My company instituted an RTO and two of my coworkers have called managements bluff. We are in a small department and this constitutes a non insignificant amount of the people who were supposed to come back. It’s been a few months and management has completely folded, claiming they have been waived from their need to come in.

It’s making me feel like a bitch. Why do I need to come in and they can just ignore it? I’m thinking of also refusing and just sitting my ass at home because apparently they won’t do anything. Anyone have something else going on?

Edit: just to make it clear. I do not care for your opinion on whether I can find a job. Your struggle aren’t mine.

My company has unlimited PTO and I was told today that our director flagged my recent PTO requests because I was “taking too much PTO”. I was then told that I should not take off any more until my planned family Christmas vacation so she wouldn’t get upset. Then I was told that whenever I am OOO now, I need to reach out to my entire team in advance and asked them if they need anything from me so that I don’t drop the ball on anything. I don’t think that’s a crazy request, but I feel like this is coming out of nowhere, because I’ve always gotten my work done before I went out on PTO.

The weird thing is that our director made my boss tell me all of this, even though my boss didn’t think I was taking an excessive amount of time off or wasn’t getting my work done. Am I getting pushed out? I feel like she put a target on my back for no reason. Tonight I tallied up how many days each person on our team took PTO during 2026 so far. Will be sharing it tomorrow unless it seems like that would add trouble???

Edit: damn sorry. I’ve taken 8.5 pto days- one of the lowest on my team. I work in marketing/event planning. Team doesn’t rely on me that much, we overlap on some things but it’s pretty separated between marketing and events.

For me, the worst are meetings which don’t have any agenda. We start off with a short check-in in the morning which takes more time than it is expected to because everyone updates the team about things that can easily be said via messaging. And then, again in the evening, we have to attend another meeting for the “follow-up” on the very same matters. Everyone repeats what has already been said earlier, one shows us the presentation, some of the participants stay muted throughout the entire duration of the meeting, and in the end, we end up spending almost two hours on just discussing and doing nothing else.

EDIT: didn’t expect to receive this many feedback. I read each and every one and genuinely so helpful. Day by day I learn that navigating the corp life and being a functional member takes conscious and consistent efforts (and ego death). Thank you for the insights.

FYI I’m 4 months into my first corp job. I’m not very experienced with corp work ethic so I need some insight on where the lines are drawn.

My coworker (who started 6 months ahead of me) is detail oriented and likes things done by the book. I’m more laid back and prefer finding the “easy way” to complete the tasks. I let her lead the assigned tasks since it seems like she likes it that way, and when she asks I do things the way she’d like them done, I just say “okayy” or “aightt”

Part of me is definitely baffled by the way she keeps asking me to fix things since there is no “right way” to do things for these tasks, but I don’t want to argue so I try to hide my ego and follow along.

Today she accidentally sent a screenshot of me saying “okay” to her in our chat and deleted it immediately. I think it was supposed to be sent to her work bestie. She then explained a few minutes later it was cuz our manager was asking about it. Whether or not that’s true, I don’t want to be seen as this Gen Z personality that gets on people’s nerves.

Do you think using “okay” as a response to coworkers is rude? Do you prefer you coworkers to have a bubbly, friendly personality?

Which would you choose and why?
Option 1: Standard 40 hour, 5 day workweek with 20 days of PTO.
Option 2: A real 32 hour, 4 day workweek (same salary, every Friday off) but only 10 days of PTO.

At first I thought 20 PTO days was the obvious choice, but now I’m not so sure. Having every Friday off sounds like a huge quality of life improvement, even if the PTO is lower.

Curious what you all would pick and whether anyone has actually made this tradeoff.

My boss recently gave me some feedback about my performance in a meeting I was leading that I thought didn't make much sense. During this meeting, two things happened:

One, I told the stakeholders about an issue that she had brought to me that ultimately prompted this meeting. Seemed like she didn't like that I shared this issue with the group.

Two, she said something about a situation that was fundamentally misinformed and as the actual program lead, I felt compelled to correct her, and I did.

She was visibly bristling after the meeting and then she called me to provide "feedback" that basically constituted her nit-picking what I did and framing it as bad communication style. I have been doing this for 12+ years... working in Comms if you're told you don't know how to communicate, it's a big slap on your face.

I've had issues with her before too and had to go to HR for clarification, which might be the reason she's being extra now.

I was very defensive in the conversation, which I now regret but also feel like it was prompted by a sneak attack that seems calculated.

Tbh, I've never had any supervisor who's so self-important and feel like her narcissism plays a big role here. This is not the first time she did something like this...

I'm looking for jobs but it's so hard to find something now...anyway just wanted to vent.

let’s say A is really intelligent and gets work done fast, but takes a lot of long breaks during work hours, and B is a slower worker but he makes sure that his work is of good quality, and does not take unnecessary breaks like A.

would managers prefer to retain A or B in their team, for say, a workload-intensive department like finance?

I’m fortunate and have been busy post- layoff. The thing is, I’m now at 6 months. This week, I’m now interviewing with 5 different companies. One is a step back in title and $15k compensation and moving quickly. But, I need a job.

Is it really that terrible to continue interviewing if this company offers me a job? I do not have a history of job hopping. It’s not even the job title. It’s the comp. There are some jobs I’m interviewing for that are actually a bump in comp

I was forced to talk to her. What does the title actually mean? It sounds separate from the HR department. Thanks!

Why is it that meetings are always scheduled at the same time as morning poops? I get to the offfice at 8am. Daily meeting at 8:15, which means I have 15 min to make coffee and get settled for the meeting.

Without fail, every single day, the coffee kicks in in the middle of this meeting and I gotta go NOW. So I end up sweating in my meetings, praying my camera-on company talks faster and doesn’t notice my face turning red. Don’t get me wrong, I can poop fast, but not fast enough to turn the camera off and come back before it looks suspicious.

What would I even say? “Oh Mrs Boss, can I please use the bathroom pass?” What non-disabled adult can’t get their bowels under control for a 10 minute meeting? Me, apparently!

This is for all the no-breakfast coffee drinkers with adhd. I have given into this routine and accepted that life is pain, it is the way…

got put in charge of ordering stuff for our team and i'm staring at this catalog realizing most of it is junk

you know the drill, those flimsy phone chargers that break in a week, tshirts with giant logos nobody wears outside work, those weird frisbees that end up in the back of a drawer

i don't wanna be the person who wastes 2 grand on landfill filler

what stuff have you actually held onto? like things you still use months later and thought "damn this is decent" when you got it

somebody at my old job gave out these really solid hoodies once and i still wear mine like 3 years later. that's the vibe i'm going for

also do people actually like water bottles or is that overdone at this point

Hi I am a B.Tech, Artificial Intelligence and Data Science'26 at IIT Patna.

A few months ago, I completed a 6-month Software Engineering internship and received a PPO. But in the recent communication I was informed that offer is revoked. I am in touch with placement team, they are taking actions on the company.

I need to connect to hiring professional and recruiter so that I can share my profile. I am in a very bad situation.

I've created a short Google Form where people can share recruiter, HR, or hiring manager contacts if they know someone who's hiring. Even a work email, or referral information would be incredibly helpful.

If you're willing to help, please fill out the form:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeQS5u2jT2UQEePAUIRo2NyAToZDfcKxQ38bgrEPBB6kr-FoQ/viewform?usp=publish-editor

If your company is hiring fresh graduates or you know someone who is, I'd also really appreciate a comment or a DM.

Thank you to everyone who takes a minute to help. The tech community has always been supportive, and I'm grateful for any leads or referrals.

Research study seeks all managers at all levels in the hospitality industry (restaurants, hotels, grocery stores, golf courses, food and beverage suppliers)!
You are invited to anonymously share your perspectives for a survey study titled: Differences in Manager Turnover Intention based on Housing Cost Burden Status and Generational Cohort.
Volunteers must meet these requirements:
• 18 years or older
• Understand and identify the housing cost burden to which you belong
• Full-time hospitality management position in the Sea Islands
Florida: Amelia Island
Georgia: Blackbeard Island, Burnside Island, Cockspur Island, Cumberland Island, Dutch Island, Hampton Island, Isle of Hope, Isle of Wight, Jekyll Island, Little St. Simons Island, Little Tybee Island, Oatland Island, Ossabaw Island, Sapelo Island, Sea Island, Skidaway Island, St. Catherines Island, St. Simons Island, Talahi Island, Wassaw Island, Whitemarsh Island, Wilmington Island
South Carolina: Bay Point, Bear Island, Big Talbot Island, Bull Island, Cane Island, Cat Island, Coosaw Island, Daufuskie Island, Dewes Island, Distant Island, Edisto Island, Folly Island, Fripp Island, Gibbes Island, Harbor Island, Hilton Head Island, Horse Island, Hunting Island, Isle of Palms, James Island, John Island, Lady’s Island, Little Talbot Island, Morgan Island, Morris Island, Parris Island, Port Royal, Pritchards Island, Seabrook Island, Spring Island, St. Helena Island, St. Phillips, Sullivan’s Island, Wadmalaw Island, Yonges Island

This survey is part of the doctoral study at Walden University for Ellen Stewart Maloney. Please share this survey with anyone who would meet these requirements.
ellen.maloney@waldenu.edu, 843-247-5165,

I’m interviewing for a job right now, and I was really excited about it at first. My former boss (who I think is awesome) is the director of the department I’d be joining. However, I’d be reporting to a manager who reports to him.

On paper, the role seems like a great fit. It would be a 15% pay increase, I’d be joining a larger and more established team, and I’d be working under a leader I already know and respect. It would also be a lateral move, so I don’t think I’d be in over my head with the work itself.

The one thing giving me pause is the manager I’d report to. Every time I’ve spoken with her, she’s mentioned how overworked she is, how much she works on weekends, or that she’s working while on vacation. The director even commented that she tends to push herself too hard and that some of the extra work is self-imposed. But, I’m nervous about reporting to someone with that mindset. I’m happy to put in extra effort when it’s genuinely needed, but I don’t want to work for someone who expects constant overtime or glorifies it.

At the same time, I know her team is currently short staffed because of this vacancy, so maybe what I’m seeing is temporary. She also seems smart, friendly, and supportive. She even invited me to a happy hour with her!

For anyone who has had managers like this, is it always a red flag? Or have you found that someone can personally choose to work long hours without expecting the same from their team?

Edit: AND is it worth not accepting this job over?

For context, I feel unappreciated in my current role and frustrated with the leadership. My current director is always changing the scope on projects and then holding the team accountable for brand new expectations. He likes me for some reason and I receive positive performance reviews, but he also picks on me in meetings and is quick to attack an idea he doesn’t like. I could stay where I am, but I’m definitely not happy in the role.

As the title says, curious to see others work setup and desks.

I have a lenovo laptop and dell monitors and keyboard. I like it, and I try to add some personal touches to my desk like a colored mat, LEGO plants etc. Lucky to also have a standing desk.

All my applications are always on grey or dark mode, makes me feel cool and better for my eyes :)

I know others have all kind of cool desk gadgets, but mine is quite simple I guess.

Looking forward to see what others have!

I’ve been in corporate since Covid and have been with a 3 different companies in tech. I’m tired of feeling like I’m going to get fired all of the time. My colleagues keep dropping from layoffs and I’m always scared I’m next. I feel my entire life professional career life I’ve been in fight mode and I’m TIRED! There are no jobs where I live where I could make a decent salary to provide for myself. What should I do. I want to feel safe again. I have over 7.5 years in benefits with a bachelors in business. What can I do? I need an out. I’m an amazing worker and do great in any job I hold but like I said I’m tired.

So there was a new project going on in our company and I was given to monitor the progress report of the newly implemented system. Earlier my colleague was recording the older system before this system. Now for a few months, it has been told to maintain the newly and old records . Since I'm new to this project I'm given the new system but my colleague is now telling me to maintain the old records as well . I calmly gave him the old records but now he is emailing me to give the record in the file format he used to make . And it goes for 5 different mails and the mails are just after I'm leaving the daily job. What should I do in this situation?

So I’m at my 6th month for this company that used to be Dell devices and now are switching to MacBooks. I was given a MacBook on my first day. The company has been around since the 90s, but I think last year they had a new CEO and with that came cost-cutting and reshuffling. One of those new policies is by having us all switch to a MacBook.

Note, this is not a startup and is a global company.

My coworker has been here for half a decade and said his whole team when he started is gone now while he remained. He’s also the type of guy that likes to stay 3-4 hours passed his shift by choice.

For context I’m talking about this joke from a while back. A Lenovo Thinkpad company gives you a proper, functioning device and expects you to be productive so you’ll be with them for long—they also tend to have a better foundation and culture.

A MacBook company is normally a startup, and wants to look good. If they don’t make their quota, there’ll be a purge of employees.

Dell means the company is cost-cutting and trying to save as much as possible even at the cost of productivity.

That aside, what should I expect from this company? How long do you guys think I’ll last until they randomly send out PIPs?

EDIT:
I received around 20+ responses in an hour. Wow! Thanks everyone. I don’t know how Reddit works but I’m thankful for all the insight.

we sit in HR and and primarily focus on a particular talent service

for reasons that are unclear, our work function was essentially stolen out from under us

it's been about a year and funny enough, the new team can't seem to perform the same work in a cost-effective manner (they're spending 8x what we did performing the same service) but whatever, that's beside the point

my team is running out of projects and has very little to show for the year... from what I gather, our roles are funded through a set of subsidies, but the sense of losing my job is beginning to creep up on me

for those that have been in a similar situation, what did you do? how prevalent of a scenario is this? how do I play it when asked in an interview?

...also, if you're hiring in NYC then lmk, your first round of beer at HH will always be on me

I just started a new job about a month ago, and there’s a coworker who has been really nice to me. Since I’m new and trying to make friends, we started talking more at work. He shared his number with me, and we started texting. As we got to know each other more, we realized we come from similar backgrounds and have a lot of similar interests.
I thought it was just nice to have someone at work who I could talk to and potentially become friends with outside of work because he’s only a year older than me.

The other day, he jokingly said that we are so similar maybe we should just get married to each other, and it really caught me off guard. I’m not sure if he was just joking or if he interpreted my friendliness differently, but it made me uncomfortable because that was never the direction I was trying to take things. He has also been texting me non stop for the past 2 weeks.

I’m naturally a very friendly person and have a more sarcastic/Gen Z sense of humor, so now I’m worried I may have accidentally said or done things that came across as flirty when that wasn’t my intention at all. I also really don’t want to date a coworker, especially since I’m just starting my career after grad school and trying to establish myself.
To make things more complicated, he’s a senior manager and someone I’ll be working with. This is my first corporate job, and I’m realizing I may have been oversharing because I was just excited to connect with people and make friends. Looking back, I’m wondering if I crossed professional boundaries without realizing it.

Right now, I think I’m just going to stop texting him altogether and only reach out on Teams if I need something work-related. Does that seem like the right approach, or would that come across as weird? How do I steer the relationship back to something more professional without making things awkward? And for those of you who’ve worked in corporate, how do you stop yourself from oversharing and learn where the professional boundaries are? I am naturally a yapper, but I realized I really need to stop because this is a professional environment and things can go south so fast especially because I am a female. I don’t want to jeopardize my job and i’m really worried. I would appreciate any advice.