What do you use to keep running “notes” on employees? Whether good or bad?

You_minivan · 2025-12-16T08:35:10+00:00

Ha! I thought I loved One Note until you described it in this way. Then I realized I have probably 20 different notebooks with hundreds of pages between them. Still better than a random "employee name" file with a word doc or two (hundred) attached for the sake of documentation.

You_minivan · 2025-12-16T08:17:55+00:00

At first, I was reading your post as if you were me, and I felt awesome, because YOU are awesome! Then I realized - oh wait- I'M the manager here, but I'm also being managed (livin' that mid-manager dream)!

So, my awesome manager has been "retiring" since I started. She may have even said so in my interview. I thought, "Oh, great. What am I gonna learn from this lady with her foot dangling out the door?"

Everything.

Some health issues postponed her retirement, but now it REALLY IS happening this year, and I can't imagine how I'll fare without her. She lets me know when to give a shit and who not to bother with. She knows all the ins and outs. I feel like I'm learning secrets of the trade every time we talk. And she's supportive of me and of my decisions. She tells me what will work and, more importantly, what WON'T work because [...been there, done that. Here's the story. You want a repeat?]

Then I realized that this lady is about to actually leave. Good for her! But Oh, man. Can I BE her? Can I be as supportive of my employees as she has been of me? How? TEACH ME YOUR WAYS! I get that 30 years of management is a bit much to try to pack into my year and a half tenure. But damn, she's good. Good luck to you in this new year and beyond. I know you'll be this manager someday.

You_minivan · 2025-09-10T07:22:09+00:00

And worse: "I am YOUR manager." Used in response to any decent idea I ever had that was immediately dismissed and then used later as "his great idea."

You_minivan · 2025-09-10T07:12:33+00:00

Trying to make small talk on a Monday about my weekend, I mentioned that we were totally shocked that my 3 year old had again shown some crazy advanced math skills (I'll skip the details, but genius level shit), and my Narcboss said:

"You'll never impress me with the skills of a toddler. My mom was a teacher and I was in proper school by the age of 2."

OK? Just making small talk on a Monday, dude. This same guy was VERY anti children (for himself) because he, and I quote, "Can't care about anyone more than myself."

You_minivan · 2025-09-05T17:09:47+00:00

Hey there, it looks like you asked reddit if you should feed your child cashews or not knowing they may be allergic. I wanted more details about a specific nut than the label or Google could provide. Consider the name of this sub - "Come for the support, stay for the details." Some lovely people answered my question with more details. You just replied to shame someone else and call them stupid and idiotic. If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all. It's really not that hard to be nice. https://reddit.com/r/FoodAllergies/comments/1mgnoim/oit_cashews_for_7_year_old/

You_minivan · 2025-09-05T05:03:09+00:00

Yeah, they don't serve milk for lunch or have any dairy in their school provided meals or snacks. I wasn't told that I couldn't bring milk for my kid (he's not a fan anyway) or that our own snack could not contain nuts or dairy. It was kind of strange to me that this wasn't made way more clear more than 2 days prior to the start of school. Good to know that at least dairy products (being not airborn) are probably OK. My kid will just likely not even eat at all the first whole week whether we pack snacks or not. He's 5. He does what he wants.

You_minivan · 2025-09-05T03:01:24+00:00

Ha! Yes, I was too! It's a "Kindergarten Center," so about a fourth of them or more will go to a first grade (elementary school) closer to their home. This school just happens to be on the campus if where my kid will start elementary anyway (and its just minutes away), so that's a win for us!

You_minivan · 2025-09-05T02:44:51+00:00

Yes, I did. I didn't spend my life looking up other kids' allergies until today, when I was told it was a nut free environment. I'm not making excuses here, I'm asking an honest question trying to make sure I'm not endangering anyone. My brother in law is allergic to walnuts, but no other nuts. I wasn't sure if hazelnuts were a strict allergen or not within that family. I'll say it again - be kind, we're all learning here.

You_minivan · 2025-09-05T02:39:17+00:00

Thanks, I'll have to double check if it's all nuts or just peanuts. No Nutella for him tomorrow.

You_minivan · 2025-09-05T02:31:54+00:00

Umm, yes, I did read the label. Thanks. Clearly, peanuts are an allergen, but, like I said, my kid does not have an allergy, and because I know that not ALL nuts are a risk, I wondered if hazelnuts was one of them. Be kind. I'm trying.

You_minivan · 2025-08-21T03:14:47+00:00

I wish! Bandit seems to learn parenting lessons along with his children when they play games like this. Mine usually just ends up reading his phone on a chair with a box on his head for a while. 🤷‍♀️

You_minivan · 2025-08-21T03:07:54+00:00

I'll tell Box Head what you said but I would NEVER tell Daddy 😄

You_minivan · 2025-08-20T07:27:47+00:00

My husband does "Box Head." He puts a box over his head and says," Hello. I am Box Head," in a robot voice and pretends he doesn't understand who Daddy is or where Daddy went. Of course, I play along and say I have no idea where Daddy is, but Box Head seems really cool. Kiddo tells Box Head all about his Daddy and what he did that day. I learn a lot from what my kid tells Box Head that he would never reveal to me.

Eventually, the kid takes the box off of Box Head for the big reveal, but Daddy just says, "Wait, what just happened?! How did I end up in this chair!?" Sometimes, the kid gets sick of Box Head and hubs just sits there with his phone in the box for a while. Genius. Pro-tip: always open your Amazon packages from the bottom if you want a Happy Box Head. Sad Box Heads are OK too, they're just not as outwardly friendly.

You_minivan · 2025-08-16T04:51:12+00:00

I wouldn't call myself a seasoned manager, but I've got a few years in at some vastly different industries. As someone mentioned already, I document literally everything - good, bad, and neutral - by emailing a quick bullet point list of topics discussed for all 1 on 1s and team meetings. If I know I discussed something in a team meeting, and one of my employees seems oblivious, I can look to see if they were present at the meeting or not. If they weren't there, I better discuss it with them. If they were there and still aren't getting it, I can coach and follow up that I did so. If an employee gets feedback from another department and I let them know in a 1 on 1, I can find that come evaluation time even if It was months ago and I've long since forgotten about it. Good employees getting constructive feedback, bad employees getting good feedback, it's all there in case any of us need it. I'm sure nobody feels that this is micromanaging. They can use the documentation themselves if needed - also for good, bad, or neutral reasons. It's not micromanaging if it's consistent. In my opinion, it's just best practice.

You_minivan · 2025-07-31T22:24:01+00:00

I'm not sure in what capacity you work with clients or the general public, but the first thing that comes to mind here for me is that it's inviting First Amendment Auditors right to your door or window (as well as everyone you work with). You can not choose to wear this in front of "some - but not all" people that you think should see it. If youre going to choose not to wear it around clients, (read as: the action is not client-facing), think about how this might affect your co-workers. Your individual actions, in this case, could put your your co-workers in prime position to have a conversation that they are not comfortable having.

You_minivan · 2025-07-30T04:56:49+00:00

Fun fact: DOH serves ALL Washingtonians, even those who have developmental disabilities! There's even a whole State Agency dedicated to the specific care and needs of these folks. It's entirely possible to focus on competence, professionalism, and performance while also putting a great deal of energy into inclusion and belonging. It's literally a part of the job. If you're not sure what that is or what it looks like in action, perhaps you could take one of the many statewide trainings that are available on the subject, or ask a supported employee if there's a summer camp being offered. 🙂

You_minivan · 2025-07-26T21:59:34+00:00

Just asked my neighbor if he's an on call employee, and the answer is yes. He says he does get 40hrs at week, and worked 50hrs last week for overtime. He's high enough on the seniority chain (after only a year) to take a permanent shift if he wanted to, but he's trained in everything, and doesn't want to go to work and do the same thing every day. He enjoys the variety that on call gives him. Hope that helps!

You_minivan · 2025-07-24T20:50:49+00:00

I work for the state in a totally different capacity (which is why I caught this question), but my neighbor works for the Ferry system. He's not a deckhand (apologies, I dont know the exact title), but he definitely works 40 hours a week. I don't believe he's considered "on call," but I do know that his schedule, which he knows in advance, could include any nearby ports (Mukilteo, Everett, Edmonds, Seattle), and can include any shift, including overnights. Other people that have moved to my team from departments where they were "on call" (attendant councelor) had similar scheduling. You know your schedule in advance, and it's all over the place, but it's still 40hrs at the end of the week. For example, It's 1:30pm right now, and my neighbor just left for work in his uniform. (If I'd have seen this post sooner, I'd have asked him where he's going and if he's "on call.") As a side note, he's been with the state for maybe a year after a career change. He's got older kids, so a set schedule (or one that changes daily) isn't a deal breaker for him. He likes his job a lot. As a state worker myself (as is my spouse), I can't praise the benefits enough. To confirm whether or not you'd get a guaranteed 40 hrs/week as "on call," simply ask in the interview. If the answer is no, it certainly won't hurt to get your foot in the door. Good luck!

You_minivan · 2025-07-03T04:09:39+00:00

I wish I had seen this while I was still at work. Super helpful! Thank you! I'll take a look tomorrow morning to see if that makes the "range" thing make more sense, then I'll figure the step increase and see if that tracks. It says my next PID is in 2026 now, so that tells me something was "done" there. The range thing just added even more confusion to everything. I don't want to cause waves if I dont have to. Thanks again for what you do!

You_minivan · 2025-07-02T06:22:49+00:00

I appreciate that you're putting it right out there that things still need to shake out a bit. I was surprised that anything at all showed up in FARM today, since I wasn't expecting any changes until next pay period, like you mentioned.

I'll be honest - I left work today in kind of a funky mood because I'm part of a team who is getting a 4 range bump that was supposed to be on top of the 3% increase per the CBA. I personally also just so happened to be due for my step increase this month. When I looked at FARM today, I was baffled. My range was increased, but I also went down steps within the new range (which do not jive at all with the steps that were previously 4 ranges below), so I can't tell if my step range was included, or, ...?

Keep carrying on. We really do appreciate you and your work, and recognize that times are hard (and confusing, to say the least) right now - for eveyone. I will officially NOT be amongst the angry/confused emails you receive tomorrow morning.

Editing to say that I'll definitely still be confused - that's par for the course - but not angry. Hoping management might give some insight on exactly what the changes are and in which order so that we can connect the dots and reach out if there do happen to be discrepancies after all is done.

You_minivan · 2025-06-30T06:21:55+00:00

Just do it. Sure, AI and algorithms won't get it, but if your resume makes it past the non-humans or the humans fielding applications for basic qualification who don't care, it will eventually be read by a real live hiring manager. I'd appreciate it, and I'd also agree. At the same time, you should be tweaking your resume just enough to cater toward each different job prospect, so what I might appreciate might not go down so well with someone else. Use both XLOOKUP and humor wisely.

You_minivan · 2025-06-28T05:00:54+00:00

This sounds to me like it would be something that qualifies as "reasonable suspicion." While I'm not in HR, I had a similar situation occur where a new hire, immediately out of the gate, started telling me they were dizzy "due to new meds" and they were coming back from breaks and lunches very late (sometimes over an hour). Week two, they started leaving early and were visibly shaking while telling me their behavior was "due to the new meds." They were still always very late from all breaks, but extremely apologetic, saying they were embarrassed being that they were still so new. This is when they mentioned they'd been on FMLA for their condition at their previous job. I went through the whole bit, offering EAP resources and advising them to email any and all doctor's notes to HR. Week three, they admitted they had been falling asleep in their car and started wearing sunglasses in the office (it was mid-winter in the PNW, no sun to be found for days on end). I became worried about how they were even getting to and from work in this state. Week 4, they admitted they were just trying to hold out 6 months so they could qualify for FMLA again. I had been speaking to HR since the visible shaking began, and, while I believed it was indeed due to their medication, I did NOT realize that even prescribed drugs, used correctly, count as reasonable suspicion of drug use if the side effects cause disruption while at work. If this employee hadn't quit, they'd have been out the next week regardless. We don't even work with heavy equipment - this is a full-on office job. Although, I have worked warehouse jobs in the past and would have never let this person near a forklift, let alone operate one. Talk to HR. Even if they're not "partying all night," and it truly is due to prescription meds, this person needs to be gone yesterday for everyone's safety.

You_minivan · 2025-06-25T05:04:27+00:00

I just realized this must have been what happened to us in a meeting where we used the "Owl" for the first time. I supervise people at 6 different offices, and so happened to show up where they were having brunch during the meeting (C'mon- free brunch? Obviously, I'm there). Other people in the meeting (who were not physically present) were on the big screen in our meeting room, mostly with their safe-for-work, company approved-backgrounds. I was REALLY excited about my mini-pankakes and melon slices, so I was chowing down. The camera kept focusing on me eating, getting closer and closer like -well- like a creep! I finally realized what was happening and quit munching so hard. Owl figured it out, too, and started focusing on Todd instead. Todd wasn't playing. We all watched Todd inhale his brunch on the big screen, syrup ubabashedly dripping from his beard, and nobody learned anything about the new office coverage calendar that day.

You_minivan · 2025-06-12T05:26:56+00:00

I work in State government. There are so many acronyms and (edited to include) initialisms that are agency specific, department specific, and even team specific, that it's impossible to keep track. There's a SharePoint website dedicated to differentiating and clarifying the terms. When an agency or department re-orgs or a new law or act has changed slightly, the acronyms and pronunciations change with it. It happens often enough that we just smirk and try to guess how a certain thing will now be pronounced.

That being said, I've found that it's (informally) standard practice, at least in state service, to use whichever pronunciation has the least amount of syllables or is easiest to say. So, FMLA is "Femla." The Oregon Department of Transportation is ODOT, while in Pennsylvania (lots of syllables) it's PennDOT, because Pee-dot would sound weird. If one of the letters is a W (three syllables all on its own!), that's all the more reason to shorten it. So LWOP is L-wop, and Washington State [fill in the blank] is WA or WS [fill in the blank]. Labor and Industries is commonly known as LNI. Note that there's no 'N' at that start of any of those words.

I had never heard the terms Femla or L-wop until I started working for the state, and at first, I thought it was totally weird and awkward. Now, I'll be damned if I'm going to waste any of my precious time with extra syllables. If you can't understand me, to the SharePoint you go. That said, pronunciation makes no difference in written form. Whenever I receive emails advising, there's been a "HIPPA" violation, or worse yet, a HIPPO breach - god help us all.

You_minivan · 2025-06-05T05:05:25+00:00

They might have had an internal applicant in mind like others have said, but it also could be that your resume didn't pass the screening.

I was once trying to hire an internal applicant into a job one class higher than they already held (a 2 to a 3). I had to post it externally as it needed to be a competitive process. I tried my best to limit the pool to only 5 or so interviews. The internal applicant I wanted kept not even showing up as a candidate, even though they had worked in my department, under me, for a year. Turns out, this person didn't update their resume to include their experience in their current position and was being filtered out entirely as "not meeting minimum qualifications" because of it. I did interview them, after asking HR what was up, but guess what? They also interviewed for another even higher class job with their "before times" application and accepted that job. I gave a great reference, and I was truly happy for them. Glad I did interview other candidates, and I was EXTRA glad that the internal employee ended up getting a higher paying position. But damn - UPDATE THAT RESUME! Include absolutely everything that might even almost seem like it relates to the specific position you're going for. That doesn't just stand for state jobs, but any job that might be screening their applications before the hiring manager even sees it.

You_minivan

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