workers want support and flexibility, not quizzes and costume contests by Alison Green on May 25, 2020 As COVID-19 upends everything about how we work, many employers with newly remote staffs are trying to figure out how to support employees emotionally — and are leaning heavily on things like virtual happy hours, team games on Slack or Zoom, and personal check-ins centered on mental health. But in the process, some of them […] Read the full article →
how do I manage my stress and stay (reasonably) positive in the face of impending layoffs? by Alison Green on May 21, 2020 It’s the Thursday “ask the readers” question. A reader writes: My company recently announced that they’re looking at the possibility of significant layoffs in the reasonably near future (6-8 weeks). My industry has been pretty hard hit by the Covid-19 situation, and it’s not something I didn’t see coming, but it still wasn’t great to […] Read the full article →
if you’re furloughed, how long should you wait to look for a new job? by Alison Green on May 19, 2020 A reader writes: I work in the corporate office of a business in the entertainment industry. We were slowly dying before, but Covid-19 has placed our industry in an uncertain position as all of our outlets are closed. As such, I have been furloughed for an indefinite period of time. My company is amazing and […] Read the full article →
when can managers expect employees to adjust to the “new normal”? by Alison Green on May 19, 2020 A reader writes: Your advice around the pandemic and expectations for managers has been extremely helpful. However, I am struggling with when it is reasonable for employers to expect employees to get closer to pre-coronavirus work outputs. It seems clear that we will not be going back to a “normal” work environment anytime soon, so […] Read the full article →
will interviewers ask what you achieved during the pandemic? by Alison Green on May 18, 2020 A reader writes: I’ve been seeing people online say that in the future, job interviewers will ask candidates questions like, “What did you do to continue developing your skills during the pandemic?” and “What did you achieve during the shutdown, even if you weren’t working?” Some people in my circle have been spending time figuring […] Read the full article →
how do I respond to colleagues who are jealous of my furlough? by Alison Green on May 12, 2020 A reader writes: I’m furloughed, along with about 98% of my organization (~35,000 people), the vast majority of them public-facing retail. When the corporate furloughs came, one of the “reassuring” points leadership widely circulated was that, at some compensation levels, with unemployment plus the federal stimulus and our company paying our insurance premiums, an employee […] Read the full article →
here’s a real-life email from an employer that’s managing its re-opening well by Alison Green on May 7, 2020 As some companies start to figure out what bringing people back to work will look like, here’s a real-life example of an organization that’s doing it well. This is an email sent out this week by Stan Soderstrom, the executive director of Kiwanis International and the Kiwanis Children’s Fund, an international nonprofit focused on helping […] Read the full article →
even if they return to work, will furloughed workers ever feel secure again? by Alison Green on May 5, 2020 A reader writes: My company was fortunate enough to get a payroll protection loan last week, so all of our furloughed people were able to come back yesterday and, I believe, most salary reductions were reduced though not quite back to normal. The entire team I had working on the project I was leading was […] Read the full article →
my employees don’t want to return to work because they’re making more from unemployment by Alison Green on April 29, 2020 A reader writes: I’m a small business owner who had about 45 employees before the COVID-19 shutdown hit us hard. We laid off or furloughed the entire staff, and we’ve now been approved for and received a PPP loan. Here’s the problem — most of my furloughed employees are making more on unemployment than they […] Read the full article →
can I get unemployment if I quit due to health issues? by Alison Green on April 27, 2020 A reader writes: Are there any current protections for those who are high-risk for coronavirus but whose workplaces are operating on-site operations? Right now this is predominately essential workers, but some non-essential businesses as well (e.g., bookstores offering curbside pick-up). If I have asthma and live with family, including my elderly relative who has COPD, […] Read the full article →