coworker refuses to talk to us, demoted and can’t move back up, and more June 18, 2024 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. I was demoted and now can’t move back up I’ve been at my company for over a decade, and have a track record of being an asset to the company. A year ago, I mutually agreed to step down from a management position. The proposal […]
update: my new employee is the parent of my child’s bully June 5, 2024 It’s a special “where are you now?” season at Ask a Manager and I’m running updates from people who had their letters here answered in the past. There will be more posts than usual this week, so keep checking back throughout the day. Remember the letter-writer whose new employee was the parent of her child’s […]
updates: my boss keeps leaving her kid with me, and more May 30, 2024 Here are three updates from past letter-writers. 1. My boss keeps leaving her kid with me I am the person who kept having to watch over their manager’s kid during my shift (from this post). I appreciate everyone’s input, and I wanted to thank you for your advice. When I said I was “in my […]
the summer camp cook, the cat photo, and other stories of long-running coworker grudges May 20, 2024 Last week we talked about coworker arguments and grudges. Here are 15 of the most ridiculous stories you shared. 1. The cheesecake I worked for a government agency a few years back and for whatever reason right off the bat, an older coworker took a dislike to me. I have legitimately no idea why. She […]
I spent a ton of time helping 2 employees who hate each other … now they’re dating May 6, 2024 A reader writes: Over the last few months, one of my people (Alice) has repeatedly come to me about conflict with a neighboring department’s person (Mary). Both are at the same fairly junior level — they’re a few years out of school. The conflict has always seemed odd, and fairly amorphous, but both Alice and […]
the fake union organizer, the lemon zest, and other Machiavellian triumphs at work March 18, 2024 Last week, I asked about Machiavellian things you’ve seen or done at work. There were so many amazing stories shared that I couldn’t fit my favorites in one post. Here’s part one, and part two is coming later this week. 1. The store credit I worked in a specialty retail industry for many years. It’s […]
update: my boss is handling my resignation badly December 12, 2023 It’s “where are you now?” month at Ask a Manager, and all December I’m running updates from people who had their letters here answered in the past. There will be more posts than usual this week, so keep checking back throughout the day. Remember the letter-writer whose boss was handling her resignation badly? Here’s the […]
ex-employee has been logging into our database, can I ask my coworkers to stop praising my bully, and more December 5, 2023 I’m on vacation. Here are some past letters that I’m making new again, rather than leaving them to wilt in the archives. 1. Former employee has been logging into our database for months I am a database system administrator at a higher education institution and was out of the office for a while on FMLA. […]
updates: the misbehaving dog, the boss sending job postings, and more December 4, 2023 It’s “where are you now?” month at Ask a Manager, and all December I’m running updates from people who had their letters here answered in the past. Here are four updates from past letter-writers. There will be more posts than usual this week, so keep checking back throughout the day. 1. Misbehaving dog rampages around […]
my awful coworker’s employees want me to help them November 14, 2023 A reader writes: My counterpart — let’s call him John — and I each manage workers who are part of various teams in the same department. Some of John’s employees recently approached me with concerns about his management style. From what I can gather, after being moved to these employees’ team to “help them out” […]