Here at Lifehacker headquarters, I sit right next to our wonderful video producer, Heather.
All of two feet separate us at all times. While she works, diligently editing videos, I think to myself: does she judge me?
Tagged With office politics
"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." This is the tagline to Ferris Bueller's Day Off. It's also the basic premise of Go Home On Time Day, which is currently in its 11th year. So who's taking part this year? Anyone? Anyone?
There you are cleaning up your coworker's spilled coffee on the way to make copies of the employee manual for the new intern, when you bump into your boss. He's wondering if there's a fresh pot brewing? Oh, and you wouldn't mind sending around John's birthday card for the rest of the office to sign, would you? And handing it off to John before he leaves for the day?
Men! Mule Design co-founder Erika Hall has seven ways for you to counteract sexism at work. Some will help you shut down overt sexism; some address more unconscious habits such as interrupting women. And you don't need to be in a position of power to use them. Hall's article is free of filler, so read it all, but here's our favourite tip.
Being the CEO of a big company comes with plenty of perks. Having a beer shouted generally isn't one of them. Whether it's afterwork drinks, a networking conference or a lunch meeting with clients, they are usually the person expected to pick up the tab.
Here's why you should step in and offer to buy them a drink.
For the past two weeks, Australian politics have been dominated by the explosive revelation that Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce engaged in an extramarital affair with a staffer who is now expecting his child. The particulars of the relationship have been roundly criticised by both sides of politics, with several ministers and former politicians calling for Joyce's sacking.
In direct response to the affair, Malcolm Turnbull has banned sexual relations between ministers and staff in a bid to bring the ministerial code of conduct in line with "attitudes in the corporate world." This may have some people wondering: is it ever illegal to have sex with an underling in a corporate setting?
By now, you probably know that a salary is negotiable. But that's just one of the workplace policies and perks up for discussion. Whether it's explicitly said or not, things like flexible working arrangements, maternity leave, and even the projects you get to work on may not be set in stone.
The salad days of cryptocurrency are fading fast. Yesterday, the price of bitcoin fell below $6000. Some are predicting it could dip through $3000 in the months ahead. This is a far cry from December 2017, when a single bitcoin hovered around $25,000 in value.
During this week's crypto bloodbath, it might be tempting to poke fun at colleagues who invested heavily in bitcoin and wouldn't shut up about the huge profits they were making. Instead, try showing a little empathy.
Life is competition, and it's especially easy to feel like you're losing if your coworkers are always taking bomb-arse holidays while you sit at home using a Netflix account you split with four other people.
It's perfectly natural to play it close to the vest at work, especially if you're the new guy in the office. But office camaraderie depends on more than showing up on time or coming through on a group project. It also involves participating in work-related social events, often including the occasional after-work drinks with your colleagues. If you're an introvert, FastCompany has a few guidelines on when you should (or shouldn't) attend your office's happy hour event.
"I wouldn't do it that way. Why don't you try this? What are you doing? That's not right. Don't do that. Do this." Sound familiar? They're all phrases you've likely heard from the notorious control freak in your office. And, while you've somehow managed to continue trucking along without snapping, you're getting dangerously close to the end of your rope.
When you're mentally done with your job, it's easy to give up and put in less effort. You hate your job anyway, so what's the point in trying? It's a tempting thought, but it usually works in your favour to continue to do good work even when you're fed up.
Looking busy has a bad rap. Sometimes you have to look busy so you can actually work on the things that matter. Here's how to trick others into believing you've got a full plate so you'll get the breathing room to actually get things done.
Aaargh! You just found out that your coworker makes more than you do, even though you both do the same kind of work, you've been there longer and you do a better job. You feel demoralized, insulted by your employer and resentful of your coworker. Before you protest, here's how to handle the situation professionally.
Whether you're in the midst of a boardroom debate, or just trying to earn a colleague's trust, prefacing your statements with the phrase "to be honest" can do serious damage to your credibility. Here's why it's best not to use it.
Dear Lifehacker, I recently followed your advice for finding unclaimed money, but I took it a step further and started looking up names of family and friends too. This dug up a large amount of money under the name of one of my colleagues, which I'm sure he would love to know about. However, I am afraid to be labelled a 'sticky beak' if I let him know. Do you think it would be appropriate to let him know of his unclaimed fortune? Cheers, Sticky Beak
Sometimes we have the pleasure of working with a manager we really like and respect, and who respects us too. Other times, the relationship isn't so great, and we have to deal with someone we can barely tolerate. Here's how to grow a thicker skin at the office and learn to deal with a less-than-ideal boss.
Struggling to come up with new ideas at work? Worried you might get canned if you can't bring something brilliant to the next meeting? Provided you don't mind being evil, you can steal someone else's great idea and sell it as your own.
