how can I shut down our receptionist’s nosy questions? by Alison Green on July 17, 2023 A reader writes: How do you politely avoid questions about doctor or dental appointments from nosy coworkers? In my workplace, we have a sign-out sheet to keep track of where employees are over the course of the day, with the times we left the building and where we’re going in case someone needs to track […] Read the full article →
are any office social events truly inclusive for everyone? by Alison Green on July 12, 2023 A reader writes: I understand that teams who connect with each other beyond the basics of their role tend to be higher-performing. And yet, it seems that almost every type of event or activity that provides an opportunity for employees to connect on a more casual basis is fraught with issues. Golfing — gender discriminatory. […] Read the full article →
my coworker quit as soon as I became his boss by Alison Green on July 10, 2023 A reader writes: Soon after I started in my current job, “Bob” joined our team in a similar role as me. He was noticeably very anxious and insecure, and he struggled with getting the basics down. The job includes giving feedback on others’ work, and I noticed that I kept having to ask him to […] Read the full article →
my assistant is using my title on LinkedIn by Alison Green on July 5, 2023 A reader writes: When updating my LinkedIn profile today, I noticed that my assistant has himself listed in my position and has since February of this year (while the position was vacant). Because I’m new to this company, I don’t want to rock the boat or make him think I consider myself to be “better” […] Read the full article →
my coworker has started faking a British accent by Alison Green on July 3, 2023 I’m off today, so here’s an older post from the archives. This was originally published in 2018. A reader writes: So this question is … more just truly bizarre than anything. But recently, a coworker of mine has decided she is now British and has been regularly slipping into a thick British accent — very […] Read the full article →
how can I avoid talking shop outside of work? by Alison Green on June 28, 2023 A reader writes: I have a colleague who I am sharing a few really challenging, long-term projects with. They’re great to work with and we’re getting a lot done. The only problem is that we live in the same part of town and frequently bump into each other on the way in — which in […] Read the full article →
how to ask for a raise (because you need to) by Alison Green on June 27, 2023 I’m regularly dismayed by how many people — particularly women — tell me they’ve gone their entire careers without ever asking for a raise. They haven’t done it because they feel awkward bringing it up, or aren’t sure how to find an opening to do it, or because they’re afraid they’ll sound greedy or like […] Read the full article →
how can I get better at spotting talent in people different than me? by Alison Green on June 26, 2023 A reader writes: I like to think I’m pretty good at judging technical abilities, but I’m wondering if I’m actually only looking for the cues that people like me (male/western culture) show. If so, I’m wondering how I can get better. Here’s the situation that makes me wonder: At a recent technical conference, we gave […] Read the full article →
my coworker keeps asking me for personal favors by Alison Green on June 21, 2023 A reader writes: I need some advice regarding a colleague who is becoming very needy and dependent on me, and is making me uncomfortable. She constantly asks me for personal favors, while I have never asked her for anything. Let me list out the things she’s asked of me, and the stuff I have done […] Read the full article →
the outraged notes littering offices everywhere by Alison Green on June 19, 2023 If there’s one thing I’ve learned from over a decade of writing a workplace advice column, it’s that people will do anything to avoid having an awkward conversation with their colleagues. Sometimes that means that they don’t bring up important topics at all, instead just letting problems go unaddressed while their frustration festers. Other times, […] Read the full article →