workplace practices

Is your office normal? Workplace practices can be wildly different from office to office. Here’s a reality check on yours.

how do people take months off from work to film a reality TV show?

A reader writes: I’m watching my country’s Big Brother, and I’ve noticed the employment ranges of the contestants tend to be either “gig economy” (bartender, delivery) which, to not denigrate how important those positions are, is less likely to come with the psychological attachment to the job as someone who’s worked up their career ladder […]

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is it reasonable to leave without notice when my company lets employees go without notice?

A reader writes: I am a senior software engineer at a mid-sized company. My team became part of this company through an acquisition three years ago. Within the first year of the acquisition, our product managers (“Joey” and “Chandler”) were let go as a “business decision.” Joey and Chandler were subject matter experts who shared […]

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it’s Leap Day! let’s discuss ridiculous workplace policies

It’s Leap Day and so in honor of the Leap Year employee who finally gets her birthday off this year, we must talk about bizarre, nonsensical policies your employers have had. Did they ban humor? Refuse to let you say “how are you?”  to customers? Tell you that you couldn’t wear your wedding ring because […]

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I’m in charge of our disgusting office kitchen

A reader writes: I am an administrative assistant for a small company (about 50 people). My problem, especially now that folks are fully returned to office, is the cleanliness of the kitchen. As any admin in charge of the office kitchen will tell you, it is a NIGHTMARE. Food left on counters, molding fruit in […]

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is it safe to share at my company’s “courageous conversation” on menopause?

A reader writes: My company is proposing a workshop to have “courageous conversations” with colleagues about menopause. There is no professional facilitating this; it is an open discussion. The message about it says it will be “a safe space that is inclusive and supportive” and “an informal discussion among peers.” My company is heavily promoting […]

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