For many workers, 2022 kicked off with various degrees of return-to-office mandates. It was the year of “quiet quitting” and it’s more insidious counterpart, quiet firing. The continuing pandemic has, on a grand scale, made many reexamine how we tie our careers to our identities. On a smaller scale, it’s made us reconsider how to survive the day-to-day at work. We’ve encountered and shared so much potentially life-changing career advice this year—the best of which we’ve summed up here. Enjoy our top workplace hacks of 2022.
How to re-enter the workforce after stay-at-home parenting (without losing your mind)
After taking time off to focus on stay-at-home parenting, it’s no easy feat to re-enter the work force. First and foremost, you’re now doing the work of not one but two demanding jobs: one is whatever earns you a physical paycheck, and the other is being a parent.
Former staff writer Sarah Showfety advises parents returning to work, “If you learn only one thing here, learn this: Do not ‘see how it goes.’ Select not only a daycare, nanny, or family member to care for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers, but also someone to entertain, feed, get ready, and drop-off older kids at various activities when they return home from school. (Because, unless you have preternaturally independent (or older) children, guess who’s office they will be barging into for help with snacks, petty disputes, finding shin guards, and untying their blasted, double-knotted cleat laces—while you’re on deadline or in a meeting?)”
How to deal with a coworker you absolutely hate
Despite whatever your boss might say, your workplace is not your family. Nevertheless, much like a family, you’ll have to learn to cooperate with people you did not pick out yourself. So, what do you do when you have to get up everyday and work with someone you absolutely cannot stand?
Lifehacker staff writer Lindsey Ellefson explains: “Gossiping with coworkers can be sort of stress-relieving and build a sense of community, sure, but don’t talk shit about your despised colleague to others at work. Do you really know who’s on your side, or could someone you vent to be a secret ally of your enemy, or an impartial observer who just wants to stir up some drama and watch it unfold? Instead, get all of your frustrations out to your friends outside of work.”
How to save your career after screwing up at work
We all make mistakes at work. Assuming you don’t get fired due to a screw-up, you need to be strategic about your damage control. Depending on your industry, you could wind up with a negative reputation. And if your professional reputation is damaged, you may also find it hard to get employment elsewhere. People talk, after all, and you never know if a future boss is listening.
Lindsey Ellefson breaks it down: “Beyond getting out ahead of the gossip, owning up to the mistake signals that you’re doing the responsible thing. If you’ve already developed a reputation for doing something bad, you need to fix that reputation ASAP. Being known as the person who screwed up is terrible, but being known as the person who screwed up and took immediate steps to make things right is less terrible.”
How to hold a coworker accountable when your boss won’t
An incompetent coworker is annoying enough, but what makes them all the more infuriating is when they keep getting away with making the rest of the team pick up the slack. Lifehacker contributor Amy Drader writes about about how you should focus on appreciating those coworkers who do in fact contribute to the team:
“Appreciation goes deeper. This is about acknowledging the value of someone’s unique contributions to the team. This is about perspective and life experience. It might sound like, ‘I appreciated the way you disagreed with us today. Your perspective challenges me to see our work differently and we’re better for it.’ Seeing the value others put forward is the foundation of respect. Consider the person you’d like to hold accountable, they’re more likely to listen to you if they know they have your respect.”
How to skip the office pizza party and still be a “team player”
Perhaps the top perk used to persuade workers to return to the office: “free” food. Of course, most employees would prefer a raise to a pizza, so we don’t blame you if you roll your eyes at the prospect of an office pizza party. But what about the potential fallout from skipping the slice? Will you be thought of as less of a team player around the office?
Former Lifehacker staff writer Jonathan van Halem explains: “...making up an excuse is really just a code for ‘lying.’ But desperate times call for desperate measures. The key to a good ‘excuse’ is a blend of specificity and vagueness. You can’t just say, ‘I’m sorry, something came up.’ But saying, ‘I’m sorry, something came up with my son at school?’ Now you’re cooking with gas. Most people are not going to pry for more information about something like that; and they’ll think whatever you’re dealing with is decidedly worse than an office pizza party.”
How to be the “personality hire” at your next job
Another defining feature of 2022 is the ability to trace career buzzwords back to TikTok. The term “personality hire” started trending as people posted about how what they lack in hard skills, they make up for in charisma. While it’s an exaggeration to suggest that you can get a gig based on charisma alone, it’s true that your personality can help you gain an edge. As I explained earlier this year, you can make yourself stand out against other applicants by coming across as a well-rounded, likable person. Some of the best ways to let your personality shine but stay professional when interviewing include:
Have a story ready to help break the ice within the first 30 seconds of your interview. It doesn’t have to be work-related, but it should still be professional (e.g., something about volunteering or a family vacation).
Smile while telling a story about a positive work experience.
Don’t be afraid to tell your boss-to-be what you want to say, as long as you do it in a respectful way.
Pretend your interview is simply a conversation between the two of you, which can help you to focus on actually having fun and represent your personality, skills, and experience in the best possible light.
The best ways to respond to unfair feedback at work
As much as you may daydream about standing up to your boss, for most employees, that dream will never be reality. We can’t control our bosses; all we can control is how we react to them. Lifehacker contributor Amy Drader gives us a framework to process and respond to unfair criticism at work.
“The more insight you can get into your boss’s evaluation of you, the more targeted you can be about addressing it. Also, keep in mind this is an evaluation of your work performance, not you as a person. Keep your mindset focused on the work. Beating yourself up or continuing to feel dejected won’t help you move forward.”
How to respond to an unexpected meeting with your boss
Is there anything more anxiety-inducing than seeing a message from your boss that reads: “Can we chat?” (I suppose the only thing more stomach-churning would be receiving that message from your significant other.) Luckily, you don’t have to be caught totally unprepared. There are steps you should be taking now so that you’re always ready for an impromptu meeting with your employer.
Lindsey Ellefson writes, “You should generally be keeping track of your major successes or milestones; if you’re not, you should start now. Create a folder on your desktop and drop in any positive messages from colleagues and other examples of your various jobs well done, like your quarterly sales totals. A recent LinkedIn poll found that 55% of professionals don’t track their accomplishments regularly—but you really should. And knowing that you have tangible evidence of your professional accomplishments comes in handy for keeping you calm before unscheduled meetings.”