Alice Bumgarner

The staff treats admins like doormats: How do we get respect?

• February 28, 2008

Question: “How can I handle other staff who treat administrative assistants as the low people on the totem pole? Where I work, admins get little or no respect...

How do I get my opinions to count when the boss asks but never listens?

• February 28, 2008

Question: “The executive I support always asks for my opinions regarding changes to office setup, administrative support staff duties, logistics for meetings,...

How do I incorporate ‘Lean’ practices?

• February 21, 2008

Question: “What are some good ‘Lean’ tools/reference materials for an admin to use? Our company is taking a ‘Lean’ approach this year, and...

Office birthday luncheons: Do I have to attend?

• February 21, 2008

Question: “Our department acknowledges birthdays by taking the birthday person out to lunch. The person gets to choose where to eat and the entire department...

Ever heard of television etiquette in the workplace?

• February 21, 2008

Question: “Our company recently installed a television in the break room. My boss asked me to find something online about television etiquette. I...

Do you have a corporate recycling policy?

• February 15, 2008

Question: “Our company is interested in establishing a corporate policy for recycling at our office. Has anyone written such a policy?” — Linda Goode

How do I ask my boss to stop announcing my doctor’s appointments?

• February 08, 2008

Question: “How can I tactfully and respectfully ask my boss to stop announcing my doctor’s appointments to other employees? I cover for other areas,...

What’s the best title for a middle-management position?

• February 08, 2008

Question: “We need a title for a middle-management position. We have used the word “supervisor” in the past, but that implies more power than...

Do you need to silence an office buttinski?

• January 25, 2008

Question: “I supervise our receptionist/secretary and share an office with her. When the director or other staff members come into the office to speak to me...

My new job is overwhelming: How do I handle it?

• January 18, 2008

Question: “I was offered a promotion seven months ago to a newly created position with new responsibilities and a salary increase. Originally, five people did...

Are you at-risk if you hand out over-the-counter drugs to employees?

• January 04, 2008

Question: “Is it OK to keep medicine on-hand to give employees as needed (e.g.,Advil, Tylenol, Excedrin, Motrin)? I keep these meds on my desk (as do a lot of...

Taking risks in the workplace: Should you or shouldn’t you?

• December 27, 2007

Question: “I am looking at different ways to take risks in the workplace/office. Where can I find information on this topic?” — Lisa Hensley

My co-worker is lazy, noisy and a pain: How do I tune her out?

• December 20, 2007

Question: “I am an administrative assistant with a busy schedule working for a senior director.  My problem is our receptionist, who works right outside my...

Doing the work, but no recognition, now what?

• December 14, 2007

Question: “I work in a department that is divided into teams. I am the department administrative assistant, supporting about 25 people. The department celebrated...

Should hourly employees get paid sick leave?

• December 07, 2007

Question: “I work for a small company and right now we give all of our employees, both salaried and hourly, five paid sick days per year.  The company...

What’s the best way to propose a flexible work schedule?

• November 30, 2007

Question: “I am a full-time working mother of two children, one is 4 years old and the second is 21 months. Recently, I proposed a flexible schedule at my job so...

How do I create a project board?

• November 30, 2007

Question: “I share an office with several other secretaries.  My director has asked us to create a "project board" to post our assignments on. ...

What’s the best way to handle ‘negaholics’?

• November 16, 2007

Question: “What are some ideas for handling negativity in the workplace? I work in a small government agency and there are so many “negaholics.”...

How should I respond to condescending comments?

• November 02, 2007

Question: "How do you resolve conflict and assuage damaging, condescending comments that are very subtly done?  The comments come from a manager to an employee...

What holiday gifts do I buy for the directors who already have everything?

• October 18, 2007

Question: I am responsible for coming up with the holiday gift idea for our board members.  I was given a budget of $250 - $300 and I am, unfortunately, at a...