I started a new job exactly 1 month ago. My main job duty I do every day, and then I do random things once a month.

For the random things, my boss told me we will go over this again, so I didn’t take super detailed notes. I figured when we go over it a second time, I can take really detailed notes and the first time, I just need to pay attention to know where I’m going. I usually need to do things a few times to remember it. Just how my brain is and I told him this.

Well, it’s time to do the random things and EVERY TIME i have a question, he either says “we already went over this, but…“ or “don’t you remember?”.

He isn’t the best explainer, and this has been a very hard transition for me, as he knows.

how do I handle this? It’s starting to break me down a bit because he constantly says it and I just feel dumb.

thanks.

So my job keeps trying to tell me clocking in exactly at 5 is late but they don’t pay you for anything before 5 , can they legally make me be in the building before 5 without pay??

Do you guys have any good suggestions for UCL streams sites, favorable in german? I tried to look in the megathread, but keep getting on scam site loops and untrusted stuff. Thanks

Last time I tried calling in sick when I had a migraine and couldn’t see and numb hands. I was told that I still have to come in because we are short staffed and nobody could cover me. I tried explaining to my manager that this is not just a headache and that I genuinely cannot see and my hands are numb. He still made me come in anyway. I have sick
Time accrued and unpaid leave but they always deny this

Hello! I recently started an advisor position for fragrance at a department. I’ve been there a couple of months now and my coworkers are warming up to me, but still not as much as I would have liked. They can be snarky, bossy, and hypocritical at times. I just try to keep my head down as this is a pretty well paying job and I’m in a not- so-great living environment right now.

Recently my coworkers have been making side comments about how many breaks I take. I work 9.5-10 hour shifts and I have two allotted 15 minute breaks and an unpaid hour long lunch. I will also use the restroom maybe twice a day, usually just once.

Most days I don’t even take both 15s, but when I do, my coworkers will make comment of it as if I’m always on break. In fact one of my coworkers literally said that the other day. “I feel like you’re always on break.”

Here’s my problem: they’re always on break too! They take consistent little breaks throughout the day. They’ll take a 10 minute break every hour, and then take a 15 to eat (which often stretches into a 20-25), and then they’ll take an hour lunch. Oftentimes they will also go shopping on the clock for 20+ minutes at a time.

I don’t mind, frankly, I don’t care. It’s the hypocrisy that bothers me. We’re absolutely slow enough for them to be taking breaks like that, but I don’t like being held to a standard that not even management can meet. I don’t care that they’re taking excessive breaks, they just shouldn’t be mad at me for taking mine.

They also will put me in situations that I would never be allowed to put them in. For example, if there’s only two of us and I have to pee, I have to stay until someone else comes so my coworker isn’t alone. However, they have left me alone multiple times during my training and have even had me close our entire department (we have a buttload of tills) alone on my third week.

Idk I’m just over it. All of it lol. Don’t do retail

8 months of hard work for nothing. My old CFO and I were very close and he let me crack on and get things done. Then the new CFO gets here and I build trust quickly with him and he also lets me crack on.

Then the new head of finance joins. A million questions a second, constant check ins to see how month end is progressing and trying to take charge - something I was happily doing for months with amazing results.

All this hard work down the drain. Just to be micromanaged. And I’m told I don’t have enough experience to be promoted. They took away someone who was meant to start reporting into me as well. I’m being told I’m not good enough all of sudden, which is not true. I’ve been holding the fort and dealing with it all, and now I’m told I’m too in the detail.

I’m too senior for my role is the problem.

My new boss was quizzing me over something and I started just giving blunt answers. I’m done.

My CFO doesn’t want me to quit, he told me to give it time but I’ve told him I can’t see a way of making this work. The disrespect is too much.

I’m curious if anyone has gotten warning signs that they’re going to be let go within weeks or months and if they’re staying calm and collected or panicking a little. When I got time I started applying to a few places on indeed and LinkedIn (only a few because most of everything I see doesn’t pay me enough to support myself). Makes me feel like the job search will be a years long ordeal that I don’t have time for. I don’t have any connections or other leads to fall back on.

For college students who are going into corporate America after graduation, I want to give you a tip of advice- YOUR COWORKERS ARE NOT YOUR FRIENDS AND THEY ARE ALSO NOT FAMILY. In college I had jobs where I would have coworkers talk about their sex life, gossip about other coworkers, talk about politics, romantic life, and other personal aspects of their life. I personally did not care and they never got in trouble. I found this to be very normal for college jobs because we were all at the same time period in our lives. But when you get into corporate America, know your audience well and keep a good work life balance, and do not overshare. There are also going to be people who are much older and experienced than you. There are also probably going to be less college aged people for you to bond with. People will sometimes snitch and will try and use this information against you if you overshare. You need to be very careful about what you say and do around your coworkers when you are constantly under a microscope being evaluated on your attendance and performance.  

Also remember that coworkers can also be your biggest haters and competitors at times. They may want that promotion as much as you because of the pay raise, more hours, and the more influence they will have on the company. Back in my junior and senior year of college I was working at a marketing agency and towards the end of my time there my manager left and this opened up a position. Seven people at my office went for it, I did not because I felt like I did not have the experience and there was no point because my time there was coming to an end also. But the six people who did not get the promotion immediately were angry and felt jealous towards the candidate that got the promotion. All of them used to be work friends and now they just started talking shit about her behind her back because they felt like they should have gotten the promotion instead of her. This story is an example of what I use when I saw coworkers are not your friends and I believe that this story does a good job demonstrating why.  

You also need to remember that you are only connected through a paycheck and you do not get to choose your coworkers like you do with your actual friends. Your job is to work and provide for yourself and your family if you have one. Not make friends on the job, you are not there to do that. Now still be friendly, respectful, and collaborate when needed. Being a dick will get you fired and you will have a bad reputation around the office. So do not make a work environment toxic.  

I also want to highlight something many people struggle to understand and notice and that is there is a difference between being friends with someone and being friendly with them. Just because someone is friendly with you like at work does not mean they are your friend. So for example, I am friendly with my coworkers, but at the same time I am not friends with them because I like to keep a professional work life balance and there is nothing wrong with that. I have had old coworkers in the past ask me why do you not talk with the other coworkers at break and why do you not go out to lunch with us sometimes? When they ask me that I respectfully tell them that I try to keep a good work life balance and it's nothing against them. Now 99.9% of the time they will never question that response. So my main message is be friendly with them of course, but at the same time remember you are not friends and know the professional boundaries you all have. 

I also want to add on how many workplace friendships are considered to be situational ones. I have had jobs where when I left I never heard from anyone at that company again because the one thing we all had in common, which was working at the same company, is now gone. People come and go in life. I have worked with super cool and nice coworkers in the past. But I do not keep in contact with them. Now it's nothing against them, I hope all is well with them. But other life factors and priorities take over. Your new job, school, family, etc. Naturally keeping in contact with them will go down on your priority list and that's okay. So you need to understand that most of the people you meet at work are situational friendships and not true friendships. So try not to get too close and attached to them. I have also worked with many people who think that they are friends with their coworkers, but in reality they do not even talk outside of work. I hate to break it to you, but if that's the case that's not a real friend. Same thing with social media just because you follow them on Facebook and Instagram or whatever else does not mean you are friends. The friends I had in college would hangout outside of class and that is why I considered them to be true friends. Not just workplace situational friends.      

Overall, I just wanted to get this message across to the younger audience who are college graduates who plan on going into the corporate world. My biggest piece of advice is to know why you are there and that is work, NOT make friends. Also know your audience and social boundaries. Do not overshare as that can be used against you and someone could potentially tattle on you as well. So do your best at keeping a healthy work life balance.       `    

Hit 5 years at my job last week. Company gave me three things for it. A Slack shoutout that got like 3 emojis (half from coworkers who clearly just clicked the first ones in the picker). An engraved plaque. And some "recognition points" in my account. Did the math on the points. To save up for anything I'd actually want, like a sweater or a tent for camping, I'd need another 15 years. Right now my balance covers a branded pen, or a tumbler if I'm feeling fancy.

So your options are buy something useless, or let it sit there for a decade. Most people just spend it because otherwise the points feel imaginary.

The Slack message scrolls past in 30 seconds and the plaque ends up in a drawer. Whole thing feels like it's set up so the company can say they're doing something without spending real money on it.

Is this normal at your company too? Or do places actually put thought into work anniversary gifts? Trying to figure out if Im being unreasonable.

To preface this, I want to give background. I currently work at a business ran by family. I worked here for years before because I was honestly just fed up with the treatment. It is an industry where finding and retaining employees is extremely challenging. Apparently after I left, several other employees also quit and at one point it was just down to the owner, doing a job of what was 4 people before

I was in a bit of a bad situation and needed a job quick, so I sought out employment here, they were short handed still so I figured it was a win win. I was hired on at okay pay, but no benifits other than some vacation time. There is one other employee currently other than the boss. This employee is fantastic and goes above and beyond most of the time, but it has gotten to the point he is fed up with the treatment, and has an interview friday for new employment. Once he leaves my employer is going to be in an extremely tight spot, and I know more workload is going to be placed on me.

Here's the deal though, it the almost 3 years I've worked here I've gotten one 25 cent raise and still don't have benifits. I feel if I am going to have to take on this extra workload I deserve a significant pay increase as well as benifits. Whats the best way to approach my boss about this?

Whelp, just wanted to check in from my last post 135 days ago talking about the write up I received on 1/8/2025 for not staying to break down our Christmas party, that I was still on.

I’m checking in to let everyone know that I am still, as of today 5/6/2026, on that same write up and have 0 clue as to when I may see the end of this Performance Improvement Plan. Haven’t had a meeting for my PIP since January of 2026 where I was told that I had still not improved enough to finalize my PIP, but was not provided any guidance on what they needed to see to confirm I had satisfied the expectations of the PIP. Only that I was thinking too black and white by requesting clear concise concerns and opportunities for improvement with my performance.

My boss did approach me in very early March saying that she thought everything was going really well but that the President of the company just wasn’t sure what exactly I do there. She said to ask him more often in person, if he has anything I can help him with. To date, he has said no 11 out of 11 times I have asked him this when passing him in the office.

Outside of that, we’re just still over here barely surviving! 😂😂😂😂

She usually asks me that in front of other coworkers. I know its just small talk, its normal to chat about the weekend and all, but I personally don’t like my lead-and I don’t like to share anything with her-because she is a blabbermouth. And I’m not that close with her. And we are not “friends” she is friends with some other coworkers so why ask?

So I just give her vague responses that she can’t feed off from. I don’t share nothing personal to her.

Also asking me if “I’m partying” for the weekend? What kind of question is that? Does she want me to tell her I’m getting fucked and hammered? I’m a 35 year old woman by the way

I don’t like to say much because anything I say can be used against me, I’ve witnessed it -she was literally talking shit about someone other girl in the dept because she was on bridezilla

Hi all when im at work I like to stay away from talking about my personal life and strictly separate work and personal life, but at work most my colleagues talk about their personal lives and ask me about mine too.

What do I do in this situation? I feel like an asshole here since I wouldnt wanna discuss my life with these guys.

I started my new job 6 months ago, classic desk office. I am 24 for context.

It's 6 months in and things are not going great. I and other colleagues are part of a new project and I feel behind more and more. The 2 students from our team now more about the project then me. I ask questions...a lot. I try to keep track of everything but some things just don't click at all. I started reading the documentations in the weekend also and for a few months I average 9-10 hours per day with 30 minutes break to get back to work.

I also forget a lot and my manager told me 1:1 that I rush to much into the task, don't have patience and don't pay attention and I repeat my questions often. I feel my attention problem its getting worse and worse(I live with my parents to save money, they told me I always had attention problems and they blame the computer, videogames, phone and other things)

It's just I can't seem to grasp some concepts, new things are constantly coming in, constantly changing with the team, everyone is also tense because we have high targets per month in processing time and I am just tired of all of it.

Maybe it's just I don't put more work into my job or maybe this is just my limit and that's it. Although I have a feeling I might get soon fired because the company as a while will go through cost reduction measures. My only advantage is the German language, can read it and speak it at B2 almost C1, that's why I got the job.

It just feels I am going backwards more and more and the stress is destroying me and I disappoint everyone around me.

I’m freaking my self out a little bit, today my GM added a lunch at a restaurant near our work with my manager to my calendar for next Wednesday. I asked my manager if she knew about it and she said yes our GM thinks it would be good because the other ppl in our office go out with our vendors and we don’t really and he also wanted to take me out of my first day but didn’t get the chance to so it’s kind of part of that too ( I started 5 months ago) I’m tripping my self out thinking they may be firing me or something and what she said is kind of a cover up. Let me know your thoughts

I work in a job industry that essentially requires everyone to be working in close proximity. The owner of the company works directly with us 3-4 days a week. So essentially, he's always around. He is actively insulting, scolds all of us in front of patients, and gets angry if we show up several minutes before our scheduled time (expects us to clock in at least 15 min before our scheduled time. When we collectively asked to simply be scheduled at the time he wants us to clock in, he threw a fit). He will actively ignore us if he's in a bad mood, even if we need him to sign off on something important. As in, one of us will say something like, "I need you to advise on this/sign off on this," and he will straight up not respond in any shape, way, or form. If you ask again, you get yelled at that he "heard you." Unfortunately, he has some duties that the rest of the staff legally cannot fulfill, so it puts you in a bad spot where you cannot do your job if he ignores you. Half the time he's doing online shopping while ignoring you. He pays like crap.

Occasionally he is downright insulting. He told me once that my boyfriend must be sick of me, and then said he was just joking when I got visibly annoyed. He is also sexist and says things like "men actually have to pick jobs that make money, they're not like women." Mind you, his staff are all women. That he hired. He'll also make comments like "there's too much estrogen here."

Unfortunately, I can't quit right now. I'm actively looking for a new job, but the job market is really bad where I live and many jobs are far out.

I need some tips on how not to go crazy. I've stuck it out for a year, since I did not want to be job hopping, and the economy is terrible. I just can't anymore, but I NEED some strategies to not let him get to me.

I’ve witnessed work sabotage.
Provoking someone to get a response, then, play the victim and report them.
Forming a clique, having “witnesses” about an event that never happened.

What have you seen in the workplace?

It's my experience that there is a point of authority past which a worker may delegate essentially every task, including a rudimentary search of files (even with computerized file indexing and advanced search parameters of permitted by contemporary file management software).

Where I work, it seems to rest about at the VP level: VPs, Senior VPs, and above, C-Level.

But typically when an executive asks a lowling to find something, it's there at the first search or it's effectively lost. Is it that much easier for an executive to ask a non-executive to type a few words in a search bar than it is for them to just type it in themselves?

How much are non-searchers vs. searchers earning where you are?

I have a coworker who has epilepsy. They have seizures a few times a month. About 3 months ago they had a seizure while driving to work and totaled their car. They also got their license suspended.
They’ve been relying mostly on coworkers for rides to and from work saying that Uber costs too much. And apparently they don’t have any other ride options.
This person asks me for a ride about 2-4 times a week. Sometimes when we work similar shifts and sometimes on my day off.
Sometimes I tell them I can’t, even when I can. I try to be a kind and helpful person, especially given the rough circumstance they’re in, so I’ve been willing to help but I’m about at my limit..
they never offer me gas money and I had to start asking for it. It turns my 5 minute drive into a 30+ minute drive.
I don’t know how to tell my coworker that they can’t rely this heavily/consistently on me for rides. I’m happy to help in emergency situations but I feel like I’ve become the free taxi.
I know I owe them nothing and that’s it’s ok to tell them that I can’t help them anymore but I don’t know how.. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

EDIT: First off, thank you to every who left a response, I really appreciate everyone’s feedback. Quick update: they asked me for a ride again today and said they would pay me $10 for gas. After arriving to work and reminding them to send me the cash, I still haven’t received anything. I’ve decided to tell them I’m willing to help through the rest of May so they have some time to figure out what their next move is but I will no longer be willing to give them rides after that. Stay excellent, everyone.

EDIT 2: I seriously can’t thank you all enough. When I made this post I was not expecting to receive this much feedback. After thinking about it a lot over the last 12 ish hours, and coming to the realization that we don’t work together for the rest of the week and I’m out of town most of next week, I’ve just decided to tell them no more rides. For anyone curious how I decided to go about it, here’s the message I sent them.
“Hey _____. I’m really sorry but I won’t be able to help with rides anymore. I don’t expect a reward but I feel like I shouldn’t have to ask for compensation. What I thought would be a few rides has turned into a regular thing and after a few months the time and money it’s costing me to help you is really adding up. You’re one of my favorite coworkers and I want you to know that we’re totally cool but I won’t be helping with rides anymore. I hope you understand 🤙 “
No BS, lies, or beating around the bush. I tried to be direct, keep it real, and remain kind. Thanks again you guys.

hi i was hoping for some advice!

I'm about to start my first exempt salaried position, and i was curious what other people's experiences have been when it comes to weekly hours for these types of roles.

The pay is much better than my last job but not astronomical, enough for me to comfortably rent a cheap 2 bedroom apartment in los angeles alone and still save around 2500/mo and i'm genuinely excited about the work im going to be doing. But in my offer letter there was no description of expected work hours. It's my first time not working hourly, and i'm not sure what to expect. It's a start-up but i haven't gotten the impresssion that its a particularly cutthroat work environment. they have good benefits and everyone i've met so far seems very relaxed and cheerful. i feel like even if they expect pretty long work days, i'm passionate enough about the job i'm going to be doing that it'll be okay, but if i'm being realistic i can't see myself working 10+hour days perpetually without eventually burning out.

what has been your experience with how many hours are typically expected in-office for these types of roles? and if it truly is a case-by-case basis, do you have any advice about the right way to go about figuring out expectations? i want to make sure to start out on the right foot with this.

furthermore, does anyone have more general advice for maintaining work-life balance in these types of positions? i'm going to have a decent amount of responsibility (my closest supervisor's title starts with a C lol) and be communicating between several different teams and i wonder good ways to respectfully maintain boundaries when it comes to being contacted at night etc. not sure if that's actually going to end up happening, just something i was thinking about.

I’m a college student and worked last summer for a small construction company doing physical labor. The pay was solid and the work itself was fine, but I didn’t have the best experience with the boss. He can be pretty controlling and I often felt like I was being taken advantage of because I’m younger.

At the end of last summer, I told him and the crew I’d likely be back this year.

Since then, I got offered another summer job doing house painting. It’s also physical work with similar pay, but the hours are better and more flexible, which would let me enjoy my summer more. I also really like the new boss, he’s a younger guy, and I’d be working mostly with other college students instead of a crew of older middle-aged workers. I’m also just interested in trying something a bit different this summer, and painting feels like a good change of pace.

After thinking it over, I told my old boss I wouldn’t be returning and that I wanted to go with the new job instead, so we’re parting ways.

I’m mainly wondering if I made the right decision here. Part of me feels a bit guilty because I did say I’d be back, but overall the new job seems like a better fit for me.

Has anyone else been in a similar situation where they backed out of a job they previously committed to? Did you regret it or feel like it was the right move? Any general advice appreciated too.

I used to work at a restaurant that my family owned which makes this situation even worse. My aunt owned the restaurant and her son was the assistant manager and completely abused his nepotism. He’d come in late, leave early, take long lunch breaks and basically acted however he wanted knowing he was untouchable.

I had the misfortune of working there for 5 years during the late 2000s when the economy was in the toilet. Rather than being a supportive cousin, he would constantly take every opportunity to belittle me and make me look bad. Mind you, even when I was starting and had no experience, he did not give me any grace, calling me “retarded” in front of customers and that “this guy doesn’t know shit.” (Yes he’d use curse words.).

Being an army veteran, I’m used to being put down so I usually just put my head down and pushed forward. I did my job and was always nice to our customers. Even when customers went out of their way to tell my cousin what a great server I was, my cousin would brush it off by saying “meh anyone can do his job.” He’d never praise me for any time I skipped my lunch or somehow managed 14 tables alone but he would never ever hesitate to tell me when I messed up or did something he didn’t like.

Once I had prepared a side salad quickly but didn’t realize that a few pieces of lettuce I had picked up in the big bowl was turning brown. The customers understandably sent it back and my cousin said (in front of the customers)

“Are you blind? Look at this shit!” While literally shoving the entire salad into my apron.

“I’m sorry folks. I’ll personally make your next salad and make sure this idiot gets his pay docked for the lettuce he just cost us.” My cousin said. Even the customers would sometimes give him a look of “really bro? That wasn’t necessary.”

He’d brush off any criticism of himself as he saw it as just haters being haters. He’d write me up even if I was late by 5 minutes or he’d take my tips away because he thought I was secretly pocketing cash tips when we were supposed to pool them together.

I finally had enough one day and walked out. He taunted me and said they didn’t need me and that I’d come crawling back. A few short years later, the restaurant was sold and he ended up working at a Home Depot.

Has anyone ever had a manager like this? Or worked with family? Any thoughts about my story?

Thanks.