Divulging personal aspects about yourself in the workplace can be a pathway to forming stronger bonds and close-knit relationships—or it can be used against you the next time your performance review comes around. The reality is that your work time is for work, and your own time is—well, your own. But, in a modern “always online” world that's fueled by instant communication and where some employers want to squeeze their workers for every last drop of productivity, this line becomes increasingly…

Rules usually exist for a reason. Generally, they come into being because someone did something and learned the hard way that the way they chose wasn't the way that it should be done, so it's decided that this way should never be attempted again by either them—or those surviving them—depending on how poorly their attempt went. There is another type of rule, though, and these rules are generally made up by a bored busybody middle manager on a random Wednesday afternoon because they need somethin…

Being accused of doing something nefarious when you've turned up to help out really isn't an ideal situation, especially when that person won't let you get a word in edgewise to clarify the situation. That's why it's hard to fault this worker for up and turning around at the first chance. This supermarket worker used to work for a large supermarket chain and would occasionally head off to other locations to help them with staffing issues when they were asked. But, one day, they were asked to wo…

In a cold sweat, you wake from your sleep, flailing wildly for your phone. Light is peaking through the edges of the curtains, and birds chirp pleasantly just on the other side of the window behind them. You feel rested—suspiciously, well-rested for the amount of sleep that you should have gotten. You must have slept through your alarms… but surely not. After all, you set five of them. Yet, all the indicators are there… and you should have been up long before the birds if you were going to make…

They say the best revenge is achieving personal success, but sometimes it's more than that… It's the pathway to it. After all, performing well above requirements isn't always going to win you friends and is more likely to put a target on your back for everyone who is just there to earn a paycheck and who you're making look bad in comparison. See, when you prove what's possible to an employer, they start wondering why everyone else isn't being as productive as you are and are bound to start aski…

Toxic managers have one thing in common: Their belief that their authority is absolute . It's almost as if they think it's impossible for anyone ever to leave them, acting like workers will continue to put up with the most dreadful working conditions and their abhorrent behavior for the rest of their careers. So, of course, they're completely blindsided when their most pivotal workers hand in their notice, with the news sending them scrambling to figure out how they're going to maintain the con…

Some business leaders prioritize sales above all else, offering hefty incentives to their sales teams for acquiring new clients at unserviceable rates. These leaders and their cronies will then cash out once the numbers have been sufficiently plumped up like a stuffed pig with an apple in its mouth. The nightmare begins when it comes time to service these contracts. Inevitably, slowly, the organization will begin losing money but, by then, those responsible will already have their bonuses in ha…

You know it's going to be a juicy discussion when the user has deleted their account within hours of posting a viral thread… This worker landed themself a new job, working remotely , that offered them higher pay and greater responsibility. They found themself with little to do initially, which they found to be a little strange, but seeing as this isn't uncommon in a lot of jobs, which often allow workers to ease into their role, leaving additional tasks to be picked up as the worker gets into t…

It's often the case that an employer won't react well to an employee's departure, taking their act of leaving as an insult and personal affront. Even if the relationship was supposedly left on good terms, it won't be long before the departing worker's name brings nothing but derision. Should they return to the workplace, they'll find, that despite being a top performer at the company during their time there, they have been turned into a scapegoat with their name being used to lay blame on anyth…

The trouble with setting ultimatums is that you never know when someone is going to take you up on them. It's hard to know just how tired that person is of being under your thumb and whether they're just one strike away from reaching their limit. If you try and throw your weight around with an authoritative ultimatum, you just might find that it gets thrown back in your face and that your wish is granted. After suffering the insufferable for long enough, with long days being overworked and micr…

There will be times in the workplace when you'll really enjoy what you're doing, tasks seem effortless, time flows seamlessly, and results are rewarding. There will also be times when the exact opposite holds true, and every moment spent at work is excruciating. Sometimes, you'll relish the tasks your boss hands to you, whereas other tasks will make you want to gouge out your own eyes. But occasionally—rarely—throughout the course of your career, there will be tasks you'll be asked to complete…

This is what you call a ‘big-brained move’… After all, your employer can't fire you for being late if you don't show up at all, and if you've played your cards right, there's always that sick leave you've got piling up that needs to be used. The only way to face draconian workplace policy is to fly in the face of it. By definition, these policies and the organizations that impose them often have had a singular use case in mind built around a certain behavior the organization is trying to brutal…

Verbal reprimands are usually a sign of a toxic workplace… with screaming, yelling, or explosive tantrums from your boss being a sure sign that you should start looking for a new place to work. Now, that doesn't mean that every piece of feedback falls under this category. Sure, it might not feel great when your boss tells you you've made a mistake or that you need to up your game… even if the Chief Executive answers to someone and feedback is literally just a part of the job. It can get confusi…

Being a young and inexperienced worker entering the workforce for the first time is a harder experience than most of us are willing to admit—or even remember. For one thing, your lack of demonstratable experience and the lack of perceived skills that go with it will often leave you drawing the short stick when it comes to your tasks within the team, regardless of your actual capabilities. I can't help but feel that the biggest change that happens as you age is that other people perceive you dif…

Oftentimes, when starting a new role, it doesn't end up being quite what you'd imagined. Delusions of grand inspiration fade like a mirage in the desert in the face of the reality of menial tasks and repetitive labor. After all, as we're consistently proclaiming, an interview is a two-way street, and the company is trying to sell themselves to the most desirable candidate they can get—often for as low of a price as possible—just as much as the candidates are trying to sell themselves to the com…

Generally, your working life, including everything that comes with it, is reserved for—well, work—including your laptop, phone, and such that your employer has provided for you. By contrast, your personal stuff is for your own personal use, and that's why it's—well, personal. There are very obvious things you should and shouldn't use each device for, and those things should be kept separate. Sure, these lines can blur and often will—after all, not everything is black and white.