Assault survivor is traumatized by invitation
I am increasingly getting frustrated by my co-workers who walk and read their smartphones or text on their phones and block the entryways or hallways at the expense of their fellow co-workers.
I find it discourteous and self-absorbed.
I want to say something but am having trouble finding the right words in letting people know they are a nuisance without insulting them.
-- Hemmed In
Dear Hemmed In: First of all, I hope that -- while your large and busy building has only one entry point, it offers more exits, in case of an emergency.
In some ways, the ubiquity of cellphones has made all of us a little happier to wait. We read and watch while we wait for our plane to take off, while we're standing in line at the grocery store, or in the waiting room of our doctor's office.
It has also made many of us distracted and pokey.
In a large building with a bottleneck at the one entrance, it is important that people pay attention. If you are stuck behind a cluster of phone-distracted people, you could say, "Do you mind if I move ahead of you? I need to get into the building. They will likely say, "Yes, I do mind," but your inquiry would serve as a nudge.
You should also take your concerns to building management. Signs saying, "Please be courteous and move through the entrance as quickly as possible," might help.
Dear Amy: "'Happily Gone" was conflicted about whether to leave a negative Glassdoor.com review for her former employer.
If Company X is so small as to not have an HR department, then her review could be personally identifiable.
I have read reviews of my former companies and I know precisely who wrote them. I would be cautious about submitting a review to Glassdoor.
-- Experienced
Dear Experienced: If "Happily Gone" had already left her toxic employer, then why would it matter if she could be identified through her negative review?
(You can email Amy Dickinson at askamy@amydickinson.com or send a letter to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or Facebook.)
