my team doesn’t want to work for a client whose politics they disagree with by Alison Green on March 3, 2025 A reader writes: I just read your post about an intern refusing assignments due to political beliefs. I am finding myself in the same position but with multiple direct reports who have been part of my team for years. We share enough with each other personally to know we are on the same side politically. […] Read the full article →
employee doesn’t eat, then gets hangry and irritable by Alison Green on February 25, 2025 A reader writes: I own a business and recently I’ve had an issue with one of my employees. She will go all day without eating (because of what looks like poor planning) and then get very irritable with everyone and complains about being hungry. I’ll offer to order her something or offer her the granola […] Read the full article →
is it unreasonable for me to not plan my staff’s schedules around their dogs? by Alison Green on February 25, 2025 A reader writes: I supervise a small team of seasonal staff in a resort community. Most of my team lives a short drive or 10-minute walk down the road from our main office and compound. About two-thirds of the work we do is based out of various buildings in the resort town, all within about […] Read the full article →
my employee gets huffy when we play music in the office by Alison Green on February 24, 2025 A reader writes: We work in a completely open plan office, and are a PR/ creative services agency. There are separate meeting rooms, and two banks of unused desks round the side of the kitchen which feel slightly separate from the main seating area and are often used for hot desking or ad hoc meetings. […] Read the full article →
employee’s girlfriend visits him at work every day by Alison Green on February 19, 2025 A reader writes: I manage a small independent business. We recently brought on a young new hire, “Jim.” There are usually only three of us working. Jim’s girlfriend works from home and has been coming in every day to bring him lunch. At first it was fine, but they started to be very affectionate towards […] Read the full article →
my new employee feels excluded on a well-meaning but cliquey team by Alison Green on February 19, 2025 A reader writes: I am a manager on a team where there are two managers and five individual contributors: Buffy, Cordelia, Xander, Willow, and Anya. Buffy and Willow are very good friends. They joined the team at around the same time, about two years ago. Cordelia joined the team just under a year ago and […] Read the full article →
my employee loves his job — but is bad at it by Alison Green on February 12, 2025 A reader asks: I manage a team and have run into a problem with “Bob,” one of my employees. Bob loves this job. Tells me almost every day how much he loves being at this company. But as much as he loves his job, he’s not very good at it. He’s gotten us incorrect information […] Read the full article →
my employee regularly forgets important details and entire conversations by Alison Green on February 11, 2025 A reader writes: About four months ago I hired a new employee, Arnold. He interviewed very well, and the other interviewers on the panel agreed he was the best candidate. However now I am starting to see some serious gaps in ability. The biggest issue is that Arnold totally forgets entire conversations we’ve had. Some […] Read the full article →
my employee is in obvious pain, but won’t get medical treatment by Alison Green on February 3, 2025 A reader writes: One of my employees, “Pam,” has been having pains that I won’t specify for the sake of anonymity. Her condition is degenerative but can be managed quite successfully through physical therapy and occasional steroid injections. I happily made several doctor-recommended accommodations and alterations to Pam’s workspace, at the expense of the company, […] Read the full article →
our CEO is demanding we return to the office but people don’t want to — and I’m a manager stuck in the middle by Alison Green on January 15, 2025 A reader writes: In 2020, due to the pandemic, my entire company started to work from home. I enjoyed a much better work-life balance and know many others did too, especially because so many people moved further away for more space. Sadly, we’ve been asked to come back into the office. At first it was […] Read the full article →