DEAR GOVERNESS
My boss told me to stop wearing my headphones at my desk because he was tired of tapping me on the shoulder. Why can't he just e-mail me?
- Grace T., Vancouver
DEAR GRACE
This may be a generational issue, but there's a communication gap here the size of Kanye West's ego. The constant tapping from your boss is a signal for you to be more in the moment. He may also see you as rude, especially if you give "that face" when interrupted.
While e-mail may be your preference, it's not his - and he's your boss. It's time to learn some social skills. Face-to-face communication builds relationships in a way that doesn't happen online.
Try having a live conversation with him about how much more productive you are listening to music. Then, reposition your workstation so you can see him - and other humanoids - approaching and can slip off the headgear before the tap. You lose a little of your private space, but at least this way Jay-Z and your boss can coexist.
DEAR GOVERNESS
Our CEO recently became vegan and now he's banned all meat products from the building.
So now if I want a chicken sandwich, I have to eat it outside. I fear shoes and belts may be next. What are my rights here?
- Trevor N., Mississauga
DEAR TREVOR
He's your boss, not your guru. It's tempting for employers to think that because they've bought their employees' time and talent, the entire workplace is theirs to control. I recall an uncomfortable company dinner at a Christian-run organization where employees were asked to stand in a circle, each holding a candle, and then light it from person to person. I felt like I had fallen into a cult.
To be fair, other offices have rules about, say, not eating stinky cheese at your desk, and nobody complains. Likewise, smokers are forced to huddle outside, but then, your drumstick isn't a health hazard to the person beside you. So when does it cross the line? The difference here is that it's not about fitting into the company culture or staying safe as much as it's an expectation you'll buy into your CEO's personal beliefs. If you find that offensive, then stand up for your lunch.
An informal conversation with your boss may be all it takes to come in from the cold. If you're really ticked off, check out federal or provincial organizations and consider filing a complaint. While the right to eat bacon in the workplace is noticeably missing from the Canadian Human Rights Act, the issue is whether ethical veganism can be considered a "creed" - a broader term than "religion." Basically, the Ontario Human Rights Commission policy on creed states that "no person can force another to accept or comply with religious beliefs or practices."
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