is it normal to cancel days off for a resigning employee? by Alison Green on February 13, 2024 A reader writes: I am a new manager, though I’ve led individual contributors on project-based work for a large part of my career. My direct manager, “Sam,” said something puzzling to me last week and I’ve been chewing on it all weekend. One of my direct reports, “Drew,” put in their two-week notice on Monday. […] Read the full article →
our admins hate all the coffee I buy the office, but they insist I have to keep trying by Alison Green on February 7, 2024 A reader writes: I … have a problem at my new-ish attorney job at a tiny law firm. There are five people in the office total and we have one communal coffee pot. I was told at the beginning that the office does not supply coffee because the two partners do not drink it and […] Read the full article →
managing mental health at work: a round-up by Alison Green on January 31, 2024 Here’s a round-up of posts about managing mental health at work. talking to your boss should you tell your boss if you’re struggling with mental health issues? should I disclose my depression to my boss? how to talk to your boss about mental health issues should I tell my boss I’m in therapy and on […] Read the full article →
my coworker blamed me for not being offended enough by a racist comment toward me by Alison Green on January 31, 2024 A reader writes: This happened last year and though I’ve moved on, I occasionally wonder if I’m crazy so I thought I’d ask your opinion. I’m a Black woman who immigrated to Canada in my 30s. For my first job in Canada, I worked in a global organization and interacted with a wide cross-section of […] Read the full article →
how can I make our on-site perks fair for our remote employees? by Alison Green on January 30, 2024 A reader writes: I manage a team that’s a mix of on-site employees and remote workers. I’m intentional about keeping my remote workers included in both regular work-related and social/sidebar conversations. However, we’ll sometimes order lunch for everyone in the office or have an occasional pizza party. What’s something related I can do for my […] Read the full article →
boss wants us to do early-morning and evening meetings so he can attend from his vacation by Alison Green on January 29, 2024 A reader writes: I work on a small team that has daily meetings at 10 am, usually lasting 30-60 minutes. I personally don’t think daily meetings are even necessary, but they are my boss’s way of keeping up with our work as he rarely meets with any of us individually and he likes for us […] Read the full article →
the problem with jobs that claim they’re “like a family” by Alison Green on January 29, 2024 The next time you’re interviewing for a job, there are five words your interviewer might say that should send you running in the opposite direction: “We’re like a family here.” While a family-like company might sound pleasant on the surface, that framework tends to be a flag for a strikingly dysfunctional work environment. At Slate today, […] Read the full article →
I have to go to an awkward Valentine’s Day work dinner right after a breakup by Alison Green on January 29, 2024 A reader writes: I am a 53-year-old woman. I have just gone through a surprising, disappointing, and painful breakup, and so far I’m coping and keeping my turmoil out of the workplace. As a single woman in years past, I’ve taken to traveling the few days surrounding my Valentine’s Day and my birthday (which is […] Read the full article →
new coworker with my exact experience got hired at a higher level than me — how upset should I be? by Alison Green on January 23, 2024 A reader writes: My new coworker starts today with a more senior title to me, and I’m struggling to not be upset. Here’s the timeline, with identifying details changed: I graduated college in 2020, and immediately got a job building healthcare software at a small company. I did that for two years and joined the […] Read the full article →
my company’s top exec is crowdfunding for their kid’s school project by Alison Green on January 22, 2024 A reader writes: While scrolling through notifications on LinkedIn, I found one from the CIO of the multinational firm I work for in an hourly, entry-level position. When I opened the post, I was stunned to see that the CIO was asking their professional network to donate money to their kid’s crowdfunding campaign. The kid […] Read the full article →