My coworkers won’t stop skinny shaming me. How do I handle comments about my appearance?
Skinny shaming can be as harmful as fat shaming. A coworker’s remarks on appearance at work can rise to microaggressions and lead to actionable harassment. Read Jane Harper’s take on how to respond to offensive...
I’m having a hard time with ‘no’ regarding personal gifts
It's hard to say no to a coworker at work. But learning how to set boundaries and how to say no effectively is the key to healthier workplace relationships. The HR Digest's Jane Harper is here to help you learn...
I’m making someone use their holiday to grieve over their mother’s death
The brutal and straightforward answers to HR-related queries and concerns. Send in your queries with the subject line ‘Ask JANE HARPER’ at info@thehrdigest.com.
Hello! Long story short, recently one of my e...
My coworkers speak another language at work, how do I handle it, please?
My coworkers speak another language at work, which affects how I relate with them, but I can’t seem to find a way around it.
This is going to my fifth month, working as a junior technician at a Health Technolo...
How do I handle it when my coworker doesn’t talk to me?
This is my first time of being in a situation where my coworker doesn’t talk to me and I seem to be totally blank on what could be the reason.
Dear Jane,
Maybe I’m this worried because this is my first ti...
My coworker got a raise and I didn’t, how do I handle it?
Dealing with a situation where a coworker in the same position got a raise and you didn’t could be depressing and demoralizing. But in more cases, it’s an opportunity to raise your bar at work.
Dear Jane,
I a...
How Do You Gently Reject a Coworker’s Unwanted Romantic Advances?
How do you deal with a coworker who has also been behaving hostile towards you as a result of turning down her advances?
Dear Jane,
I share my cubicle wall with a coworker who has asked me out for drinks from...
How Do I Justify Job Hopping To Myself?
Dear Jane,
I am one of the few young faces around here, and one of the few who comes to work at 7 a.m. and leaves after 10 p.m. I started out right after college and managed to carve a position for myself, and...
‘I have some annoyance around the NO Christmas bonus.’
Dear Jane,
I work in an industry where bonuses are common. My prior law firm handed two bonuses a year; one in June and the other in December. Last week, my boss took us to lunch at a bar and spent the entire...
What to Do When a Coworker Has an Angry Outburst?
Do you need to be defensive when a coworker has an angry outburst or simply allow them to keep making your workplace hostile? Angry outburst is not a new workplace issue but needs to be addressed when it becomi...
Q&A With Jane: How do I deal with employee theft?
Sometimes, not confronting an employee who is stealing from you sends the wrong message to other employees. It’s a dicey situation, but one that can lead to serious ramifications when not dealt with immediately...