can I keep working from home after my office re-opens? by Alison Green on January 14, 2021 A reader writes: I’m a young professional who works with a major company making a very good salary for my area and age. I’m very lucky to have gotten this job, and I don’t want to leave it anytime soon. Due to life circumstances I still live with my parents, and I haven’t gotten enough […] Read the full article →
the head of my division gave me (and my niece and friend) COVID-19 and no one cares by Alison Green on January 13, 2021 A reader writes: I’m working remotely but I had to go in for a once-a-year task that can only be done from the office and is legally required to be completed. While I was there, I ran into my division head (my manager’s manager). She said she was asked to quickly pick something by her […] Read the full article →
was my company right to fire my coworker for accidentally sending me a graphic email? by Alison Green on January 12, 2021 A reader writes: I have a question about a situation that occurred quite a while ago. How it was handled has always bothered me, but I don’t know if maybe I was too close to the situation to see clearly, so I’d like your take. I was working on a matter with a colleague, and […] Read the full article →
my coworker asked me to hide my breast milk because she doesn’t like seeing it in the office fridge by Alison Green on January 11, 2021 A reader writes: I have been pumping breast milk for over a year and today came across an issue at work. A coworker stopped me before I went in to pump to make a request: she would like me to keep my pump parts and breast milk bottles in a sealed bag. She said that […] Read the full article →
can we all just keep working from home forever now? by Alison Green on January 7, 2021 A reader writes: I’ve been working from home for five years. I know that some people currently work from home due to the pandemic hate it, but many love it and will want to continue after the pandemic ends. Their companies or managers wouldn’t allow it in the past. What I am wondering is: are […] Read the full article →
should I disclose my depression to my boss? by Alison Green on January 5, 2021 A reader writes: Does it ever make sense to let an employer know that you suffer from depression? I take an antidepressant daily. I’m not seeing a therapist. I would call it more of a functional depression, where I can live with it, but at times it can feel worse and I have to force […] Read the full article →
I work at a boarding school and my partner can’t visit during the week because we’re unmarried by Alison Green on January 5, 2021 A reader writes: It’s pandemic times now, but this question will still hold once things have calmed down. I am a residential faculty member at a boarding school, just out of college. I have a partner of several years who lives a couple hours away by train, and I would like him to be able […] Read the full article →
my coworker gives me a gift every year — should I be reciprocating? by Alison Green on December 8, 2020 A reader writes: I work on a small team where everyone is pretty friendly. Usually for the holidays, my co-workers and I exchange cards or leave baked goods in the kitchen for people to share. But one of my co-workers gives me a gift every year. It’s nothing extravagant – a candle one year, a […] Read the full article →
Microsoft is removing the user names from its creepy “productivity score” by Alison Green on December 2, 2020 In response to a backlash, Microsoft has agreed to remove the user names from its new “Productivity Score” function that we talked about earlier this week. To recap, they’d unveiled a feature last month that would have let employers track how their employees use Microsoft’s tools across 73 different measures — including things like how […] Read the full article →
Microsoft’s creepy new “productivity score” tells your boss how often you attend meetings, answer email, and use Word by Alison Green on November 30, 2020 If your workplace uses Microsoft Office products, be aware that the company launched a new “Productivity Score” feature this month, which lets employers track how their employees use Microsoft’s tools across 73 different measures — including things like how frequently you send emails, how often you turn your camera on during virtual meetings, how often […] Read the full article →