Office Coach: Find a workplace-specific solution to problem cellphones

Q: The issue of employee cellphones is driving me crazy. I manage a small medical clinic with 15 staff members who interact with patients all day. Initially, I trusted them to use good judgment about personal calls, but that didn't work. Next, I asked them not to carry cell phones unless the…

Office Coach: Carefully deflect sales pitch from boss

Q: The head of our department has been pressuring employees to purchase products from her husband, who recently began selling diet supplements through a multilevel marketing company. When I was invited to a "party" at their home to hear a sales pitch, I politely declined. But she still keeps…

Office Coach: Good employment history should overshadow firing

Q: Six months ago, I was fired from a company where I worked for two years. My co-workers were a tight clique of women who blamed me whenever something went wrong. The supervisor supported them, and human resources didn't seem interested in my side of the story.

Office Coach: Muster the courage, leave abusive boss

Q: The verbal abuse that I receive from my boss has been escalating for several years. About once a week, he begins shouting, cursing and banging on my desk. He starts criticizing my work, then brings up issues from my personal life.

Office Coach: To end power struggle, ask boss for help

Q: My manager, "Melanie," is undermining my relationship with my staff. Shortly after I was promoted to supervisor, my employees began going to Melanie with work-related concerns. Instead of involving me in these discussions, she tells me afterward how I should handle their issues.

Office Coach: Give employees some privacy, yourself a room with a door

Q: Our department's physical layout has created a lot of problems. My employees work in a completely open area without cubicles or dividers. There are no enclosed spaces where we can talk privately about confidential matters, such as personal problems or performance issues. The staff frequen…

Office Coach: Do as co-worker asks - leave him alone

Q: What can I do about a co-worker who has decided he doesn't like me? For the last two years, "Matt" has been disdainful and dismissive whenever I try to talk to him. Recently, after I attempted to start a conversation, he loudly said, "This girl keeps trying to get me to talk to her. I wis…

Office Coach: Set boundaries to avoid unpaid work

Q: I believe my employer is taking advantage of me. This company hired me to do telephone sales as an independent contractor, which means that I am paid strictly on commission with no benefits. There are no other contractors in the office where I am located.

Office Coach: In this case, an anonymous note to CEO may be smartest strategy

Q: Our boss's wife was recently given a position in our department. She now works two levels below her husband, "Rick," who is the head of operations. This is clearly against the company's nepotism policy, which states that no one shall have any supervisory authority over a family member.

Office Coach: In making chitchat at work, it's best to avoid sexual innuendo

Q: I am very upset about a remark made by my team leader, "Mitch," in a meeting. Our group works together closely, so we have become rather casual in the way we communicate. People use curse words occasionally, and we kid around a lot. As the only woman in the group, I always felt that I was…

Office Coach: Don't put up with worker's tardiness

Q: One of my employees constantly calls at the last minute to say she will be arriving late or not coming in at all. "Ginger" also leaves early on a regular basis, so she seldom works a full eight-hour day. Although she has no health problems, her absences average about one day a week.

Office Coach: Talkative colleagues distract worker who's in a high-traffic spot

Q: I am constantly distracted by people chatting near my desk. My cubicle sits next to a hallway, so there is an endless stream of employees passing by all day. For some reason, this seems to be the place where they always stop to talk.

Office Coach: Discovery of indiscretion makes for an office enemy

Q: About a year ago, while working an evening shift, I accidentally walked in on the CEO's secretary in a compromising position with one of the vice presidents. From then on, this secretary did everything possible to make my life miserable, even though I never mentioned the incident to anyon…

Office Coach: Manager's backing imperative to supervising difficult team

Q: My manager, "Ray," recently asked me to begin supervising the clerical staff. This is a troublesome group of five women who have a history of slacking off. They always arrive late and leave early, but put a full day on their time cards. Ray knows about these problems, but has done nothing…

Office Coach: Bad boss? Try lowering your expectations

Q: I was recently assigned to a manager who has a reputation for being a poor leader. "Gary" is not very knowledgeable and comes across as insecure. A few weeks ago, he called me into his office and critiqued my work down to the last microscopic detail. This was highly insulting, because I h…

Office Coach: Abusive attitude begins at the top

Q: Our company's human resources manager is an autocratic bully. She gives people verbal warnings for being one minute late and has been known to subject employees to searches. Even though everyone regards her as cruel and obnoxious, she seems to have a disproportionate amount of influence w…

Office Coach: Co-worker's romance at work presents a sensitive problem

Q: Two of my co-workers, "Jake" and "Cheryl," sit next to each other and spend a lot of time whispering and giggling. They often leave the office together and are sometimes gone for hours. Jake's wife recently told me they have separated because he is having an affair with Cheryl.

Office Coach: Ask boss for help in gaining visibility

Q: Even though I'm a senior manager, no one outside my department seems to know I exist. Whenever people need information related to my group, they always contact my boss. Instead of referring them to me, she will either answer the question herself or go to my employees for assistance. I am …

Office Coach: Provide clear guidance on appropriate dress

Q: One of my employees frequently wears clothing that is too small and too tight. Although we have a written dress code, "Rachel" has apparently decided to ignore it. Customers and co-workers have commented on the amount of skin and cleavage she displays.

Office Coach: Don't be childish over tardiness issue

Q: My manager recently gave me a performance warning for coming to work late. She has started monitoring me very closely, which makes me feel like some sort of criminal. I don't think I deserve to be treated this way just because I have poor time-management skills.