asking for time off when coworkers don’t, odd bathroom restrictions, and more

Ask a Manager

FEBRUARY 8, 2016

It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go…. 1. Manager told me not to go to the bathroom between 8 and 8:05 a.m. work from 8:00 a.m. – 6 p.m., and maybe am a minute or two late at times, that’s it. came in yesterday on time, went to my desk, put everything down (purse, coat, etc.), and went to use the bathroom. As I’m coming out of the bathroom, my manager said that I was three minutes late. told him I was on time but I was in the bathroom. He said, “You were on time?” I said yes. Then he said, “Well, don’t go to the bathroom between 8:00 a.m. Talk to her!

Compensation 52

Compensation Wellness System Training 52

putting fanfiction on a resume, telling an ex-friend’s employer what she’s really like, and more

Ask a Manager

FEBRUARY 7, 2016

It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go…. 1. Should I put fanfiction on my resume? I’m a college student putting a resume together for the first time and your blog has been a huge help. There is, however, one thing I am unsure of. That’s if I should include my fanfiction on my resume. I’ve published over 83,000 words of fanfiction in 2015 alone. One of my works is in the top 2% of all stories in its fandom, which I am of course very proud of. However, I’m worried that listing this will weird out employers or come off as unprofessional or out of touch. Any ideas?

Time and Attendance 51

Time and Attendance Conference Workday Trends 51

low performers in my office are paraded around and forced to wear dunce caps

Ask a Manager

FEBRUARY 10, 2016

If you didn’t read Friday’s open thread, you missed out on this amazing story , which almost already wins Bad Boss of 2016 (but that can’t happen because it’s only February and that would demoralize all the other bad boss contenders out there, who are doing such good work toward the title too). Here it is in all of its horror and glory: I need some advice on how to survive in a company that both praises and shames publicly. I’ve been at this company of about 350 people for eight months. Most everyone can hear what’s going on inside the square. Dunce caps! Dunce caps.

Study 37

Study System How To Examples 37

employer asked “do you have a translation of the Latin?” about my diploma

Ask a Manager

FEBRUARY 12, 2016

A reader writes: I’m back from meeting HR for my very first job, and something so absurd happened I had to share it with you. I’m working for city government so there were 100 pages of paperwork for me to fill out before this meeting, and I had to bring originals of certain documents, i.e. social security card, passport, etc. I had the option to bring either my diploma or transcript as proof of education. hate my school’s registrar’s office, and my diploma hasn’t left its packing tube left so I opted to bring that along. For my diploma! In case I forged it!

Staffing 26

Staffing Exercises Conference Meeting 26

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should you penalize job candidates who apply at the last minute?

Ask a Manager

FEBRUARY 12, 2016

A reader writes: How do you feel about job applicants who wait until the very last day/minute to apply for a position? I’m hiring and have had a posting up for just over three weeks and received plenty of applications, but received a mountain on the very last day, and I find this happens often. have a hard time not regarding these applicants as procrastinators who may just as easily turn in their assignments at the very last minute. Granted, a couple might have just discovered the posting, but I somehow doubt that’s the case for all of them (and sadly I won’t know who’s who). hiring

How To 22

How To 22

should you put the job title you’re applying for on your resume?

Ask a Manager

FEBRUARY 8, 2016

A reader writes: I find myself unemployed again because I moved with my husband for his work. As part of his relocation package, I’ve been offered the help of a job coach.The first thing my job coach did was retool my resume. This is my first experience using this type of help and I’m on the fence about it. Even though my coach asked me a million questions to tailor my resume (that part I did appreciate), when I got it back, instead of the profile I had, it read “Job Title Goes Here,” followed by a list of keywords and skills. Get rid of that. resumes

Coaching 20

Coaching Competencies System Recruitment 20

weekend free-for-all – February 6-7, 2016

Ask a Manager

FEBRUARY 6, 2016

This comment section is open for any non-work-related discussion you’d like to have with other readers, by popular demand. This one is truly no work and no school. If you have a work question, you can email it to me or post it in the work-related open thread on Fridays.). weekend free-for-all – February 6-7, 2016 was originally published by Alison Green on Ask a Manager. open threads

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telling my boss someone doesn’t want to work with him, an ageist job applicant, and more

Ask a Manager

FEBRUARY 10, 2016

It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go…. 1. Telling my creepy boss that a contact wants to work with me and not him. How do I tell my creepy boss that his former business contact wants to work with me and not him? work as a part-time independent contractor for a company. My boss is a good guy, but often comes off as creepy and inappropriate (I haven’t figured out a way to tell him this yet). Not too long ago, we lost a contract with another business, partly because the manager no longer wanted to work with my boss (things apparently ended badly there). What do you think?

Policies 15

Policies Study Company Industry 15

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How To

my employee wants to be micromanaged

Ask a Manager

FEBRUARY 9, 2016

A reader writes: I’m having an issue with one of my employees who hasn’t been improving, and I’m not quite sure how to better the situation. work for an organization where everyone takes on a lot of responsibility and, in short, I have an employee who wants to be micromanaged. Basically, my employee is paralyzed unless I explicitly give direction to get something done. You have my blessing.” ” I’ve tried just plain ignoring to see if the pressure will make her move. I’ve tried hinting, which I hate because it’s passive-aggressive. good managemen

Coaching 13

Coaching Course Meeting Examples 13

do you expect your staff to read your mind?

Ask a Manager

FEBRUARY 9, 2016

Does this sound familiar? You’ve delegated work and thought that you and your staff person were on the same page about what to do, but when the work comes back to you, it’s really different from what you thought it would be. Or, you’re frustrated because your team didn’t prioritize the items you cared about most, or spent too much time on something that you don’t think has much value. All too often, when managers are frustrated over what feels like lack of alignment, it’s because they assumed that their staff understood what they wanted – but didn’t actually make it clear. You can read it here.

How To 11

How To 11

people keep telling me how hot my field is, I got a bad reference but don’t know who it was, and more

Ask a Manager

FEBRUARY 11, 2016

It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go…. 1. People keep telling me how hot my field is, while I’m unemployed. I’m unemployed and making a huge effort to network. work in scientific computing in an area with a ton of scientific industry, but I’ve been looking for eight or nine months. It’s starting to seem likely that the reason I’m not getting much interest is that I don’t have a PhD, but that’s not what I’m here for (I figure commenters will be curious). Ah, this is tricky because you’re there specifically to network. or not at all).

Time and Attendance 6

Time and Attendance Meeting Industry Conference 6

can I decline a personality test, coworkers are trying to reassign my work, and more

Ask a Manager

FEBRUARY 9, 2016

It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go…. 1. Can I decline to take a personality test during a hiring process? I’m about to head into a third interview, and I was just asked to take a personality test and cognitive aptitude test. I am incredibly uncomfortable with a personality test and said as much – but am willing to take the cognitive aptitude test. I don’t feel personality tests are useful or conclusive in any way. Am I blowing the interview? Absent either of those factors, they’re likely to take “won’t play the game” as “self-selecting out.”. 2. Just be direct!

Screening 6

Screening Software Competencies Groups 6

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Strategy

I think my boss just hired my replacement, but hasn’t told me

Ask a Manager

FEBRUARY 8, 2016

A reader writes: I think my boss hired my replacement. I’ve only been at my job for three months, but something doesn’t feel right. I’ll list reasons below: 1. Boss just hired a director’s replacement, and everyone knows except the director. The director and his replacement will be working together in the next few months. The director thinks his replacement was hired for a different position. 2. NH went up to boss to talk about project management software (I’m a PM/EA) and he quickly walked away with him until they were out of earshot. Surely word gets out.).

Competencies 6

Competencies Software How To 6

can I block people from walking through my office, who should my reference be, and more

Ask a Manager

FEBRUARY 12, 2016

It’s four answers to four questions. Here we go…. 1. Would it be unreasonable to block people from walking through my office? I’m the manager of a medium business, with 15 full-time and 6 part-time employees in addition to myself. Our building has just been renovated, and it has changed the layout a lot. Three doors now lead off the foyer: the bathroom, the hallway to the general work areas, and my office. The trouble is that our new break room is where an old storeroom used to be, with one door leading into a work area and the other directly into my office. Here are my options: 1.

Company 3

Company Report Wellness How To 3

open thread – February 12-13, 2016

Ask a Manager

FEBRUARY 12, 2016

It’s the Friday open thread! The comment section on this post is open for discussion with other readers on anything work-related that you want to talk about. If you want an answer from me, emailing me is still your best bet*, but this is a chance to talk to other readers. * If you submitted a question to me recently, please don’t repost it here, as it may be in the to-be-answered queue :). open threads

How To 3

How To 3

my coworkers mercilessly tease me about my drunken holiday party behavior

Ask a Manager

FEBRUARY 9, 2016

A reader writes: I’m hoping you can help me with this humiliating situation I’ve gotten myself into. Two months ago at the company holiday party, I got blackout drunk and made a fool of myself. Nothing fireable, but I was literally falling-over drunk. I did some embarrassing drunk dancing, inappropriate joking around, and a LOT of cursing (not AT anyone, just in my speech, when I’m usually very buttoned-up at work). I am so deeply ashamed and horrified at my behavior. realized that I have a drinking problem and I need help. Meanwhile at work, no one will let it go.

Meeting 3

Meeting Company 3

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how to get heard at meetings — especially if you’re soft-spoken or introverted

Ask a Manager

FEBRUARY 11, 2016

It pays to speak up and contribute in meetings. But if you’re someone who finds it tough to speak up when others don’t leave you a natural opening – or worse, interrupt you – how can you get your voice heard? Even the terrified-of-speaking-in-groups and the soft-spoken can get heard in meetings if you have the right strategy. At At Intuit QuickBase’s Fast Track blog today, I talk about how to do it. You can read it here. work habits

Groups 1

Groups Strategy Meeting How To 1

my new boss treats me like a personal assistant

Ask a Manager

FEBRUARY 10, 2016

A reader writes: I’m a departmental assistant at my current job. have been here 2-1/2 years and I like my job, but recently my old boss was let go and a new boss started. Our company is set up so that each department has an assistant who helps with the administrative work functions for that department. That’s always been my job. But my new boss is very demeaning and is always telling me to do personal, non-work related tasks for her. None of the other assistants have to do any of this, and I didn’t have to do it in the past. You can read my answer to this question over at Inc.

Company 1

Company 1

if you must have an office romance, here’s how to keep it professional

Ask a Manager

FEBRUARY 8, 2016

There are lots of good reasons not to date coworkers, but if you’re already caught up in a workplace romance, that advice doesn’t do you any good. Instead, your challenge now is how to make sure your relationship doesn’t jeopardize your professional reputation or make the rest of your coworkers uncomfortable. At U.S. News & World Report, I offer some cardinal rules of office romance. You can read it here. You may also like: LinkedIn is not a dating site should you date a coworker? family, spouses & significant others

Report 1

Report How To 1

should I take the first job I can, just to get out of a bad situation?

Ask a Manager

FEBRUARY 10, 2016

A reader writes: I am in the process of interviewing and applying for other jobs. definitely want to find a place that is the right fit for me, but I need to get out of this job as soon as I can because it is causing stress in all aspects of my life. What do you say about taking the first job that gives an offer, even if it may not be the best fit? It also means you could end up in a job that you’re not good at and get fired from. Then you’re unemployed, with a firing to explain, and an unhelpful reference from your most recent employer. and so forth. job searching

Screening 0

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Employee Engagement

Linkage

FEBRUARY 8, 2016

There’s a very simple reason why Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap…and Others Don’t by Jim Collins is as relevant and influential today as when it was first published in 2001. One of their most significant and well-reported findings is that good is the enemy of great. These leaders are special. They make a difference. And all of these skills and competencies can be developed.

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Competencies Compensation Company Report 94

ClearCompany HRM

FEBRUARY 8, 2016

“Clear organizational goals can drive employee efforts throughout the organization. But if employees do not know what the organization's goals are, those goals lose the ability they have to energize employees towards their achievement. Communicating organizational goals to employees is essential for achieving those desired outcomes.” - OPM.gov. Yes, we’re talking in the candidate stage. A.

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Onboarding Survey 82

RecognizeThis!

FEBRUARY 8, 2016

by Derek Irvine. Research is split on what happens to the motivation of people who see others get recognized. One solution is to simply recognize everyone. There is quite the interesting debate shaping up among researchers looking into the motivational potential of recognition. Simply put, if I see you being recognized for excellent work, will I be motivated to step up my game or not?

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Course Data Analytics Study 81

UpstartHR

FEBRUARY 8, 2016

You know I’m a big fan of Freakonomics. talk about them fairly often. This is due in part to the nature of the content–it’s not explicitly about HR, recruiting, or business. It just ties in nicely with what we do, as you’ll see in this post. During a recent episode , the host talked with a professional economic forecaster about what it takes to be great at forecasting. The

Data 77

Data Examples Recruitment How To 77

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Today’s workplace is characterized by chaotic forces—low employee engagement and productivity levels, and declining employee well being. HR Leaders have a critical role in defining the vision and strategy to transform and create a more productive and happy workplace.

Productivity

Globoforce

FEBRUARY 9, 2016

What will it take to make our organizations more transparent and more collaborative? Are we focusing on the right skills to develop the next generation of leaders? How can we finally move beyond the 100-year-old, top-down—inhuman—management model? These are some of the challenges that WorkHuman 2016 speaker Dr. Gary Hamel is most passionate about. ” – @profhamel Click To Tweet.

Meeting 72

Meeting Tools System How To 72

PeopleDoc

FEBRUARY 8, 2016

HR is usually put in one of two buckets: Insider hr

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ClearCompany HRM

FEBRUARY 9, 2016

Welcome back to the ClearCompany Goals series! This month we’re talking all about goals and how to use them to drive your company and your employees to engaged and productive success. At ClearCompany, we believe that identifying goals, aligning goals and creating employee performance goal (link to previous goals article) (linked to business outcomes) is a core focus of Talent Management and HR.

Talent Management 70

Talent Management Productivity How To Company 70

Get Hppy

FEBRUARY 8, 2016

Even if managing remote employees is becoming a more widespread phenomenon, many leaders stills struggle with one of its key aspects – employee recognition. It doesn’t matter whether employees work on-site or remotely – obviously, they need to be engaged and motivated all the same. Unfortunately, without the opportunities for spontaneous ‘Good job!’ Gamify it.

Exercises 70

Exercises Team Building Course Meeting 70

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Training and development professionals often bemoan the lack of apparent initiative in their trainees. Learning professionals spend huge sums of money creating or acquiring skill aligned libraries of learning content, only to watch almost helplessly as learners refuse to engage with any training available that isn’t mandatory.

Linkage

FEBRUARY 9, 2016

Today, we are featuring a guest blog post by one of our Women in Leadership Institute ™ faculty members, Kate Nugent. Most recently, Kate led a learning session on Building Brand and Presence at our 2015 Institute. Here, she shares four practical ways that you can build your leadership presence. We’ve come a long way, but we have a long way to go. And that presence is always noticed. Use silence.

Groups 69

Groups Training Meeting Productivity 69

nettime solutions

FEBRUARY 10, 2016

It’s important to be able to forecast effectively so you’re able to streamline your workflow productivity levels. Having a clear understanding of your labor analytics can help you identify your staffing needs when and where you need them. The infographic below illustrates just how important a time and attendance system is to maximize employee productivity levels. business growth scheduling

Productivity 67

Productivity Staffing Analytics Time and Attendance 67

Why 360 Feedback?

Decision-Wise

FEBRUARY 11, 2016

Why 360 Feedback? Without feedback, we tend to invent our own reality. Using  360-degree feedback  is a vital part of performance, growth, and development. Understanding ourselves and how we interact with others helps us understand the impact we have on those around us. This is where 360 feedback comes in. Targeted Development. Focuses on personal and career development. Team Effectiveness.

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Career Development Groups Wellness 96

TriNet

FEBRUARY 8, 2016

Employees don’t leave companies; they leave bosses. You may have heard this old business adage before. But what types of bosses do people leave? And, more importantly, are you one of them? The diva I. Visit site for full story. Leadership Horrible Bosses

Company 66

Company 66

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Needed: A shift from traditional performance management systems (organized as an annual review process) to newer performance development systems (organized around real-time dynamics). Download part one in a series to gain insight into why this shift must happen and why it needs to happening now

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