should you tell your coworkers how much money you earn? by Alison Green on May 28, 2019 When was the last time you talked with colleagues about how much money you earn? If you’re like most people, your answer is “never.” As a society, we’re incredibly weird about talking about how much we earn. It feels gauche or intrusive to ask other people what they make, and a lot of us feel […] Read the full article →
I don’t want to explain my allergies at work by Alison Green on May 28, 2019 A reader writes: I have very severe and specific tree nut/sesame allergies. I’ve been hospitalized because of cross contamination so I have a fair amount of anxiety around this. My rule of thumb for survival is “if I didn’t order it, I don’t eat it,” which makes work food hard. People REALLY want me to […] Read the full article →
I think my bad personality is sabotaging my good work by Alison Green on May 28, 2019 A reader writes: I just had my one-year anniversary at a company I love, doing a job I enjoy. To say the road hasn’t been bumpy, though, would be an understatement. I work remotely (they needed a person to be in the city I’m in), so I’m often a little stressed about what’s going on […] Read the full article →
employee does needlepoint in meetings, company won’t let me say goodbye to clients, and more by Alison Green on May 28, 2019 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. My employee does needlepoint in meetings I have an engineer who is doing an excellent job during the first six months in her new role on my team. All feedback has been positive, and I already have other engineering managers asking when she can apply […] Read the full article →
my boss has romantic phone conversations that bother me because I’m single by Alison Green on May 27, 2019 I’m off for Memorial Day, so here’s an older post from the archives. This was originally published in 2012. A reader writes: Longtime reader, first time question asker! I work in a small, two-person office for a nonprofit, was was hired on only a little over 2 months ago. Before me, it was just my boss, the […] Read the full article →
intern doesn’t flush the toilet, antipathy toward fonts, and more by Alison Green on May 27, 2019 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Our intern doesn’t flush the toilet We have a new summer student in our department. He’s working with my team and reports to my boss, however I have had no interaction with him beyond being introduced to him on his first day. Twice now I’ve […] Read the full article →
weekend free-for-all – May 25-26, 2019 by Alison Green on May 25, 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: Tomorrow There Will Be Sun, by Dana Reinhardt. Family dysfunction and vacations gone horribly wrong — two of my favorite genres! Very enjoyable in a […] Read the full article →
open thread – May 24-25, 2019 by Alison Green on May 24, 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 […] Read the full article →
my boss wants me to drive her daughter to appointments, rejected candidate tried to get me fired, and more by Alison Green on May 24, 2019 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. My boss wants me to drive her daughter to appointments I am currently working for my mom and one of her good friends (who owns the company). My mom serves as office manager and I am her assistant, the general assistant, and do anything else […] Read the full article →
I’ve been offered the job — but they won’t tell me the salary until we can meet face-to-face by Alison Green on May 23, 2019 A reader writes: Last week I received a job offer from a company I interviewed with. The hiring manager called me to verbally offer me the position, then followed it up with an email offer that her boss and HR were copied on. The email let me know that the company’s HR rep would contact […] Read the full article →