Alison Green on March 10, 2025 A reader writes: In my small, fast-paced company, I have two employees in admin roles, Amelia and Molly. They were hired at the same time about five months ago and work in the same office (literally one room — we’re looking for a bigger space) in a different state from me and our main office. […] Read the full article →
my employee keeps telling me his “expectations” of me by Alison Green on March 3, 2025 A reader asks: One of my employees is positioning himself to move up in a couple of years. He would still report to me, but the working relationship would be a little different, and it could have a major impact on my work and the organization if that relationship is toxic. The problem is that […] Read the full article →