how to survive your office holiday party by Alison Green on December 10, 2024 It’s December, which means it’s the season of office holiday parties, and all the etiquette landmines that come along with them: should you bring a date or go solo? Can you drink or should you stick to seltzer? Can you huddle by the cookie table with your work BFF or do you have to socialize […] Read the full article →
the sandwich party, the goat shrine, and other unusual office traditions by Alison Green on November 27, 2024 I asked last week about unusual office traditions you’ve seen or experienced, and here are 15 of my favorites you shared. 1. The PB&J party We once had a coworker who was a young, single guy right out of college and living on his own for the first time. He always forgot to buy groceries, […] Read the full article →
I have no idea what to get for the office gift exchange by Alison Green on November 26, 2024 A reader writes: I’ve signed up to participate in my office’s gift swap, where everyone is supposed to bring a wrapped gift and we’ll each pick one to open. I think it’s a Yankee Swap, where people will pick one at a time and then can either keep what they opened or “steal” someone else’s […] Read the full article →
we’re supposed to buy liquor and ski passes for our bosses by Alison Green on November 25, 2024 A reader writes: Last year, soon after I’d started a new job as a mid-level manager at a 30-person firm, I was surprised to get an email before the holidays requesting a donation for a surprise group gift from all the employees to the three partners who head my firm. Those partners are lovely people, […] Read the full article →
how much socializing at work is too much? by Alison Green on November 21, 2024 A reader writes: I am a manager at an office of 35 employees and everyone is fairly autonomous in managing their workload. We’re a pretty social and casual group, so it’s no big deal for people to socialize with one another to a certain extent. However, I’ve recently noticed that there seem to be more […] Read the full article →
when office potlucks and catered parties go wrong by Alison Green on November 7, 2024 As we approach to the season of office potlucks, catered parties, and other holiday meals with coworkers, let’s discuss the many ways in which they can go wrong — from alarming cuisine to cheap-ass rolls to riots over the chili cook-off to tantrums over insufficiently abundant shrimp. Please share your stories of potlucks, cooking competitions, […] Read the full article →
should you require video on during team meetings? by Alison Green on November 6, 2024 A reader writes: I manage a team of 15 that holds a Zoom meeting once per week. While they work independently most of the time, there are major projects where everyone has to be on the same page, and we get updates during these meetings. I’ve noticed that the people who turn their video off […] Read the full article →
is it OK to ask my team to do working lunches? by Alison Green on October 29, 2024 A reader writes: I have a question about working lunches. I manage a small team, and I recently held a brainstorming session for some professional development ideas for next year that the whole team can participate in. One of the options I suggested is (company-sponsored) lunch and learns, where we watch a work-related webinar and […] Read the full article →
Halloween at work can be a fright show by Alison Green on October 28, 2024 Pity your beleaguered colleagues in HR this week, because Halloween in offices can be frightening in all the wrong ways. You’d think workplace Halloween celebrations would be enjoyable: It’s a holiday centered around costumes and candy, after all. And many offices do manage to make Halloween a good time. Sometimes, though, things go awry. At […] Read the full article →
how do people handle highly visible workspaces? by Alison Green on October 24, 2024 A reader writes: This is a low-stakes question, but I’m curious if anyone else is bothered by open-office floor plans (or otherwise very visible work spaces) and if so, any tips on how to deal with feeling strangely “on display” at all times? I work a non-customer-facing office job. I haven’t worked a true customer […] Read the full article →