workplace

Having a boss who depends on drinking is an incredibly stressful situation, especially when their behavior directly impacts your professional image. Luckily, with the right steps you can protect yourself, and even come out stronger on the other side.

Your boss says you have to share a hotel room on a work trip “to save money.” Now you’re imagining awkward silences, zero privacy, and possibly unsafe situations. No, you’re not overreacting—your comfort and safety matter. Here’s how to figure out your options, protect yourself, and set clear boundaries without torpedoing your career.

Handling workplace dynamics can be tricky, and lending money to a colleague or boss only makes things even messier. If your boss borrows money and has yet to pay you back, the power imbalance might make you feel awkward about getting it back. But you aren’t powerless. Here are a few tips to help you handle the situation without losing your job.

Imagine this: you're a new employee at the office when your boss casually suggests, “We already have a Jessica. Can we call you Jess 2?” Or worse, they ask you to change your name entirely because it’s “too confusing”. Sounds ridiculous, right? Unfortunately, it happens more often than you’d think. So what do you do when it happens to you? Are you allowed to say no? And what are your rights if they won’t back off?

It’s the worst kind of workplace drama—when the person making you uncomfortable is the one in charge. You go to work to do your job, not to feel weirded out by messages, “jokes,” or suggestive comments. If this is happening to you, you’re not overreacting, and you’re definitely not alone.