11/11/2008

Worker worried she'll be laid off in company scaledown
My employer says revenue has gone way down. If I'm laid off, how do I handle things with potential employers? 

10/28/2008

Worker uncomfortable with office politics
I work in a pretty small office where everyone including the big boss is a Republican except for me. 

10/14/2008

Rotating schedule leaves employees' heads spinning
My boss has been tapped for a job in D.C. and his secretary told me that he plans to have three of us in the department rotate as the acting department head until the permanent one is selected. 

09/30/2008

Manager not told fired co-worker was re-hired
Our district manager had me tell the employee that she no longer had a job. A couple of weeks ago, he decided to rehire this area manager because no one who put in for it met his standards and he wanted someone who knew the ropes of our business.

09/16/2008

Office pranks getting too much for lone female employee
Basically, the guys act like they're back in grade school or high school and they treat me like I'm their little sister -- hiding my car keys; papering my office; turning everything upside down in my office.

09/02/2008

The devil is in the details
Even though my new web development client understood the need for the items I requested and she knows that I brought these things up when I verbally accepted the job, she will not provide them since I didn't put them in my confirmation letter.

08/19/2008

New manager needs advice on quieting talkative employee
With several complaints from several different people, this has obviously become a distraction to others. Without being crass, how can I say everyone thinks you talk too much?

08/05/2008

Worker may not have full story on boss's attitude
I have a co-worker who is so frustrated with our boss and the way he shows his concern for her and the rest of us, or better said, the way he could care less about any of us.

07/22/2008

Worker unhappy about equal raises for unequal work
The employee who really didn't deserve any kind of a raise has quite a mouth on her. No one, not even the boss, likes dealing with her.

07/10/2008

New hire ticked off with new boss
I couldn't believe she would do something like that to me. She knew that it was a very hard decision for me to take the job because it's in a different department and she's the only person I know there. Do you think I should have said something?

06/24/2008

New employee doesn't want to get 'hosed' on first day
I typically don't wear pantyhose, but I'm torn as to how I should show up on my first day at work.

06/10/2008

Boss's unprofessional rant concerns restaurant worker
He tells me to give him a "flipping" break and that I will need to show him documentation in two weeks after I come back.

05/27/2008

Morale sinks when boss fails to share credit with staff
The four of us were so psyched to receive recognition from an outside association, but when our boss announced the reward, he took all the credit. We're thinking of giving him a piece of our mind.

05/20/2008

Boss wants assistant's respect
My assistant is a passive aggressive person. We have a rocky relationship; we never see eye-to-eye on things.

05/13/2008

Worker insulted by co-worker's attitude
My boss told me to handle a printer maintenance issue. When I phoned the driver of our company to pick up the printer, he said he had other work to do.

05/06/2008

Sylists upset with salon owner
She charges me and other senior stylists the same fees she charges the newer stylists, but it should be considerably less.

04/29/2008

Worker criticized for criticizing management
I just can't stand people who bash those of us in management and then turn around and decide that they want to be one of us.

04/22/2008

Baker is frosted over wedding cake request
After I made the offer to make the cake for free, my friend told me that she wanted me to make a cake she had seen on the web and that the number of people coming had increased from 120 people to 160.

04/15/2008

Worker's growing tired of no time off
My boss has no problem finding someone to fill in for me when he wants to have a meeting with all of us managers, but when I want to take a day off he can't seem to find anyone.

04/08/2008

Restaurant manager says money talk is out of line
I am so mad at one of the other managers. I have heard from a trusted employee that she has told some of my employees how much money they can make if they work at my store.

04/01/2008

Proposed gas allowance cap drives worker crazy
Our management's proposal to keep gas costs down makes no sense because we all drive different kinds of vehicles and some of us live closer to work than others.

03/25/2008

Salesman says boss crushes morale
Sales and morale have been in the toilet, so we thought our idea could only help. Our boss's response only demoralized us more, which sure didn't help sales.

03/18/2008

Worker worried about input in 360 review
Even though my boss and colleagues know how competent and professional I am, I'm very concerned about my assistant participating in this 360 thing. We have butted heads quite a bit.

03/11/2008

Office manager reprimands entire staff for one employee's slip-up
The office manager took the easy way out, which caused all the staff to freak out and wonder who the notice pertained to. This mess is so aggravating and gets very old.

03/04/2008

PTs say tattler needs to give it a rest
If she sees that one or more of us appears to be monopolizing equipment or using it longer than we should be, she will immediately go tattle to our general manager.

02/26/2008

Salon worker says beauty shop boss is beast to work for
She yelled at me like I was 4 years old, but what added to the humiliation is that she did this in front of other employees, one of my customers and some customers I didn't know.

02/19/2008

Applicant fears commute statement may jeopardize chance for job
I'm worried that I may not get a job I interviewed for because the company may think that the only reason I applied for it is because it is less than five miles from my house.

02/12/2008

Party planner left holding the bag on gift bag costs
I charge a flat fee for the parties and then $7.00 for each child's gift bag. At a recent party, I was paid my flat fee but the family didn't include the $84 for the 12 bags.

02/05/2008

Frustration mounts because everyone seems to need reminders
Why is it that when I call someone and ask him or her to do something for me on a certain date, they tell me to call him or her again to remind them??? Give me a break!

01/29/2008

Worker feels blindsided by boss
My boss continually pretends to have previously asked for a task to be accomplished that she had never asked for in the first place.

01/22/2008

Customer uncomfortable that company discusses costs in public
What kills me is how the proprietors of a business I have to frequent for medicinal purposes discuss the costs of their services with clients out in the waiting room area in front of everyone else.

01/15/2008

Rudeness frustrates co-worker
I've tried your advice of having a respectful talk with a co-worker I've had problems with for quite some time. In a nutshell, this co-worker treats me like crap.

01/08/2008

Start 2008 with H.E.A.R.T.
I believe there are ways to improve a work environment. We can tackle workplace woes with H.E.A.R.T. -- Honesty, Empathy, Adaptability, Responsibility, and Teamwork -- enveloped in passion and respect.

12/18/2007

Worker feels like prisoner at work
I literally am not allowed to move from my desk when my boss is in. I can't even go to the restroom when it's not my lunch break unless she's working out of town or in a meeting outside the office.

12/11/2007

Employee feels unappreciated during Employee Appreciation Week
My boss's handling of the occasion was so pathetic that I can't help but laugh to keep from crying. I'm hoping that if any bosses read my email to you, they will learn something from my boss's faux pas.

12/04/2007

Contract worker angry over apparent lies about pay
A person in the company told me the woman in charge of my contracts has plenty of money to pay me more and that all the other contractors who provide similar services to mine are being paid more.

11/27/2007

Laid off experienced worker wants to stay put
I want to remain in the Hampton Roads area, but I am finding that I made more money than most jobs in my field are paying in this area. How do I say in my cover letter that the opportunity is more important than the money?

01/30/2007

Veteran secretary rattled by crafty newcomer
She is all about herself and I know she wants to dethrone me. She thinks she should be the secretary with all the power and major duties because she works for the big boss.

01/09/2007

Student worker having trouble with 'known troublemaker'
The director placed me with a known troublemaker. Other employees have told me he is trying to get me into trouble and trying to run me off. What should I do?

01/02/2007

Angry confrontation on job leaves worker stressed out
The company just wasn't aware that there are different personality types and not everyone is going to be able to play nice and get along.

11/21/2006

Boss's holiday party bad-mouthed by employee
He's going around the office, bashing my party and telling everyone (except me) that he won't be going to it. I'm very tempted to tell this employee that I don't want him to attend, since I've been told and overheard him tell people that he won't be coming.