office kitchen wars are back by Alison Green on March 20, 2023 With many companies bringing people back to the office at least part-time, office kitchens wars are back! Today at Slate, I wrote about workplace kitchen aggravations — the take-out food from months ago left rotting in the fridge, the politics of who gets stuck cleaning up after others (and who doesn’t), the brazen thefts of […] Read the full article →
does it look bad to send emails late at night? by Alison Green on March 15, 2023 A reader writes: Does it look bad to send/respond to an email late at night? I am generally forgetful, and the smaller a task the more likely I am to forget about it until later that evening. Randomly, at 10 p.m. I will remember, “Oh shoot, I didn’t tell Jane that Wednesday doesn’t work for […] Read the full article →
here’s a huge discount on the Ask a Manager job-searching bible by Alison Green on March 14, 2023 Looking for a job? Once a year, I offer a big discount on my my e-book, How to Get a Job: Secrets of a Hiring Manager, and it’s happening now. Use this discount code today for a massive 40% discount off the regular $24.95 price: newjob If you’ve ever wished that you could look into the brain of […] Read the full article →
how can I hire good people to work in a dysfunctional organization? by Alison Green on March 13, 2023 A reader writes: My small organization is currently in transition. We have had significant staff turnover in the last two years, and the result has pushed the organization into a level of dysfunction that I know will drive many good quality candidates away. However, I still have to hire people (I have two positions currently […] Read the full article →
managing a seriously ill employee who’s making mistakes by Alison Green on March 8, 2023 A reader writes: My team’s strongest performer is in the midst of a serious, life-changing health crisis, and this is causing issues with her usually stellar performance. Typically, she requires little to no oversight and exercises astute judgment. However, due to her stress during this time, she is failing to follow standard operating procedures, sending […] Read the full article →
how to answer “tell me about yourself” in a job interview by Alison Green on March 7, 2023 It’s common for job interviews to open with a question that sounds simple on its surface but which many job seekers find difficult to answer: “Tell me about yourself.” Job seekers often aren’t sure exactly what interviewers want to know when they ask that question. Are they requesting a full history of your life? Should […] Read the full article →
should companies offer bonuses instead of raises? by Alison Green on March 6, 2023 A reader writes: My workplace wants to start giving out annual profit share bonuses in lieu of salary raises. Basically, the base bonus (which is based on how well the company does that year) would be multiplied by the number of years someone is there (so for the sake of simple math, if the base […] Read the full article →
my entry-level employee gave me a bunch of off-base criticism by Alison Green on March 1, 2023 A reader writes: I have a junior staff person (who has been on my team less than two years) who recently took it upon themself to give me some “constructive criticism” about my management, none of which was relevant or constructive (I did consider it and discussed it with others, and they were all confused […] Read the full article →
my employee can’t handle even mildly negative feedback by Alison Green on February 27, 2023 A reader writes: I’m a manager who recently hired a junior-level employee. I could tell she was sensitive during the interview, which was fine, but didn’t find out until she started working that she has awful, awful anxiety. I feel for her, but she’s struggling to get through her training without things like very mildly […] Read the full article →
should I be so emotionally drained by managing? by Alison Green on February 22, 2023 A reader writes: I manage in a manufacturing environment, leading a team of about 40 headcount altogether. I love my job and my company, and most of the time my work feels rewarding. I work hard to be an effective coach, identify the needs of my team and help them to achieve success. Like anyone […] Read the full article →