Now that it's the Holiday season, we are unfortunately subjected to that time of year when we have to get gifts for more people than we'd like. The idea of having to participate in an annual Office Secret Santa on top of all that other shopping is truly too far. Thankfully, I have never been asked to participate in one, and honestly, thank goodness. I'm not quite sure what I've done in my life to deserve that luxury, but I'll take it. Knowing myself, if I were pressured to be a part of an Offic…

It's hard to find psychological meaning underneath some of these wildly bizarre dreams. For instance, how can one find meaning behind dreaming that you are a raw chicken cutlet climbing a cliff? Could it be that you feel like your life is uncooked and begging for adventure? Could it be that you don't quite feel like a human? That you're completely misunderstood? We're grasping at straws here because the dreams these folks shared via this r/AskReddit thread are so “out there” one has to wonder w…

There are some things that even your strict boss should not be able to argue with at work. We've seen several instances of bosses overstepping and overreacting when they have no business doing so. We often see this manifest itself when people request well-deserved paid time off or take a mental health day. Bosses who can't step outside their own stress and experiences tend to react this way out of a place of selfishness, whereas you know you have a good boss when they are able to take a step ba…

This guy works for an HOA management company, and it's his job to go around to different communities and provide maintenance work. Trash pick-up is part of the job. So, the OP gets to a community park at 7 in the morning to start his job. He knows the park technically opens at 8 a.m., but the garbagemen come at 7:30 a.m., so he has no choice but to show up before it opens to make sure he can get the trash out to the curb in time. Then enters the neighborhood Karen.

There are many heartless acts toxic bosses commit in order to keep a “well-oiled machine” running, but reprimanding employees for having family emergencies is about as bad as it gets. Everyone

Those of you with toxic bosses surely have occasionally considered how you could possibly get them fired. It's not necessarily a realistic thought or one that you could easily pull off, but you have probably entertained the idea after a tough meeting or a difficult encounter on the job. Sometimes, these are folks who had it coming. They have treated you unfairly or have taken credit for your accomplishments or have even tried to undermine you and make you look bad. In other words, these are peo…

The reality of being an adult in the working world is that not everyone is going to like you. This can be especially hard to hear for the people pleaser of the world. As someone who once upon a time would identify as a people pleaser myself, I understand the mental and emotional adjustment that comes with learning that some people are just not going to be your friend. Perhaps this phenomenon has weighed on you since your school days, or perhaps you're only just realizing it now because you lear…

As we've all seen over the weekend, because of all of the Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals being shoved down our throats, sometimes companies need to slash their prices in order to make a sale. Discounts drive the consumer populous mad with desire and even if they're only saving 10% with our coupon, most shoppers will stop at nothing to get it redeemed.

Rule number one of being a manager should be to never become the enemy of your team. Of course, it's nearly impossible to be the best friend of your team members. There will always be a power dynamic there and a sense of authority and professionalism that you cannot shake (nor should you, in many cases). However, what you do need to do is create a sense of approachability and to lead with empathy and understanding. This is, of course, easier said than done, and there are certain work environmen…

Not everyone is good at giving gifts. Obviously, for some people out there, it's their bread and butter. Their love language, if you will. If that's you, congratulations. However, the rest of us (myself included) were not born with the “good gift-giver” gene. As someone who was once gifted a dictionary and a pencil case holder for my 15th birthday, not to mention a DVD of Inside Out for my 21st birthday, I was not raised to be good at this. That's why when this time of year rolls around, I get…

Has anyone else been fooled by their boss into thinking they were being singled out for something special when in reality, they were just being taken for granted? It's a common occurrence in the workplace, especially during busy times of the year like the Holiday season when people tend to be the most selfish under the guise of graciousness. Now that Thanksgiving has come and gone, many employees have already begun to plan for their office Holiday parties. Few of you are excited, many of you ar…

Some people don't like to be told that all their work is wrong, even if it's the truth. We have all been there in some way or another, whether it was in school or at home or at work. At some point, some more knowledgeable person probably took a look at all your hard work and pointed out an error that effectively rejects all the hours of time and effort you put into the project. It's an inevitable part of learning and growing up, and it can be especially hard to take this news if you lead with y…

Ma'am, just get a janky $10 phone charger from CVS and move ON! Some Karens do not understand the concept that there are limits to how long one can complain about something, especially something as replaceable as a phone charger. Now, if you're like this Karen and you're really just trying to get access to a free charger, there is a much better way of going about this. For instance, she could have just asked the front desk agent if there was a charger she could borrow for an hour or so. But lik…

If you have ever worked part-time or seasonal jobs, you know how hectic schedules can get, especially during holidays when most people take time off to travel or be with their family. The open shifts are sadly diverted to the few employees who can still work, leaving them slammed with overtime for their so-called part-time gig.

It doesn't matter how old and grumpy your entitled male Karen neighbor may be. Make no mistake: he does not write the rules. As someone who cannot afford to live in a residential neighborhood, I can merely compare this incident to one that happened to me in a communal laundry room in my apartment building. When I first moved into what is now my current place, there was this older lady who claimed that I could not use one of the washing machines because “everyone knows that it's her machine.” Ev…

Usually once you've worked in the service industry, you learn how to be a good customer. Oftentimes, you'll learn how to respect your server, clean up after yourself, and generally be a half-decent human being while you're enjoying food at a restaurant. You'd think that it would be a natural reflex to be polite to the person handling your food supply, but for the disrespectful types, tormenting your server is a prize-winning sport.