January 2019

I work from home and my coworker wants me available 24/7

A reader writes: I work at a small company with about 10 employees. Because it is such a small team, and most people have been there for a long time (10+ years for most), it is a very relaxed environment — and unfortunately, this has bred some bad habits and toxicity into the culture. Nothing […]

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how to deal with a rude intern

A reader writes: I am a relatively new manager who is having an odd issue with my intern. He has been with us for about two months, and in that time I have noticed that his basic professional manners are incredibly lacking-much more than I might reasonably expect for someone just out of college who […]

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how can I fix my procrastination problem?

A reader writes: I have a bit of an issue with procrastination at work. And when I say a bit, I mean I’m extremely anxious and constantly terrified I will be fired and it’s kind of ruining my life. I should probably seek therapy for the anxiety bit, but I would still like to know […]

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can I steal my coworkers’ screaming monkey toy, telling an employee to remove a political post from her Facebook page, and more

It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Can I confiscate my coworkers’ screaming monkey toy? Today, as has happened multiple times in the last few months, some of my nearby coworkers in our relatively small satellite office decided to play catch with this “screaming monkey toy.” The noise it makes is outrageously […]

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weekend free-for-all – January 26-27, 2019

This comment section is open for any non-work-related discussion you’d like to have with other readers, by popular demand. (This one is truly no work and no school.) Book recommendation of the week: The Awkward Age, by Francesca Segal, about a merged family that merges in unplanned ways. * I make a commission if you use that […]

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Ask a Manager in the media

Here’s some coverage of Ask a Manager in the media recently: I’m in Parade Magazine talking about the best way to ask for a raise. I’m in the Oprah Magazine talking about what to do if you hate your boss. I did a Q&A with the New York Times about crying at work. I talked to […]

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open thread – January 25-26, 2019

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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