Interpersonal EDGE

 

By Dr. Daneen Skube

Tribune Content Agency

 

  Q. I'm in my 50s and have been working since I was 17. I am noticing that every year there are more things in my career that cause me pain. I am so exhausted with going to work and swimming upstream against all the problems that upset me. I feel like early retirement is my only option, but I can't afford that. What can I do?

 

By Dr. Daneen Skube

Tribune Content Agency

 

 Q. This year is starting out with nothing but storms. We are being bought by a different company, no one knows if they have a job, and all our roles will change. Most of us are losing our minds! You always have excellent ideas about stress and change. How can we handle all this chaos that we can't even control?

 

Tribune Content Agency

 

Q. I manage a large team, and every year we seem to have faster turnover on our employees. We've done team building, additional rewards and retention bonuses, but it doesn't seem to slow down employees leaving. The odd thing is our team is ranked as one of the best to work on. What is going on, and how can I manage the problem of employees that barely last a year?

By Dr. Daneen Skube

Tribune Content Agency

 

Q. I have been thinking about how to dress for success at work as a woman. The problem is I'm middle aged and about 170 pounds. I cannot wear the really tailored, sharp-looking pencil skirts and snug business jackets. My career is wonderful but leaves little time for exercise. Can I dress for success without being 125 pounds?

By Dr. Daneen Skube

Tribune Content Agency

 

Q. My company is facing huge changes starting next year. Rumors are flying around the company, but we are trying to keep the facts about the changes quiet until 2017. The problem is that, along with the rumors, we have increasing anxiety flying around our office. How can we in upper management manage the anxiety without revealing all the data about what will happen next year?

Tribune Content Agency

 

Q. My office always enjoys the holiday season and celebrates them all. We've hired a lot of diverse people over the last six months. Some of our new employees are offended by Halloween (devil worship?), others are offended by Christmas celebrations and some think Thanksgiving is politically incorrect. How do you navigate these differences while still celebrating the holidays important to many of us? 

Tribune Content Agency

 

Q. I am just entering the work world and am thinking about money and jobs. People older than I am seem to always think they don't make enough money. A lot of people also seem very bitter about people who do make a lot of money. I'd like my job to balance making a good living with having a good life. Can you have both?

 

 

Tribune Media Services

 

  Q. People in my workplace are getting very polarized about the upcoming election and the two probable candidates, Hilary Clinton and Donald Trump. Emotions seem to be running higher this year than in any election I can remember. There seem to be intense feelings on both sides. How can I navigate these conversations without alienating my coworkers? Why do people get so angry over these political differences?