September 2018

open thread – September 21-22, 2018

It’s the Friday open thread! The comment section on this post is open for discussion with other readers on anything work-related that you want to talk about. If you want an answer from me, emailing me is still your best bet*, but this is a chance to talk to other readers. * If you submitted […]

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employee calls out sick because she “ate too much,” texting cute photos to people on vacation, and more

It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Should I step down from a stressful union negotiating committee? I am on the CBA (collective bargaining agreement) negotiating committee at my work, and we are in the midst of an ugly, protracted, battle with management. Every time we meet for negotiations, the management rep […]

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a salary negotiation success story

A reader writes: I wanted to send you a note to thank you for all of your excellent advice, some of which I’ve recently been able to put into practice. I’m a 27-year-old woman, and I recently negotiated my salary successfully for the first time. In my first job out of university, I accepted the […]

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my coworker treats me like his assistant

A reader writes: I work in a small office, seven people total. I love my job and I’ve always received glowing reviews from my boss. However, I have an irritating, ever-present problem. My coworker, Jim, refuses to learn our operating system, which includes all client data. He will walk up to my desk and interrupt […]

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my roommate doesn’t understand what it means to have a job

It’s the Thursday “ask the readers” post. A reader writes: I am sure that you aren’t the right person to ask about this, but my new roommate recently graduated from college and began her first full-time job. Every night, she comes home and complains about her work and her bosses and their unreasonable expectations. The […]

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my boss yells, and it’s scaring my coworker

This week on the Ask a Manager podcast, I talked to a guest whose boss yells — and is making things quite unpleasant. Here’s the letter: My boss can get worked up when things are not going according to plan and will often end up yelling for minutes on end. This usually happens in group […]

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my former employee is badmouthing me to my staff

A reader writes: To summarize the below story, I had an employee leave the company due to a bad interaction with me, and I’m not sure how to move forward with him or the rest of the remaining staff. I’m a midlevel manager and I work for a small entertainment company. I recently had an […]

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