getting people to use the right pronouns, finding trans-friendly workplaces, and trans-inclusive hiring by Alison Green on January 18, 2023 Today Kalani Keahi Adolpho and Stephen G. Krueger join us to answer questions about trans and gender diverse inclusion at work. Kalani (they/them or he/him) and Stephen (ey/em or he/him) are the authors of the Trans Advice Column. In their day jobs, both are academic librarians who also write and present on trans and gender diverse […] Read the full article →
how much social media use at work is too much? by Alison Green on January 12, 2023 A reader writes: How much personal social media use at work is too much? I’m fine with my staff taking five-minute Facebook breaks a couple of times throughout the day, but I’m afraid I have a few that are pushing the boundaries of acceptable use. I know I have at least one employee actively tweeting […] Read the full article →
should we give extra sick days to employees who can’t work from home? by Alison Green on January 11, 2023 A reader writes: Long-time avid reader with a question I’d love your take on before I bring it to my manager. I’m a manager for an eight-person team for a position that requires 100% of work to be done in-person, on-site, at set times. It’s worth noting that this in-person team is typically the lowest […] Read the full article →
I got in trouble for using a mouse jiggler … despite my excellent work by Alison Green on January 10, 2023 A reader writes: Trying to figure out if I’m totally off-base here. My position was approved to work from home, along with a lot of other positions, last year. I am a high performer on my team. I have moved up in the company over the seven years that I’ve been there and have always […] Read the full article →
my employee doesn’t think we’re doing enough about bears at work by Alison Green on January 10, 2023 A reader writes: Okay, I’m going to sound like a strange Canadian lumberjack stereotype here, but I had a question come up in my workplace about bear safety and when it’s reasonable to refuse work in bear country for occupational health and safety reasons. The safety hazard is “potential bear encounters” but I feel like […] Read the full article →
can I get my coworker to stop using awful corporate jargon? by Alison Green on January 5, 2023 A reader writes: I was reading NPR and caught this amusing article on banned words, as in the annoying slang/jargon/buzzwords (ugh, “buzzwords”) that people are painfully sick of hearing. It made me think of a coworker who has a deep addiction to the word “touch-base,” substituting it for “meeting” at every conceivable opportunity. I have […] Read the full article →
are more companies bringing people back to the office? by Alison Green on January 5, 2023 In the last couple of months, dozens of tech companies have announced they’re requiring employees to spend more days in the office — including companies that previously had gone “default remote” but now expect people to be on-site at least part of the week. Some observers have speculated that companies are doing this to encourage […] Read the full article →
office holiday gift-giving stories: worst gifts and weirdest gifts by Alison Green on December 15, 2022 In the spirit of the season, let’s hear about workplace gift debacles. Did a game of Secret Santa end in tears? Did a coworker throw a tantrum when she didn’t win a raffle? Did your boss try to give you Hanukkah balls? Were you given a jar of mold as a gift? These are all real […] Read the full article →
what’s your company doing for the holidays this year? by Alison Green on December 8, 2022 What’s your company doing about the holidays this year? In 2020, many employers canceled holiday celebrations because of the pandemic, while others devised creative ways to celebrate — like virtual cocktail tastings and drive-in movies. Last year, some parties were back on, while others weren’t. What’s your office planning for this year? Read the full article →
my boss loves planning an elaborate holiday extravaganza … we all hate it by Alison Green on December 5, 2022 A reader writes: We’re in a small office—about 15 people—scattered across the country, even though half are in one city and work from the main office. Those who work remotely come to the main office about once every six weeks, which works great because it allows for several days of in-person meetings, conversations, “whole office” […] Read the full article →