how to respond to unclear “let me know when you have some time” requests by Alison Green on January 13, 2022 A reader writes: I’m in a sort-of HR role, where it’s normal for colleagues to need my guidance on certain things. Sometimes it’s a quick policy question, sometimes it’s much more in depth, and very often there are legal considerations that mean the question should actually be directed to our legal or payroll departments. Because […] Read the full article →
my coworker tried to film her pregnancy announcement and now there is chaos by Alison Green on January 13, 2022 It’s the Thursday “ask the readers” question. A reader writes: So this is an enragingly dumb breach of basic manners and I need to know I’m not crazy. I’m technically in an executive role but I don’t have authority over people, just finances, but I was told I should have “acted like a better manager” […] Read the full article →
my new coworker keeps staring at my breasts by Alison Green on January 12, 2022 A reader writes: I am an attractive, large, 50+ woman working in academia. I have large-ish breasts and wear a bra that makes them look appropriate — no hanging, jostling, or nipples. Even though I do hate these restrictive, thick bras. But I found that I had to sacrifice my comfort for peace of mind […] Read the full article →
my office Secret Santa gave me a gift from a pornstar by Alison Green on January 5, 2022 A reader writes: I’m a mid-level employee on a team of about 20 within a larger organization. I started in 2019, though we’ve all been remote since March 2020. We’ve had pretty little turnover since then, so apart from a few newer folks, I’ve met everyone on the team in person and have good rapport […] Read the full article →
I’ve accidentally convinced my coworkers that I’m homeless – but I’m not! by Alison Green on January 4, 2022 A reader writes: I started a new job five months ago, and I love it. The only problem is that I have a secret: I can’t drive. I’ve been sitting on a learner’s permit for years because I am absolutely TERRIFIED of driving. Because of this, I ride the bus to work. Most people in […] Read the full article →
I didn’t know my former coworker was so disliked and now I’m worried by Alison Green on November 24, 2021 A reader writes: I work for a fairly small department at a large organization. The person I worked with most often, “Chris,” recently took on a different position in another department. Unfortunately, I was a little skeptical of the move because I didn’t think Chris would like the position as much as he thought he […] Read the full article →
my coworker/friend keeps coming to work drunk by Alison Green on November 23, 2021 A reader writes: I have a friend (let’s call her Becky) I have known since we were in middle school, who is now my coworker. In college, it became pretty apparent that she was developing a drinking problem, which has only got worse as she’s gotten older. Because I’ve been around her so many times […] Read the full article →
my coworker keeps joking that I’m having sex with my husband in the office by Alison Green on November 22, 2021 A reader writes: My husband and I work for the same employer in different departments. Our physical workspaces are in different buildings in the same office park. We usually carpool and meet in the parking lot, but we are rarely in the same building at the same time, and if we are it’s for work […] Read the full article →
a toxic duo, a bitter chat group, a firing, and a lot of drama by Alison Green on November 10, 2021 A reader writes: I work in a small tech company. For a long time (starting around six years ago), there were two employees who had ongoing conflicts with dozens of people and were frequently reported for disrespectful, aggressive, or verbally abusive behavior. Toxic Employee #1 was a mid-level manager. Toxic Employee #2 was a vice […] Read the full article →
my coworker’s son is interning for us … and it’s not going well by Alison Green on November 8, 2021 A reader writes: A few months ago, I joined a new company. I’m working in a small team and I mostly enjoy my work. My manager, Claire, is fully remote and located in another state, but my coworker Dana and I meet once a week in the office. A few weeks after I started, Dana’s […] Read the full article →