Alison Green, creator of the workplace advice column Ask a Manager, reveals the surprisingly complex world of office coffee culture. From the intricacies of coffee clubs and payment systems to the territorial disputes over coffee machines, she showcases how a simple workplace amenity can become a source of tension and time-wasting. One office charges employees for coffee while another deals with a contract that forbids non-supplier coffee. Employees have faced discipline for taking excessive coffee breaks, while others juggle complex orders from coworkers. The drama escalates with turf wars between departments or companies over coffee machine access and hoarding of premium coffee flavors. Green's anecdotes illustrate how office coffee arrangements can mirror larger organizational dynamics and the sometimes absurd lengths people will go to for their preferred cup.
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