March 2017

my colleague is allergic to me because of my cats

A reader writes: I’m a brand new manager in a public services environment. I have two cats, who are not particularly hairy, and I wash my clothes – and myself – in the usual customary manner for our Western culture. I also use a lint roller and vacuum my home thoroughly, but pet hair is […]

Read the full article →

my coworker won’t stop talking

A reader writes: Let me start with a bit of background: I work in an open office environment, which is less than desirable for a host of additional reasons, but today I am writing to you about something very specific. Three of us sit together in a “pod” comprised of three work stations. The half-walls […]

Read the full article →

should I leave my new job after the first day?

A reader writes: I started today my job and I am feeling very disappointed. My manager didn’t show up as he is on holiday and another is working from home. Fine! Another manager introduced me to the team, which replied “nice to meet you” without really caring about me. Example: everyone has left for lunch […]

Read the full article →

I was rejected for a job because of my romantic history

A reader writes: I work in a fairly insular field in a small geographic region, where people in the trade tend to know each other from the workplace and socially. Normally this is a dynamic that facilitates freer sharing of information and resources, which is great. However, sometimes it can get incestuous and go sour. […]

Read the full article →

how to be happier at work

How happy you are with your job can have a significant impact on the amount of happiness in your life overall. And yet for some people, work is a major source of unhappiness and dissatisfaction. If that’s true for you, it might be because you’re in the wrong job. But sometimes you make yourself much […]

Read the full article →