how to respond when coworkers IM me “hi” with no indication of what they need by Alison Green on May 21, 2020 A reader writes: At my work, we have an instant messaging system. A lot of people will send an initial message that says nothing but “IM?” or “hi.” In addition to making me irrationally annoyed (just tell me you want already!!), I always panic whenever I receive these because I have no idea what the […] Read the full article →
how to get coworkers to stop texting after-hours by Alison Green on May 20, 2020 A reader writes: I originally wanted to take a position at my current company because it seemed like a friendly work environment. And it is. But I regularly receive multi-recipient texts after work from my coworkers! Sometimes it’s about work, but never anything urgent, and often it’s purely social. I’ve never had this problem before, […] Read the full article →
my over-eager coworker takes over my work and is running roughshod over me by Alison Green on May 20, 2020 A reader writes: I was hired to my company about four months ago and I’m already struggling on how to deal with my over-eager teammate, Jon. Some background: I was told during the hiring process that the company expected to hire two specialists, one of which would take the job of an employee who was […] Read the full article →
my coworker sent a snotty message about me on a Zoom call by Alison Green on May 4, 2020 A reader writes: I was on a Zoom call recently with the president of our company and two junior staff members. My position is above theirs, but I do not manage them directly. I made a comment during the meeting, and suddenly a snarky Slack message about me from one of the junior members of […] Read the full article →
my coworker accidentally fractured my arm by Alison Green on April 30, 2020 A reader writes: I recently started a new job as a courier who delivers essential supplies to several businesses and industries. I am very fortunate that my job has not been affected by Covid-19 due to how important our services are, especially now. I’m currently being trained by a woman named Melissa. She is teaching […] Read the full article →
my coworker keeps telling me how to do my job (and she’s often wrong) by Alison Green on April 27, 2020 A reader writes: I started a new job at the end of February as the communications manager for a small nonprofit. I’m really lucky that our grants and the work that we do haven’t been disrupted by COVID-19, but it’s been a bit of a rocky start. I’m having some trouble with one coworker in […] Read the full article →
my awful coworker put us through something traumatic and now she’s coming back to work by Alison Green on April 21, 2020 Note: Contains mention of a suicide threat. A reader writes: I have been with my current job now for 10 years. It is a very professional and corporate setting. Approximately six years ago, Sansa was hired on. Sansa was very crude and what she herself would call an HR nightmare. She would openly make inappropriate […] Read the full article →
my boss’s son constantly yells at him in the office by Alison Green on April 20, 2020 A reader writes; I work for a family-owned company. My boss (let’s call him Rob) employs both of his sons and his daughter-in-law, and they all get special treatment within the company. For instance, his daughter-in-law comes in about five hours a week and is paid for 40 and his son was gone for more […] Read the full article →
our coworker came to work when his family had COVID-19 symptoms by Alison Green on April 8, 2020 A reader writes: I work in a small department of six that is family-like. One of our coworkers, “Claude,” is nice enough but he tends to do things that offend. He always grabs the first donut, or jumps to the front of the line during office potluck or pizzas. Afterwards, he disappears and doesn’t offer […] Read the full article →
my coworker is trying to manage me — and she’s not my boss by Alison Green on April 1, 2020 A reader writes: I’ve been working in the same department since I graduated college four years ago. Due to a few sudden departures amid a restructuring, I was promoted much more quickly than is typical at my workplace. (I went from the department assistant to an “associate manager” within a couple of years, though I […] Read the full article →