How to Alienate a Colleague, One Coffee at a Time

Send questions about the office, money, careers and work-life balance to [email protected]. Include your name and location, or a request to remain anonymous. Letters may be edited.

Hi, I’m Anna, and, as of today, I’m your new work friend, taking over from the inimitable Roxane Gay, who has served New York Times readers so well — with such intelligence and generosity — for so long. (You’ll still find Roxane in The Times’s opinion section.) I hope that I’m able to honor and expand upon the insights she provided over the years. I’ve got big shoes — though I bet my feet are bigger than hers: size 11½! — to fill.

A little bit about me: I’m a writer and an editor and sometimes both at the same time. I’ve been managed by bosses as well as managed employees myself. (Again, often at the same time.) I understand the challenges and rewards of workplace collaboration and camaraderie and enjoy the solo nature of just sitting in a chair and writing and writing. (Or thinking about writing.)

Right now, in addition to this new gig, I’m working on a book for Crown Publishers about women, power and communication. Some other biographical details: When I was in my early 30s, after working in print magazines for over a decade, I created a website called Jezebel, which changed the trajectory of my career, and changed it in ways I could have never anticipated.

As someone who has straddled workplace experiences from the late 20th century up to today, I’m interested in the American culture of work and how it has evolved over the years. Covid changed so much, and I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the younger generations, who expect an unprecedented level of transparency and accountability about everything from salary to workplace environment.

I also have a little experience in the offering up of opinions about work conundrums: For a few months this year, I wrote an advice column for Bloomberg Businessweek called Sad Desk Salad, and I’m excited to bring my very strong point of view and professional expertise to Times readers. I’ll also occasionally solicit the opinions of others — experts and the like who may be better suited to enlighten not just Work Friend readers but me as well.