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These ladies are changing the future of work for women
Women have come a long way in the workforce, but there is still much work to be done to achieve gender equality. Luckily, there are many incredible women leading the charge and making a positive impact on the future of work for women. Here are a few examples of ladies who are changing the game:Sheryl SandbergSheryl Sandberg is the Chief Operating Officer of Facebook and the author of the bestselling book "Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead." Through her work at Facebook and her advocacy for women in the workplace, Sandberg has become a leading voice in the conversation about gender equality. She has inspired countless women to pursue leadership roles and work to create more inclusive and equitable workplaces.Reshma SaujaniReshma Saujani is the founder and CEO of Girls Who Code, a nonprofit organization that works to close the gender gap in technology. Through her work, Saujani is helping to create a more diverse and representative tech industry, which will benefit women for years to come.Arianna HuffingtonArianna Huffington is the founder and CEO of Thrive Global, a wellness and productivity company. Huffington is also the co-founder of The Huffington Post, which she sold to AOL in 2011. She is a vocal advocate for the importance of work-life balance and has worked to create more supportive and sustainable work environments for women.Ellen Pao Ellen Pao is a former CEO of Reddit and the co-founder of Project Include, an organization that works to increase diversity and inclusion in the tech industry. Pao has been a vocal critic of Silicon Valley's lack of diversity and has advocated for the importance of equal representation in the workplace.Sophia AmorusoSophia Amoruso is the founder of Girlboss, a media company that focuses on empowering and supporting women. She is also the author of the bestselling book "#GIRLBOSS," which encourages women to pursue their passions and take control of their careers. Amoruso is a strong advocate for women in the workplace and has worked to create more opportunities for women to succeed.These are just a few examples of the incredible women who are working to create a better future for women in the workplace. Their efforts are making a positive impact and helping to create more inclusive and equitable work environments for all.
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Are women still being discriminated at work?
The tech industry has long been plagued by issues of diversity and inclusion, particularly when it comes to the representation and treatment of women. Despite efforts to improve the situation in recent years, discrimination against women in tech remains a significant problem.One major issue is the lack of representation of women in leadership roles and technical positions. According to data from the National Center for Women & Information Technology, women make up just 26% of the tech workforce. This disparity is even more pronounced at the leadership level, with women holding just 11% of executive positions in tech companies.But representation is just one aspect of the problem – women in tech also face a number of other challenges and forms of discrimination. For example, research has shown that women in tech are often paid less than their male counterparts for performing the same job. In addition, women in tech are often subject to sexist comments and behaviors from colleagues and may face additional barriers when it comes to advancement and promotion.The impact of these issues can be significant. A lack of diversity in the tech industry can lead to a homogenous culture and a lack of innovation, as well as a less welcoming environment for underrepresented groups. Additionally, discrimination and bias can lead to high rates of turnover among women in tech, as they may feel unsupported or unwelcome in their workplaces.So, what can be done to address these issues and improve the situation for women in tech? Here are a few steps that companies and individuals can take:Increase representation and diversity at all levelsThis means not only hiring more women, but also promoting them to leadership roles and ensuring that they have the support and resources they need to succeed.Address pay disparities and ensure that women are paid fairly for their workThis can be done by conducting pay audits and implementing policies to address any discrepancies.Foster a culture of inclusion and respectThis includes training employees on diversity and inclusion, as well as taking steps to prevent and address instances of discrimination and harassment.Provide support and resources for women in techThis can include mentorship programs, networking opportunities, and professional development resources specifically geared towards women.Hold companies accountable for their diversity and inclusion efforts Consumers, investors, and employees can all play a role in holding companies accountable for their efforts to improve diversity and inclusion in the tech industry.Discrimination against women in tech is a complex and multifaceted problem, and addressing it will require a concerted effort from all stakeholders. By taking steps to increase representation, address pay disparities, foster a culture of inclusion, and provide support and resources for women, we can work towards a more equitable and inclusive tech industry for all.
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New norm? Women referees join world cup tournament
Football fever is taking over the world! With the 2022 FIFA World Cup taking place in Qatar, football fans around the world are ecstatic to see history being made! But history of another kind is being made at this year's world cup. This is the first time that six women from different confederations participate in a World Cup – and this might be the start of a shift where women play a more prominent role in the beautiful game and wider dominated sports industries. The history makers are: Stéphanie Frappart from France, Yoshimi Yamashita from Japan and Salima Mukansanga from Rwanda, and the assistant referees Neuza Back from Brazil, Karen Díaz Medina from Mexico and Kathryn Nesbitt from the USA. Maja Hitij/FIFA/Getty Images source: CNNStephanie Frappart of France has been part of the FIFA International Referees list since 2009 and has been breaking the norm of being a referee on various matches. She’s also the first woman in history to officiate a men's World Cup match last Thursday, when Germany played Costa Rica. In an interview by the official website of Olympics, she said that "It's a strong sign from FIFA and the authorities to have women referees " she said, adding her hopes that this decision can "make things happen".Yoshimi Yamashita of Japan is also not a stranger to international leagues- she was one of the officials in 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup in France.SOURCE: The Japan TimesShe is also vocal on this ‘move’ the management made to include women referees in the World Cup. She said, “There are hardly any female referees in the Middle East, so I would like to see that change, with the Qatar World Cup as the catalyst," On the other hand, Salima Mukansanga from Rwanda actually tried basketball before she switched to football and asked Rwanda Football Federation about joining a refereeing course. Talk about passion!Source: olympics.com The committee that selected this year's referees for the 2022 world cup emphasized that quality, not gender were the main criteria for the job and female referees will not get any special benefits because of their gender. Breaking the glass ceiling in sports brings hope to every sportswoman out there and the six referees officiating at this year's world cup are helping the beautiful game make strides towards greater equality and set an example for all sports.
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“I thought that if I wanted to raise a family, I couldn’t be a working mom.”
Brittany Valdes struggled to find her place between two sometimes conflicting identities: motherhood and professional life. Now, she’s rewriting the narrative about working mothers.It’s approaching 10:00 PM on a Tuesday. The house is hushed, and the family is sleeping. All except for the mom. Brittany Valdes sits in her bed, laptop open, face lit up by the screen. She’s catching up on emails for her side business, a nonprofit organization called The Mom Economy that supports moms while they navigate their careers before, during, and after having children. She’s heard that working from bed can affect her sleep—but she does it anyway. An email comes in from a new mother who’s feeling overwhelmed and discouraged after her first week back at work. She cried during a meeting and missed her baby’s rolling over for the first time. Brittany chokes up, remembering those feelings all too well. “It’s okay,” she types, nodding her head with confidence. “You are doing great! I cried too.” She encourages the new mother and then connects her to one of The Mom Economy members, who started a support group for this very situation. As she closes her laptop, Brittany’s mind flashes back five years ago to when she discovered that she was pregnant. “That’s it,” she thought at the time. “My career is over.” She believed that if she wanted to raise a family, she couldn’t be a working mom. Chapter One “When you’re pregnant, everyone wants to give you advice, but you have to do what your heart tells you is good for you and your family.” Brittany has always been driven by her career, she explains. During college in West Palm Beach, she ran multiple student and community activities. Then she moved to Chicago and worked in marketing and events at a publishing company and a tourism group. By age 25, her professional achievements were mounting, fueling her growing ambition. “I was working 60-hour weeks in a big city, and it never felt like work,” she says, laughing knowingly at her younger self. “I thought I was invincible.” And then, she was contacted by a recruiter. Did she want to lead local community programs for a new Microsoft retail store in Miami? It was the career move she’d been waiting for. Three weeks later, Brittany received the job offer, but then her life took a twist. She found out that she was pregnant—and was immediately overcome with doubt and ambiguity. “I thought that if I wanted to raise a family, I couldn’t be a working mom,” she says, her cheery voice turning suddenly serious. The decision felt especially fraught for her, given the culture in which she was raised. “My dad’s side is Cuban, and my mom’s side is Puerto Rican. People from cultures centered on family like mine often particularly struggle with the guilt from wanting both,” she explains. She was tortured with questions: “Will I get to spend enough time with my kids? Will I be able to devote enough energy to my clients? My baby will only be little for a short time. . . . If I take a break from work, will I be able to pick up where I left off?” Even though she was uncertain and scared, she had a village around her and decided to make the leap. She took the position as a community development specialist with Microsoft and helped open the first Microsoft retail store in the Miami area. Chapter Two “A dream woke me up in the middle of the night, and I’ve been awake ever since.” Over time, through trial and error and many of what she calls “non-Instagrammable moments,” as well as with ample support from family, friends, and coworkers, Brittany learned to redefine success on her own terms. Once she found a rhythm, other new moms began to reach out for advice. What started as DMs and coffee dates soon became the inspiration for The Mom Economy. “The Mom Economy was a dream that I had. It woke me up in the middle of the night, and I feel like I’ve been awake ever since.” Working full time, mothering full time, and running her side job has raised a lot of questions for her about how she does it all. Her eyes are smiling but somber—a mother’s face just before a teachable moment with her child. Her answer: “I don’t. It’s just not possible.” [Two black and white historial photos showing a girl behind a counter in a small shop and a historical theatre in Chicago] Chapter Three “Entrepreneurship is in my DNA.” Helping other moms was one part of Brittany’s desire to start a side project. Entrepreneurship, as we call it now, or the side hustle, as her grandfather calls it, runs in the family. Brittany’s abuelito, Wilfredo, fled Cuba in 1945 and moved to Chicago with his new wife, Delia. In addition to working a full-time job, Willie hosted dances for the Latin community on the weekends at a theater he rented—and eventually bought—named the Aragon. He kept his side hustle a secret from his full-time work for nearly seven years; that’s just how it was done then. And it wasn’t just her grandfather who had this entrepreneurial spirit. His son, Brittany’s dad, Willy Jr., started his own vitamin shop in the early 2000s and later owned a financial planning business. “I worked at the shop,” Brittany remembers. “My brother worked there. After school, we were packing bottles, selling. I never even thought about it as something extra. It was just part of our DNA as a family unit.” Chapter Four “I wanted to show my children what my parents gave me and take it to the next level.” While she credits her entrepreneurial spirit to her grandfather and father, she also sees the women—her abuelita, Delia, and her mom, Irasema—working tirelessly to empower their husband’s careers and businesses. Brittany explains that in her culture and family, there can be covert (and sometimes overt) expectations placed on women to prioritize home and family life. But she wanted something outside of the home, too. She wanted both. “I wanted to shift the perspective and take all the beautiful things my mother taught me about prioritizing my children to the next level with my kids,” she says. “I want to teach them to really push themselves and go for their dreams.” “And I think that’s what we need to do at every generation, right? If we do exactly what our parents and our grandparents teach us, we’re not leveling up. We’re not changing. We’re not evolving. We’re not growing.” Chapter Five “And I realized we needed a community of women—a safe space to talk about the things that we were dealing with.” Six years after she accepted the job at Microsoft—and now with two boys—Brittany noticed that she wasn’t alone in her struggle to be a working mom. So she started The Mom Economy. The Mom Economy has several initiatives, but this year, her favorite program was the Mother’s Mercado—a weekend that brought together mother-owned businesses that started as side projects. It was like a boot camp for mom entrepreneurs to learn how to scale their businesses, and one person won a pop-up retail space in New York City. “I felt like this was a really great demographic because a lot of moms are super creative and started these things as a side hustle, and now it’s their full-time job,” she says. It was inspiring to her, and she wanted to get the word out. As president of The Mom Economy, Brittany answers emails, connects moms to resources, and focuses the big picture strategy for the nonprofit. The mission is to grow a thriving community of women supporting women. “You’ve heard the phrase, ‘shop local.’ I say, ‘shop mom.’ Let’s support these families. Investing in mother-owned businesses that are more likely to hire more women creates this amazing trickle-down effect in the ecosystem.” Chapter Six “Still, as a working mom, there are hurdles. There are things that people do not see.” Brittany knows that on the outside, it might seem like she has it all put together. Beyond The Mom Economy, she’s excelled in her career at Microsoft and was named Store Associate of the Year before moving to her current role as the southeast community engagement manager. While she acknowledges that she has an amazing life, she’s been through the fire—and has come out the other side. Her father had a near-fatal heart attack right when Brittany went back to work after her second pregnancy, during which she was also struggling with post-partum depression and working on her masters degree in Business Administration. She thought the stress was going to end her. “People only see the glamorous side, right? They don’t see all the hurdles,” she says, pausing with sadness. “I get emotional speaking about it because, when you’re an entrepreneur, when you’re a working mom, there’s sacrifice. There are things that people don’t see. No one wants to share those things on their Instagram highlight, but it’s part of who we are. We have to find joy in those seasons, too.” Chapter Seven “I’m not perfect, but when my kids look at me, they’re looking at a mom who’s giving them opportunity to see what their life could be.” Through struggle and support, Brittany crafted a lifestyle that could sustain both family and work and side projects: a worldview that honors letting go of perfection, staying present in the moment, and investing in things that last. “It’s not about doing everything in your life perfectly; it’s not possible. It’s about being present for the moment you are in.” “We really need to push the boundaries on what work-life balance means, because I don’t think there should be a balance. I think it should be a meshed lifestyle,” she says. “If not, no one’s going to be happy because you’re going to always feel like you’re compartmentalizing everything.” “I’m not perfect, but when my kids look at me, they’re looking at a mom who’s giving them opportunity to see what their life could be.” Photography and videography by Sebastian Demarco; Additional videography by Candace Whitney-Morris. The original article was published here.
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Companies that employ the most women get the best returns, Morgan Stanley report shows
Employing more women brings a stock market boost, according to Morgan Stanley research on how diversity links to share prices.Annual returns for businesses that employ the highest proportion of women were 2.8 percentage points above those for the least diverse firms over the past eight years, the report published Tuesday said.This outperformance was a global phenomenon, despite big differences in gender equality between regions such as Europe, with nearly a third of board seats taken by women in May 2019, and Japan, with just 5%.The report adds to growing research that shows diverse workforces improve returns, as regulators and an increasing number of investors around the world push for gender balance in the workplace. The all-male board is now a thing of the S&P 500's past after Copart Inc., the last company in the index without a female director, promoted its chief financial officer in July.Morgan Stanley researchers examined the percentage of women employed throughout the hierarchy of almost 2,000 companies on the MSCI World index, adjusting for company sector. They found diverse companies outperformed even after controlling for size, yield, profitability and risk.The trend was most pronounced in companies in developed Asian markets, with stocks ranked in the top third for gender equality outperforming those in the bottom third by 3.9 percentage points per year.Japan was excluded from this result because the low proportion of female staff made it difficult to make meaningful distinctions between the most and least diverse third of companies. Still, the link held firm, with a 0.8 percentage point annual boost to returns for Japanese businesses in the top half of Morgan Stanley's gender rankings for the country.In a sign of the difficulties in measuring diversity, only around half of the companies reported on their female managers and lower level employees. Missing data for each company was set to the average for its region and sector in Morgan Stanley's analysis.This article was first published in Bloomberg.Enjoyed this article let us know your thoughts in the comment below:
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10 ways to celebrate International Womens Day 2022
Every day is women’s day if you ask us here at half the sky, but conventional wisdom has designated today, March 8th, as International Women’s Day.Did you know that International Women's Day (IWD) was originally established in the early 1900's and today is observed around the world as a global event to recognise the struggles and brilliance of women?This year, you may be struggling finding ways to celebrate such a momentous day, but forget about letting the day pass without a celebration. Here, we bring you 10 alternative ways to celebrate the incredible beings that are women. With happiness, hope and a desire for a much fairer and equal world – this is our guide to International Women’s Day, and the 10 Ways to celebrate it.1. Participate in the #Breakthebias photo challengeDon’t you just love a photo challenge! Every year the team at International Women’s Day challenges us to strike a pose and this year is no different: Get your cameras ready.. 1,2,3 and smile for the camera ladies.2. Have a virtual/in person coffee meetingA little gathering amongst friends never hurt anybody, and what better way to participate in International Women’s Day than with your friends or colleagues. This is a great time to reflect and discuss the issues that impact you.. And start planning for how you will bring greater success in 2022.3. N.A.P Incredible Women PodcastNow we all love to indulge in a bit of retail therapy, and it will feel even better if we can participate in a good cause. Net-A-Porter celebrates International Women’s Day by honoring the beginning of Women’s History Month and empowering women with the launch of the fourth season of its “Incredible Women” podcast.4. Educate yourself about women rightsThe global pandemic has galvanized millions around the world to fight for a better, fairer and more just world. Right now, women and men are part of an unprecedented movement for women’s rights, equality and justice. The global call, whether through marches, social media campaigns or political movements is becoming louder - pick up a book or follow your favorite female advocate and get informed of the issues affecting women around the world.5. Support women owned businessesThroughout history, women have always excelled in whatever they have set their mind to, beating the odds when many doubted their capabilities and breaking traditional stereotypes, especially in the sector of starting up a business. Around the world, there is no lack of awesome female entrepreneurs to recognise and celebrate. This International Women's Day, why not find your locally owned female run small business and lend your support?6. Join a book club and get empowered with these booksBook clubs are a great way to establish a sense of community with other readers. You can spend hours chatting with people who love the same authors as you, or debating about the merits of a particular character. Here are some fantastic books by female authors you can read and discuss this International Women's Day:Becoming By Michelle ObamaYou are a badass by Jen Sincero'Be Unapologetically You' by Adeline bird7. Watch some empowering Female K DramaWe are big fans of K drama and there are plenty of inspiring female leads and characters that are changing the stereotypical view of women especially in Asia. We've put together 5 awesome shows that will have you feeling empowered, and rooting for her to win!It's Okay To Not Be OkayCrash Landing On YouSky CastleMotherLove AlarmStart Up8. Take a virtual tour of women of STEAMThroughout history, women have made huge contributions in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics(STEAM). Find out more at the STEAM exhibition and take a look at the contributions of some powerful women whose works have transformed the world. 9. Create your “Girls Rule the World” Spotify playlist:For IWD it’s all about channelling your inner self. If you're looking for some motivating we-rule-the-world gym workout music we’ve got just the tunes for you - checkout the list of our top 5 spotify playlist suggestions for this IWD:Fighter by Christina AguileraStronger by Kelly ClarksonSingle Ladies by BeyonceRise Up by Andra DayI'm a Survivor by Destiny’s Child10. Acknowledge, thank and appreciate the amazing women in your lifeAt half the sky this is one of our FAVORITE days of the year because it allows us the incredible opportunity to highlight the women in our lives who inspire, champion, motivate, teach, and love us every single day. So, whether it's your mother, sister, favorite cousin or your BFF that has always got your back - give them a call or send them a message to show your appreciation.
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Here's How Companies Can Encourage Women Employees Back Into the Workforce Post Pandemic
As the pandemic stretches into its 2nd year, the burnout that comes with a never-ending global pandemic and uncertainty about returning to the office has pushed many employees to their limits. New data shows that a record 2.2 million women in the US alone have left the workforce and in many countries around the world the trend of more women downshifting their careers or leaving the workforce altogether is intensifying.This seems to be a new reality and so, industries are starting to encourage women to return to the workforce. It may not be easy as many women during the pandemic have taken on added responsibilities, but with the right conditions and environment, it can turn out to be a win-win situation for the company and also the female employee.So how can organisations create a sustainable, healthy work environment to retain and encourage women to join them once again? The answer lies in workplace policies that enable all employees to balance work and home life.Some women in the workforce may have multiple roles such as being a mother, a daughter and also a wife. Hence, it is important to create an environment where they can comfortably juggle their roles. In order to do that, it is imperative to have flexible working hours and hybrid work policies. With this, female employees can choose to work from home, giving them the flexibility they need to manage the rigours of home life whilst still being able to contribute to the organisation.Flexibility is now a must-have rather than a nice-to-have for any organisations that are serious about attracting and retaining female talent.To streamline this working process, organisations should invest in tools that can ensure that the employees are able to work asynchronously while also being able to stay in touch with their team.Other than that, the company would also need to create an inclusive and diverse environment for women to thrive in. One way to do that is to close both the gender gap and the gender pay gap. Recruiters and hiring managers should work towards eliminating any bias in the recruiting process via inclusive job ads that will encourage more women to apply.This is not the only component as there should also be a representation of women in leadership positions. Having women in management or C-suite positions can show that the organisation is one that truly champions and believes in diversity and inclusion and that will send the message to others that they can reach the very top regardless of gender, race or sexual orientation.2022 is the year of change and your organisation can be at its forefront.
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This Is Why Rio Tinto Is In So Much Trouble
Disclaimer: This article contains mentions of bullying, racism and sexual harassment. Reader discretion is advised.On 1st February, mining company Rio Tinto has published an 85-page self-exposing report about its toxic workplace culture where bullying, racism and sexual harassment is rampant.The report was a product of a study conducted by Australia's former sex discrimination commissioner Elizabeth Broderick and it was done through multiple means such as surveys, listening groups, confidential listening sessions and text submissions all in 10 different languages.Through the employees’ input, here are some of the findings:Bullying is systemic.Sexual harassment and everyday sexism occur at unacceptable rates.Racism is common across a number of areas.Harmful behaviour is often tolerated or normalised.48.4% of the survey respondents reported that they were directly bullied in the past 5 years and female employees (53.2%) were more likely to be bullied when compared to male employees (46.5%).Moving on to sexual harassment, 11.2% of Rio Tinto’s employees have said that they had experienced it in the last 5 years and female employees are often the “receiver” of sexual harassment (28.2% of female employees compared with 6.7% of males).One of the employees recounted a traumatic experience where she was asked to perform a sexual favour.“When I first started [here], one of the men ... asked me for oral sex. I told his direct report and leader who said “I’m sure he was just joking. We’ll make sure you’re not alone with him.”Other than that, racism was said to be a daily occurrence and 11.7% of the organisation’s employees said that they have faced direct racism. Those who are working in other countries are more prevalent to those attacks and nearly 40% of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander men in Australia had experienced racism.“I was victimised because of my skin colour. I suffered a lot.”Katie Mehnert of Ally Energy spoke to Reuters about this issue and said,"You can have the best assets on the planet, but if your culture is trash, who will want to work for you?"With this study serving as evidence, Rio Tinto’s current CEO Jakob Stausholm has apologised to the victims who suffered and has vowed to make active changes to the workplace culture by “implementing appropriate actions to address the recommendations”.Among the reports recommendations: Rio should actively bolster its investigation process into allegations of harmful behaviour, strengthen its support for victims of abuse, improve education and training programs across the workforce, and better monitor performance metrics for progressing diversity and cultural change across the organisation.It's important that this report was made public and the Rio Tinto leadership team should be commended for addressing the report in such a transparent manner.
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Finding a work-life balance for working moms
Working from home sounds glamorous until you have too many tabs open and three little ones begging for your attention. Suddenly your personal and professional life blend into one, and you can’t seem to find any time to care for yourself. You’re exhausted, but you have work to do and children who need you. .The benefits of the recent pandemic allowed many of us to slow down and re-evaluate our lives. If you’re a working Mom like me, you know how easy it can be to become so consumed by work and taking care of your kids that you forget to replenish your batteries.But what good is a dead battery?While attempting to balance my coaching business and raise my little ones, I realised I would get more done, feel better, and show up as a better parent for my children if I started to prioritise my self-care. I spent lockdown launching my Life Coaching Business and more importantly learning how to relax, respect my time, and ask for help.If you relate to any of this, chances are you are constantly looking for ways to increase your energy, feel better, and show up fully for your work and life obligations.Here are my five strategies for the highly driven make it all happen mother to help you recharge your batteries and always feel energised:Take Time OffPicture this, you’re driving home, and your car is about to run out of gas. Do you keep driving in hopes that a magic hack will help you make it all the way, or do you stop to refuel? Chances are, you stop to get more gas. There isn’t any way around it—without gas, your car won’t run.You don’t expect your car to run on an empty tank, so why are you expecting it from yourself?Taking time for yourself is so important as a mom. You might feel like it’s completely out of the question, but even taking 5 minutes to meditate or enjoy a bubble bath could make all the difference. Ideally, you should take more than 5 minutes for yourself, but for now, you can start small if you really struggle to find time for yourself.Taking time off will give you the space you need to connect with yourself, relax, and recharge so you can show up fully for your kids and work. If you constantly spread yourself too thin, you won’t be able to give as much as you want to your kids or other important tasks and relationships. We cannot give endlessly without replenishing our batteries. It’s not possible. So be gentle with yourself, and take some time off.Say NOIf you tend to say yes to everyone and everything, like me. You’re just asking for burnout. When we overload our plates by saying yes to more than we have the bandwidth to accommodate, we spread ourselves too thin. Learning to say no to things has helped me show up fully for other things. When we are selective about what we choose to take on, we have the energy to deliver outstanding results and truly focus on the task at hand.Learning to say no to some things allows you to say yes wholeheartedly to the things that matter most to you, without the added stress.Ask For HelpAsking for help doesn’t come easily to mothers. I would push myself to be everything to everyone and do everything without asking for help. But what I failed to realise at the time is that asking for help doesn’t make me a worse mom or a failure. Asking for help allows you to open up to the people who might be waiting for you to ask. You get to allow someone else to feel good by lending you a hand. Plus, you can always repay the favour when they need something from you.Asking for help when you need it will help you extend your reach and get more done without burning out. Although, you have to be open to accepting help, even if it’s not in the way you imagined. It’s aboutwhatgets done, nothowit gets done. Allowing myself to ask and accept help when I need it has helped me get more done, ease stress, and expose my family to different ways of doing things.Move Your BodyIt doesn’t have to be a long workout, but get your body moving in a way that you enjoy. Maybe it’s yoga, dancing, or going for a long nature walk. Just find something that allows you to get your body moving and blood pumping. Exercise is proven to reduce stress and improve your mental health.Find the form of movement you enjoy the most and try to stick to a consistent practice. Taking time to connect to your body will help centre you. Plus, you’ll feel even more energised!Find Your TribeHaving at least one other person aside from your spouse who is there for you is very important. Someone you can lean on, who understands the challenges you may face. This person could be another mom, close relative, or friend. Someone you can be yourself with. Someone you can share our joys, frustrations, and thoughts with. A friend to bond over shared interests and explore different perspectives with.Socialising with people who care about you is essential to your mental health and recharging your batteries as a parent.It’s so easy to feel like you have to do it all as a mom. But taking these steps to say no when you have too much on your plate, ask for help when you need it, move your body, and find people you can count on will help you recharge your batteries and show up as the best mom you can be without feeling stressed. You don’t have to sacrifice your mental health to be a good mom. Actually, prioritising your mental and emotional wellbeing will help you be an even better mom.Gladys Simen is a life coach for moms who are trying to balance their work and family life. It took becoming a fabulous mama for her to tap into some BIG superpowers within herself, like staying present in the moment, being courageous, and advocating for herself and others. Now, she is passionate about helping women live big, beautiful, shooting-for-the-stars kind of lives. Gladys considers herself an advocate for the working mama! She loves sharing her own stories about her journey to balance home and work life, and loves supporting fellow working mothers on their journeys. If you enjoyed this article and want to learn more about how to balance work, life, and being a mother, you can connect with me here.
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Global Job Recovery Set To Significantly Slow Due To Long-lasting Pandemic
This pandemic has put a pause on many things including the global job market.In a report by the International Labour Organization, warned that unemployment is set to “remain above pre-COVID-19 levels until at least 2023 due to uncertainty about the pandemic's course and duration”.The organization has estimated that there will be about 52 million fewer jobs when compared pre-pandemic.This trend is set to continue well into 2023 where it is projected that there will be 27 million fewer jobs leaving a big challenge for economies around the world to generate jobs.The ILO has said that the recovery will be “slow and uncertain” with one of the factors being the long-lasting pandemic and the multiple variants that keep popping up, notably the Omicron which is becoming the dominant strain around the world.They added that the global labour market outlook has significantly deteriorated ever since their last projection and a comeback to pre-pandemic performance levels will probably be a slippery slope.The recovery speed as of now is not equally distributed as well European and North American regions are recovering much faster than the Southeast Asia and South America areas where there are “higher levels of inequality, more divergent working conditions and weaker social protection systems even before the pandemic”.Overall in 2022, it is estimated that 207 million people will be unemployed globally but this estimation might not encompass the full employment impact of the crisis as many have left their jobs and have yet to return.A high number of those who have left the workforce are women who have left their jobs to take on extra caregiving roles at home as the pandemic effectively shut down schools.The ILO Director-General, Guy Ryder says that women are not coming back into the workforce at the same rate as men and this produces concerns that there will be a “‘Long COVID' effect on gender at work”.Although the report predicts that the impact on women’s employment will shrink in the coming years, they believe that a “sizeable gap" will still be there.
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41% of Women Don’t Have an Emergency Fund — Here’s Why That’s a Huge Issue
Some of us who may be new to the workforce will not be familiar with the term ‘emergency fund or in some cases, a “rainy day account”’.Just like how the name suggests, it is an individual’s fund that is kept aside for emergency purposes such as replacing a much-needed electronic appliance, paying a medical bill or losing a job.So the emergency fund’s purpose is for the individual to be able to fork out a large amount of money due to an unforeseen circumstance WITHOUT being in debt.According to a recent survey done by Betterment, an investment company, 41% of women do not have money saved up for an emergency.By not having this rainy-day account, many would incur debt and suffer from its consequences. So, let’s imagine that person A has been let off from a job and they were unable to secure another job fast enough, how will they be able to pay for their rent without getting a loan, borrowing from close ones or using the high-interest rate credit card?This is exactly a setback that we do not need in life. Now that you know of its importance, it’s imperative that you start an emergency fund as soon as possible.In order to do so, you should record all your expenditure for a month and at the end of it, sit down to sift through it. Segment it into parts such as your rent, your groceries, etc and weed out some of the unnecessary expenditure to be put into your rainy-day account. An important thing to note about this is that an emergency fund is a separate fund from your savings!Ideally, your goal is to have 3-6 months of expenditure in that account and once you have arrived at that goal, don’t stop saving!With that, you don’t have to tremble in fear due to an unforeseen incident and you can face it head-on with only a little dent in your finances.
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It’s Time to Pour Yourself a Cup of Ambition
Now, where have you heard that before? I’ll tell you…Working 9 to 5… a Dolly Parton classic and one of the greatest motivational theme songs that would get anyone fired up to start their day full of optimism.It’s good to be ambitious. To have ambition means to have direction--to know where you want to go and what you want to achieve. And that’s not a bad thing at all. The thing is, the word “ambitious” can sometimes have a negative connotation. It’s because it’s usually associated with being aggressive and pushy, especially if you're an ambitious woman, but that’s not really the case at all. Well, the word can have a range of definitions and levels when we apply it to practical contexts but if we refer simply to its most basic dictionary definition, it simply means having a strong determination to succeed. Not a bad thing, right?To have determination in achieving a goal takes a lot of willpower and effort. What’s difficult however, in being ambitious, is demonstrating it. While it might be easy to talk about it, how do you translate it into action? How do you walk the talk?Walking the talkHaving the desire to move forward is having the ambition to succeed in whatever path you have carved for yourself. In the context of the workplace, having ambition can help you propel yourself toward new career heights. Also, employers like employees who are goal-oriented and forward-thinking because these are the qualities that lead organizations to better productivity and success. So, how do you demonstrate such a mindset?It’s good to focus on both small and big--the details and the big picture. Through this, you’ll be able to have an expansive perspective which is ideal in the workplace especially in terms of decision making and problem solving. With being ambitious also comes learning how to take initiative. You should know when to take the lead without being asked, for the benefit of everyone in the company. With this, you’ll be seen as someone who is always actively looking out for the organization and its members.These things are just a few of the ways that can help you understand what it means to genuinely exemplify ambition in the workplace. Throughout all these, you should also keep in mind that you are constantly learning. In order to further thrive in the workplace, take every experience as a lesson that you can use to improve upon yourself.Being ambitious is empoweringAs a woman, to be ambitious can be your way of being empowered in whatever you want to achieve especially in your career. Some women in the workplace are afraid of being identified as ambitious simply because they don’t want to come off as being antagonistic. Usually, when you’re a woman in the workplace, you’re told to be more self-effacing than men, that being ambitious is a trait that is more proper to associate with men--a double standard that impedes women from actually reaching their full potential in the workplace. This implies the idea that women can have ambition, but not too much. And this is the thinking that you need to shy away from.Ambition is aligned with confidence. When you articulate your ambitions, you are showcasing confidence and recognizing the hurdles you must overcome in order to achieve them. This is something that can be very empowering for you because it leads you to fully realizing your goals. As you aspire to be a leader in the workplace, address the double standard--criticize it as needed and help find ways to put an end to it.You shouldn’t be afraid of being ambitious just because you’re a woman trying to find her place and make her way in the workplace. In embracing your ambition, you are also taking part in changing the narrative that is rooted gender biases that deem being ambitious bad when its women leading the workplace we’re talking about. Find empowerment by acknowledging your ambitions and do not be afraid to tell everyone else about them. Through this, you can also be a role model, letting other women follow suit.Lack of confidence can impede us from achieving our goalsFor many women, their confidence to speak up and showcase their skills and achievements have been dented by an environment that constantly reinforces that somehow, they aren't good enough. Leading them to lose self-belief, talk down their achievements and not strive for that promotion or in some cases, even ask for that pay raise. That's why a cup of ambition should also come with a cup of confidence as both reinforce each other.Be ambitious and seize your goals!It’s truly time to pour yourself a cup of ambition. If you want to thrive in your chosen career, then it’s now or never. Don’t let yourself be caught up in what ifs and learn how to take risks so that you can be well on the way in seizing your goals and opportunities that can help you grow even further. Always remember that ambition, despite the biases attached to it, will never be a bad thing especially if it’s the thing that leads you toward success.
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How DBS Bank is improving gender diversity in technology
Alibaba’s founder Jack Ma once said that women are his company’s "secret sauce," balancing both logic and instinct. In the digital era, providing a seamless client experience for all the products and services is a prerequisite and is paramount to our continued success. Ensuring a balanced involvement of gender in the process is key to achieving this goal. At DBS we believe that true innovation and great client experience happens when the diversity of the customers we serve is mirrored in our workforce. We need to ensure that women are adequately represented in all roles involved in the product management life cycle – whether it’s UX, UI, design, development, or testing. This is what helps us ensure our products and services are designed to best suit the people using them. Here’s a look into how we have done it, and how you can, too.A pivot on hiring at DBS In 2017, we launched the Hack2Hire program, which is a three-stage process culminating with a two-day hackathon. This was our way of sourcing modern tech talents for many of our engineering and architecture roles, as we pushed forward our ambitious digital agenda to transform to cloud native architecture with Agile way of working. During our second year of the program, we found that while we were very successful in attracting applicants from a diverse set of industries and countries, we noticed a significant gender gap in applicants. The number of women who attended the event was minuscule compared to men.At DBS we believe that true innovation and great client experience happens when the diversity of the customers we serve is mirrored in our workforce.In 2019, we decided to pivot; we rebranded the event and named it Hack2Hire-Her. We partnered with many advocates of women’s organizations to assist in the outreach for the event, and as a result, saw a six-fold increase in the number of female applicants as compared to previous years. After the event, we made offers to five times as many women compared to previous years. Recently, we ran another successful women-focused virtual hiring event called DBS Women in Tech. We have been very happy with the results of these outreach events, and it proves that when someone says, “We can’t get 600 great CVs of women in six weeks into all of these technical roles” – that’s just a myth. We’ve proven that we can.Mentorship and job-sharing initiativesMentorship and the availability of role models are another key enabler in moving the dial. Women, for example, can sometimes impose their own barriers. We may have higher standards and lower self-confidence. Women and girls everywhere need to be more fearless in all that we believe we are capable of. If we have self-confidence then others will have confidence in us and our abilities. For mentorship, we’ve partnered with a number of women’s-based organizations. The Financial Women’s Association, for example, supports a mentorship program for women in the financial industry in Singapore. We’ve also partnered with the Infocomm Media Development Authority – the statutory board of the Singapore government that develops and governs the technology and media sectors – in a cross-industry mentorship program, which opens doors for our promising female tech talent to be engaged with a diverse set of mentors from companies across different industries. With United Women Singapore, we’re working to support the engagement of the younger generation in STEM-based disciplines. Before Covid-19, for example, we hosted a coding day with a primary school as a way to interest girls in a STEM-based career.Another initiative we’ve put in place at DBS is job-sharing, which gives people who may not be able to work full-time – mothers, for example – the option to share a role with another person. One might work Monday through Wednesday, while the other works Thursday and Friday, for example. This is an attractive arrangement for people looking for an alternative to a full-time career.Embedding gender diversity and inclusion in our DNAFostering an environment that’s inclusive to women has been key to boosting our organization’s gender diversity. Two things have helped make this happen at DBS.Culture: In order to have maximum and long-lasting effectiveness, diversity and inclusion must be ingrained as part of the organization’s culture. It starts with creating pervasive self-awareness among every single individual in at DBS that we might all be unconsciously biased – that we hold stereotypes and beliefs that cloud our judgement and decisions without us knowing. To alleviate this issue, we invest in training everyone on unconscious bias. The purpose is to expose employees to implicit biases and provide practical tools they can use to adjust these unconscious patterns of thinking. This we hope will help eliminate unintended discriminatory behaviors. Fostering an environment that’s inclusive to women has been key to boosting our organization’s gender diversity.Managers and decision makers have an even greater responsibility to propagate diversity and inclusion. They need to lead by example. Managers should challenge norms and be very open to hiring and promoting people who are very different from them.In addition, another mindset that is critical to advancing the diversity and inclusion agenda is having the humility to acknowledge that one may not know-it-all regardless of how senior or successful one might have been in their career or life, and be open to learn-it-all. This mindset of continuous learning is something we strive to inculcate in every single individual within the bank. Sponsors and allies: Another key pillar of our effort is the mobilization of sponsors and allies to support the diversity and inclusion agenda. We want to enable everyone at all levels of the bank to play their part in small or big ways. This isn’t just about recruiting women who support women, it’s also about recruiting men to become active advocates for our gender diversity agenda. When they recruit other allies, it becomes very powerful. We launched Project EquAlly in 2020 as part of International Women’s Day, to enlist allies to help drive the gender diversity agenda in technology. We have since enlisted over 100 allies, and this is creating a chain reaction within the bank, even outside of the technology teams, in terms of participation in the gender diversity agenda. Finally, it’s my hope that the gender diversity momentum accelerates beyond the glacial pace in the last few decades. I’m hopeful momentum will especially increase in the technology domain given the prominence of digital and technology transformation across all industries. I sincerely hope that everyone involved in the technology field – man or woman – will start to recognize the value of inclusion and the benefits it contributes in business.
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Why having an 'unentitled mindset' is holding you back in the workplace
The many efforts to eradicate outdated beliefs and biases against women continue until today but a recent study on Women At Work found that there is something more deeply rooted at play. Research from The Female Lead reports that after years of gender inequality, women have formed an "unentitled mindset."The unentitled mindset refers to "the way women have been conditioned to feel less entitled than men in all aspects of their lives," as defined by The Female Lead. This mindset has caused a growing "entitlement gap" between women and men. And it has been preventing women's careers from flourishing from negotiating increased pay to putting themselves forward for promotions.Despite a greater push for female empowerment is the “entitlement gap” what's holding you back?Key FindingsThe study, which was chaired by Cambridge University psychologist Dr. Terri Apter and a separate survey commissioned by LinkedIn has found five areas depicting the unentitled mindset and how it blocks women's career progression:1. Flexible WorkFlexible work is very beneficial for women, especially for mothers who have to take care of their children and families while working. However, women find it difficult to ask for a more convenient work arrangement because it's treated like a sign of weakness as a worker.Working with a flexible schedule tags woman as though they are not equal to a regular employee. Flexible work is seen as a special treatment. In the study, female participants reported such attitudes are triggered even though the flexible arrangement in question was small and only removed overtime.What's more, this penalty follows women even after the arrangement has ended. This attitude towards flexible arrangements, in turn, made women less inclined to ask for it in the future; thus reinforcing the belief that they don't deserve to ask for such benefits.2. Raises and PromotionsAsking for increases in salary and discussing promotion are some of the most difficult conversations working women have to face with their managers. The study found unlike men, women worry over the timing and execution being perfectly right because it feels as though their request is too much or may offend the other party.This heavy emotional analysis that women go through comes from an ‘unentitled mindset’ according to the report the constant worrying about how the other party will perceive the request prevents many women from negotiating.The study also found that 44% of the surveyed women feel uncomfortable asking for a promotion, compared to the 35% of men.That difference shows just how much women perform additional emotional preparation to make sure every detail is perfect. It's fueled by the insecurity and doubt that women have to work through, before summoning the courage to ask for what they deserve.3. Maternity LeaveWhen women go through pregnancy, the process is life-changing, especially in the area of their careers. Whether returning from maternity leave or having been a working mom for years, your experience at work can be different from that of your child-free co-workers.For many women in this position, they have to frequently deal with stereotypes that call into question their business proficiency, dedication and desire to succeed. The report highlighted that many women felt that any talk of promotion just stops once they have come back from maternity leave, it's as if coworkers believe that they would not be able to assume the same responsibilities they had prior to taking maternity leave. This hidden barrier results in opportunities being steered away from returning mothers impacting their chances of promotion and salary increments.Moreover, the study found that these beliefs were reaffirmed due to the lack of mothers in senior management. This led to women who have not had children to view that having children has considerable impact on their success. This reinforces women's own beliefs that success in their careers would mean choosing between being a mother or being a career woman, but not both.4. Care ResponsibilitiesThe report also found that by the age of 33, many women have lowered their career expectations, citing having children and the perceptions of their career motivations adding to their increased mental load and the reason they are not a suitable candidate for promotion and career advancement.Even with a supportive spouse helping take care of the children, women still assume a bigger portion of child care. This additional set of responsibilities reiterates how women consider having kids as a significant choice between their career and personal life.Working mothers, as a result, feel less entitled to their careers. It contributes to the unentitled mindset that may cause women to feel as though they can only have a career if they are the ones who are also taking care of their children.5. Overlapping BiasesWhen combined with bias regarding race, disability, religion, and sexuality, women reported experiencing a stronger overt bias toward them. And any resistance from women is met with a strengthened opposition coming from the other biased party.One cited example in the study was when younger women demonstrated confidence in their expertise at work and denied help from male co-workers. This came off as an offense to the men because they believed that the young women needed their help and should have been happy to accept their offer. This example shows how overlapping biases, like age bias and gender bias, try to mold female workers and reinforce the unentitled mindset.So, what can be done about this disparity? The report provided several recommendations and highlighted that closing the ‘entitlement gap’ required a multifaceted approach: that calls out embedded societal, cultural and workplace structures that prevent women from achieving their optimal selves. Promoting greater self-awareness and empowering women to remove internal barriers that stymie them from developing a healthy sense of their entitlement.“If women expect less, then they will not complain about having less. Once you know about the ‘unentitled mindset’, you will see it everywhere – from ‘manspreading’ on the train, to women’s unequal domestic load, and in the huge amount of unpaid female work globally,” Dr. Apter adds. “The ‘unentitled mindset’ is firmly part of our patriarchal structures and by calling this a ‘mindset’ we should not suggest that the problem lies entirely within women’s heads.”
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How to make a successful career transition in your 50s
Age is just a number, but on many occasions, workers are held back by age bias in the workplace that views your value after a certain age being diminished with each passing birthday. For women the issue is two-sided as they face discrimination due to their gender and age. Overcoming age bias and empowering workers to feel empowered to career transition regardless of age is one of the most important issues we face today.A recent survey in Singapore on age discrimination revealed that it is a significant problem affecting both younger and older workers. If you have been in the job market for a number of years, you'll often hear that age is a big factor in your employability. A study on age discrimination in the workplace has found a trend where job seekers over 45 years old are hired less than those in their 20s. Workers have also reported a lack of support on their professional growth as they reach the age of 50.It's not hard to understand why older workers can grow to become disillusioned in their jobs. You could be the most engaged employee at work but the support and attention on you declines just because you have reached a certain age.When you find yourself in a company that does not believe that older employees are just as driven and passionate about their careers as they were when they first joined, you can prove them wrong by continuing to pursue your dreams, even if it has to be elsewhere.Unfortunately, many Employers often have negative attitudes towards older workers. Age discrimination persists even though older workers are not necessarily less healthy, less educated, less skillful or productive than their younger counterparts. Older women especially face particular challenges in employment because of their sex and age.The truth is age bias deters many older workers from career transitioning into different job types or sectors. But ambition does not end on a particular birthday. Your 50s may seem like an unusual time to consider changing careers, but it's not at all. You're older and wiser than before with a wealth of experiences that can add great value to any organization. While ageism does exist and it will make things difficult, a successful career transition is possible. Let us show you how with these steps below:Before you leap: Know the stakesA career transition at any age posits a certain degree of risk. You may have a family and a household that will be affected by the move. Your current responsibilities extend beyond your job, and you have to consider whether they can stand a change in your income level, workload, and location.You also have to be prepared for the adjustment that comes with the transition. You will be experiencing a stronger pressure to perform as you start anew. It also means dealing with your own changing circumstances.This may include adopting a new identity in terms of your job; you could have been working as a sales manager for decades but soon you will become a remote IT support analyst. Not only are you adjusting but the people who have known you professionally will also adjust to your new title and position.Another important aspect is your health. We derive our motivation from how well we can deal with the demands of the job. As we age, our body is no longer the same as before. Depending on how you have taken care of your health, you could be working with more or less energy than when you started working.For women, it's about dealing with the onset of menopause. While unnoticeable at first, we may soon have to deal with issues in concentration and fatigue. This aspect of women's health is rarely brought up but we have to realize that it does affect women and their work. However, it is not a barrier to our careers, but rather a means of approaching our health and this stage of our lives in a different way. We have to consider this as a new factor in our own ideas of how well we can manage stress and avoid burnout.Moreover, as noted some hiring companies unfortunately do exhibit age bias or ageism. They discriminate against older applicants due to outdated beliefs and stereotypes. Recruiters also want to avoid representing older candidates because they believe that they stand less of a chance during the recruiting process. It's important to be aware of these issues you'll be facing. We aren't trying to discourage you with them; rather, it is vital for you to understand that the road ahead will not be a walk in the park. Take into account that you will be working just as hard, if not harder, than you did during the early years of your career.Kicking off: Tips to ease the wayNow that you have a clearer view of what's ahead, follow these tips to successfully make the change:1. Determine what you want to achieveTake the time until you have a clear view of your goals, and visualize what sort of lifestyle you want to have with this career. Money is important but it's not everything. Consider goals beyond money, such as working for a cause or increasing personal satisfaction. However, don't go overboard and ensure that you are working toward a realistic endgame. Find out which companies have a better attitude toward older employees such as offering them benefits and freely taking them as new hires.2. Prepare for the hard questionsThe issue of your age can and will come up so let recruiters see how interested you are in the job and that you plan to stay. Also, they may assume that your experience level means higher salary expectations; dissuade them by saying that you are here for the fulfillment and not just for the money. As you do your research on the requirements for the role, list down your transferable skills while ensuring that you're comfortable with working with technology in the workplace. This will impress them and increase your chances of getting in.3. Utilize your networkRemember to utilize your resources: talk to your network and find support. Your former colleagues and mentors can be a big help in looking for a good place to start. Learn to use social media as well to explore more possibilities. Jobs are not limited to the traditional job sites anymore.4. Show them your skillOne of your strengths is that you are abundant in working experience. Emphasize your achievements and specializations as you rebrand your resume for the new position. Demonstrate your expertise by letting recruiters see that you are updated and knowledgeable about the industry and the company's products and services.5. Plan out your next moveCreate a career plan that details how you will get from here to your goals. Be more open-minded about the steps you'll be taking. Consider that you will be working with a younger set of co-workers and prevent your personal ageism from creating friction with them. Focus on the fact that it will help you gain more experience as a part of your upskilling. It is also a way to test the waters on whether the role is right for you.Throughout your journey, cultivate your patience and stay positive. As a seasoned worker, you have a better idea than most about what you are getting into, so have faith in yourself and your abilities. Don't hold anything back as you put your best into paving the way for your new beginning. And remember to say it loud:” I’m not done yet and I will make it my mission to finish my career with a bang not a whimper”.
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8 Job Ads that You Won't Believe Got Approved by HR
Discriminatory job advertisements are still utterly common around the world. Here’s a compilation of ten job ads that should make you cringe and rethink your job postings.Job advertisements that discriminate in terms of gender, ethnicity and socio-economic background are not a thing of the past. There are various instances where we (at times unintentionally) tend to hold onto biases and discriminate actively. This is especially true while sourcing and recruiting talent whether we are consciously aware of it or otherwise. While the recent Burger King “Women belong in the Kitchen” ad created a whopper of a controversy for the brand and Facebook definitely did not get a like for accusations of targeting ads to “ideal” talent pools, these conversations die down just as quickly as they come to the foreground and the status quo of collectively accepted gender discrimination and other biases is quickly restored.Our Secret BiasesRemember the gender-discrimination test when a scenario was narrated to you with a few key characters and your task was to come up with names for each of them or match them to a list of names already provided? The characters were usually a pilot, a teacher, a doctor, a nurse, a parent, and a flight attendant and of course, you weren't told at the outset that this was to test your gender bias. On an average, people chose male names for the doctor and the pilot and female names for the parent, the nurse and the flight attendant (the teacher usually had a more mixed response). Moreover, when selecting from a provided list of names, people had a tendency to match names and professions based on what the names “sounded like” and usually exhibited their often unconscious racial bias. What a great idea for an icebreaker session to make things astoundingly awkward right from the beginning of a two-day sensitivity training program!Jokes aside, tests such as the one detailed above bring to light two things - that we are often unaware of our biases no matter how ingrained they are in our thought processes and that we regard them positively as something that is “right” or that “makes sense”. This is possibly the reasoning behind a lot of the ads that follow - where employers/recruiters genuinely believe that they’ve made the correct strategic decision in keeping their ads gender-specific and socio-economic -culture biased.1. The truth behind “women thriving”Yes, Japan does have laws in place that do not permit posting jobs with gender specifications. But who does that stop from being gender-discriminatory? Apparently not too many! There are multiple ads that try to bypass the gender-neutrality law by adding “women thriving” or “men thriving”. What this post directly translates to is:(Women thriving) General Affairs. Asked to perform a step-up task in the enviable Marunouchi area. Working for major corporations. Masked segregations such as these point towards the fact that we live in a world where some jobs are still considered “suitable” for a woman while some are not2. Stick to what you know, womenAds on a well-known job portal in Russia often go as far as to post a single job advertisement with clear specifications for men and women. It really does make you wonder what the HR thought while posting this. Or maybe, they didn’t think at all! The job roles are in keeping with socially dictated gender roles with women being encouraged to apply for jobs that do not require physical labour or even strategizing in a stressful environment.3. A “pretty” distorted realityWould you like being labelled as nothing more than a pretty face? Job ads such as the following one from Pakistan are unfortunately quite common where not only are “women preferred” but demands like “good-looking personality” and “attractive physique” are explicitly stated. Besides being gender-specific, such ads also bring in the added (not so subtle) note of objectifying women for client/customer-facing roles.4. It “pays” to be the right genderSome ads not only have distinctly different job descriptions for men and women despite the role being exactly the same, but are also exceptionally honest in stating that men are entitled to a 30% greater salary for the exact same job.This goes deeper than believing that men are better at the same job and thus deserve to be paid more. Some employers often state that hiring women are a bigger gamble since they have “family responsibilities'' as if that somehow disqualifies them or that if they’re newly married, they would inconvenience the organization by going on maternity leave soon. As much as we would like to believe that these are exaggerated untruths, these happen to be actual arguments that employers provided for their hiring decisions.5. Age is just a number...or is it?These ads for a male chemist and a female receptionist, besides being a commentary on widely accepted gender roles, also bring in the added point of age where, as expected, the age cut-off for the “attractive” woman candidate is 28 years whereas that for the man is 35. Clearly to be adequately productive, an organization just happens to need younger, attractive women. Why blame the HR when they’re just trying to create a vibrant work environment by being repulsively discriminatory, right?6. The best perksIt’s not uncommon for organizations to list out an attractive array of perks and benefits that come with the job but the following ad from an events organizing firm from London takes it a notch further. They felt the need to specify (in bold font) the presence of a diverse group of young female junior developers as a perk. Why choose between being sexist or ageist when you can be both!7. Say “Yes” to the goddessesSome ads really do make you do a double-take and disbelieve your own eyes. Several of the largest tech companies in China were flagged by a Human Rights Watch Report highlighting that job ads in China regularly state that “only men need apply” for about 19% of the posts (2018). On the contrary, there are no jobs that specify “women only” unless the role description is steeped in sexist innuendo. Even more repugnant is the not so subtle requirement for job ads to be a beauty contest requiring women to have certain physical attributes — with respect to height, weight, voice, or facial appearance — that are completely irrelevant to the requirement of the job.8. Massaging is a KPI (key Performance Index) too/ Massaging the male egoThis job post is as sad and unsettling as it is revealing of a prevalent culture that runs deep. Calling out to “physically presentable” women (also stating “She must be attractive”), the post goes on to state a list that leaves no skill-set out from modelling to dancing to product promotion to social media management and of course, to being able to “help the Boss relax” by a “professional sports massage”. That this ad was actually run and that it would have had enough applicants is the bitter truth that cannot be denied in our overtly shiny world of work where a lot of these issues are glossed over to make room for “bigger conversations” like work-life balance and productivity indices!Breaking Bad: Undoing the chemistry of biasOur biased thought loops need to be broken at the chemical level. Job advertisements like the ones listed above often make the bias-free work environment seem like nothing more than an overly hopeful vision of utopia. That actual functioning HR teams put out these ads is worrisome indeed. How can we function with these age-old stereotypes? Yes, stereotypes do help us make quicker decisions and function effectively. That said however, when stereotypes are laced with negative emotions, prejudices come into play. Biases and discriminatory behaviour are basically prejudices in action and this cognitive-affective-conative (thought-emotion-action) cycle is born.To break the cycle, we must look deeper at the machinery that runs it. We are what we do repeatedly and by reinforcing discriminatory behaviour (or even by ignoring it) we allow biases to grow to the point where they become reflex actions.With employer branding becoming an important tool for attracting top talent, employers need to understand the need to build a brand that encourages and reinforces a culture of diversity and inclusion - where, at every point of the employee life cycle, applicants, candidates and employees feel respected and valued as individuals.Management and HR need to be held accountable for taking the right call and held accountable for publishing posts that are discriminatory. There is no set formula to reverse years of reinforced bias but it is never too late to start. Drafting and publicising your core company values, creating clear criteria for hiring and conducting training sessions where your own branded vocabulary is checked and internalized are all part of a good way to begin your journey towards being more conscious of recruitment biases and thus moving a step closer towards building a workplace that is truly inclusive.
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Does being assertive backfire for women in the workplace?
The unfair and yet all too real labels of being “too assertive”, “bossy” or “aggressive” are something that women deal with on the daily at the workplace merely for having a point of view and standing by it. That is the work ecosystem we inhabit - where despite efforts to bridge the gender gap, there are certain traits that are just regarded to be masculine and simply “un-ladylike”. How much is too much when it comes to being assertive at work? Who draws the line, where and why? Could being assertive do more harm than good for women and their careers?Women and men work in distinctively different workplaces. Even when two individuals work in the same department, in the same organization, maybe even the exact same role - with every other variable being exactly the same other than their gender, how these two employees are perceived by their colleagues and how they perceive their workplaces are often entirely different. It is a concerning and ubiquitous truth that even today, an assertive woman in the workplace risks being penalized or alienated simply for standing her ground.A study published with Fortune states that in almost 75% of performance reviews women receive "negative personality criticism" or score less on “likeability” for behaviour that would not normally be considered negative were it exhibited by their male colleagues.Behaviour is often, if not always, taken in the context of our gender.Moreover, when women behave in ways that are incongruous with the “accepted” norms for a woman, by being assertive, decisive and resolute for example, they are often called out for being difficult and bossy. Why is it that the same character traits that, in a man, are regarded as ideal qualities for a leader, seem utterly unacceptable in a woman?Being a strong woman in the workplace comes with its own set of challenges and requires careful navigation through multiple double standards. Women in leadership roles not only have to strive to be successful as a leader but also work to overcome the gender bias at work and be accepted as a leader first. That could possibly explain why many women leaders come are perceived as bullies because that is the persona they have had to create for themselves in order to survive an environment riddled with negative bias.What’s more is that this negative bias is not something that is directed at women solely by men. A study by the Workplace Bullying Institute reported that women are bullied by other women about 80% of the time. Studies also point out that women who have female bosses are bullied and abused more often. While this is unsettling, it also makes sense - college freshmen who are actively ragged are more likely to rag and bully their juniors the next year, and children who are bullied and abused at home, often lash out and bully other, more submissive schoolmates. Keeping up the “bully persona” takes hard work and especially to some women who work in male-dominated fields, it may seem helpful to seem intimidating. What is disheartening is that women (at times even subconsciously) subscribe to this toxic masculinity to maintain a tougher leadership style. This can lead to the “queen bee” syndrome where women who have had to fight for their rightful place at the table, are ready to battle it out with their female colleagues and subordinates to keep it, is a difficult obstacle to overcome, being rooted in our collective psychological fabric.But how does this tie into conversations around women breaking the glass ceiling and advancing into senior management? Do women then need to be assertive to shatter each of these barriers, to work harder, and to fight for their right to lead only to be criticised and penalised for being “too assertive”? The ludicrous irony here is difficult to ignore.The flipsideA substantial majority of women (be it in the corporate world or otherwise) would agree that they have, at some point, been told about the “benefits of being assertive and not aggressive”. But who defines the demarcation where assertiveness ends and aggression begins? Especially since the border seems rather fluid - changing in accordance with how threatened the person (usually a man) at the other end of this assertiveness feels. Women in the work ecosystem (and at home as well) are all too familiar with the strange dichotomy that characterises perception. This holds true especially in cases of transgression - while women are often called out for and have to apologise for “being” aggressive, men are alerted if they “come across “ as aggressive. In other words, women go through years of training in apologising for who they are.The labels women at work need to navigate, although quite similar in the wider context, differ in terms of geo-political and socio-cultural relevance. While women are “allowed” a higher level of assertiveness in more individualistic countries in the West, collectivistic countries in Asia seem to be a lot more stringent. In the Asian context where being submissive and demure are considered to be positive traits in a woman, there is a stronger fight necessary to break the mould that is imposed on every girl growing up. There is often a big shift needed to accept that being strong-willed, determined and undaunted are feminine traits as well and that when women are brave enough to fight for their rights or simply be vocal about their ideas, the automatic response should not be a curious mix of condescending approval and triggered discomfort.Beyond the glass ceilingWhat’s unfortunate is that even when a woman’s assertiveness is not immediately opposed to, it is often regarded as something that gives her an “edge” and that makes her either a topic of discussion or an objectifiable irregularity. In both cases, the point of being assertive is lost. Besides concentrating on drafting employee value propositions and corporate value statements that have “diversity and inclusion” written in bold, organizations need to focus on going beyond the optics of having women in leadership, on token diversity inclusions, and on creating a culture that is organically inclusive where leaders can be assertive and authentic in their leadership despite their gender.
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Increasing the role of women in digital tech
While digital technology is an industry that is growing fast, the space that women inhabit within the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) field is not. Over the past decade, the representation of women in technology has hovered around a meagre 17%-19%. That’s less than one-fifth. It’s taken us decades to get to the point where for every five men, there’s (almost) one woman in the digital workspace. Not to negate the effort that it has taken to get here and the spectacular movement that it has been, but this is a worrying statistic.Why are there not more women in digital technology?When Whitney Wolfe, the founder and CEO of social and dating app Bumble, made it to the Times 100 list or the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for 2018, it was news. It was news also when, in 2019, Daphne Koller bagged a funding round of $100 million for Insitro, her interdisciplinary company that works on drug discovery. They have also recently raised $400 million in Series C financing and that is big news indeed.While these achievements call for celebration, what cannot be denied is the slight hint of an anomaly that always accompanies these news pieces - it’s something separate from the norm. When a tech-based company founded and run by a woman achieves these milestones, even as they set the bar higher for other companies, even as they build industry giants and forces to be reckoned with - all that screams out from the headline is “by a woman”. But why is it still so anomalous for women to be in tech, to build and run and grow their own digital brands?It boils down to our history of social, economic and organizational omission. It is simply a much tougher struggle for women on average to get access to relevant education, to continue higher studies, to develop digital skills for the future, to fight for her place in the STEM fields, to secure a job or funding for her own tech-start-up. There isn’t just one hurdle to overcome to get more women at the technology table - there are multiple and layered hurdles every step of the way.How can the representation of women in technology be increased?Since our obstacles are layered and multi-faceted, our solutions to get higher representation for women in tech need to be multi-dimensional as well. There is still a big shift needed from acceptance to awareness to action in the conversation around gender diversity and equal opportunity at work. There has to be a three-faceted change - in education, at the workplace, and within society at large - for women to actualize their potential in the digital ecosystem. While educational boards and institutions need to enable courses that teach digital skills for the future of work, organizations need to explore making flexible work and work from home options much more normalised.These changes, as tectonic as they are, cannot happen in a vacuum and that is where the social mandate needs to be carried out - an inclusive and enabling work ecosystem can only thrive within a societal macrocosm that upholds the values of inclusion and enabling empowerment as well. The role women play in the growth of the digital sector can widen only when society at large realizes the value that women bring to the table and the dearth of idea and perspective that threatens our digital evolution, should women be barred from contributing to it organically.Benefits of a Digital Ecosystem Of, By and For WomenWhile it is obvious and intuitive that having every member of society contribute to the best of their potential is the only way towards collective growth on our shared path forward, the value of women seems to have been lost in translation somewhere over the years and requires reiteration frequently and undeniably.Diversity is an investment. A workforce that is diverse is more productive and provides a better return on investment (ROI). Fortune 500 companies that had at least three women in top leadership positions reported an ROI boost by about 66%. This is possibly also because diverse teams can tap into a wider spectrum of perspectives, are generally more open to innovative ideation and uphold a culture of respect and camaraderie. Women have vastly different experiences than men through most aspects of their lives and can therefore provide not just a different POV but also a different vision in terms of products and services for the future. Shutting out women from the digital workforce would lead to the loss of voice for an integral section of society. While this is true globally, it rigs truer for Asian countries that women make the majority of shopping decisions. Tapping into what leads to these decisions could provide valuable insight into product design for the years to come.With more women taking their place in the machinery driving our digital growth, there are also more role models for future leaders to look up to. That is what the future of work needs to be - driven by vision and sustainable passion for generations to come.
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10 Easy things to do to stay fit whilst working from home
Working from home offers you a wealth of convenience. Whether it's getting a snack or going back to your bed for a quick lie-down, you only need to take a few steps to your desk. However, your den of creature comforts can cause you to form some bad habits, ones that may lead toward a very inactive lifestyle.If you feel like you haven't done anything different from your routine when you still went to the office pre-pandemic, then you've missed how the walking train station or climbing up the office stairs have been helping you keep fit all along. With those activities gone, you need to find new, yet still convenient, ways to stay healthy and active while working from home.Settling into the Routine1. Create Your ScheduleFirst thing is make a schedule that you'd be willing to keep. When you're confined to one space for a long period of time, you might wake up at odd hours and ruin your sleep and eating habits.The best way is to keep your usual work hours and treat the day like you would've if you were heading to the office. This applies to getting dressed and taking morning showers, too. Familiar habits are a signal for your body and mind to prepare for another day of doing your best at work.2. Workout From HomeIt's always been difficult to pencil in some workout time. But now that you've got a more freed-up schedule, make exercise your priority and commit to a few minutes of yoga at home. Schedule them before or after work hours. Even mid-lunch stretches can count towards a healthier you.3. Working Out at WorkA novel idea would be to set up a workout meeting with your colleagues. Not only do you get out of the house, you could meet up with a few coworkers and enjoy a workout session, too. It's multitasking at its finest!4. Establish BoundariesIn line with the previous points, have clear start and end times dedicated to working and to relaxation. This tells your brain and body that you're switching from work mode to relax mode or vice versa. Be strict and don't answer non-urgent calls or reply to emails during your downtime.5. Take A Walk Every HourSitting for long periods of time is known to be bad for your health. The easiest way to solve this is to take small walks after each hour. It's good for a change in scenery and rest for your eyes after being glued to a screen for so long. Use a timer to remind yourself in case you get too absorbed in your projects.6. ...And Outside, TooIf you've gotten bored with the interior of your house, expand your walking route to the block around your house. Fresh air does wonders and you can walk for a bit longer. Just make sure not to forget that you've got work to get back to!Healthy Desk, Healthy Mind7. Designate A WorkspaceNot everyone has a home office, but it's still important to keep a separate work area. It's just easier to relax in a place that won't remind you of your work. If you have a small living space, at least set a chair and table away from the central area of non-work activity.8. A Seat Fit For a QueenIf your job requires you to be sitting for a long time, make yourself comfortable and get an ergonomically fit chair. Your posture and backside will be thankful and it can help you concentrate better on your current task.9. And Her Standing TableOn the other hand, you could use a standing table to avoid sitting down for too long altogether. This only works if you can do your work while standing up, and if your standing table can be high enough for you to do your work properly.10. Create A Work-Friendly EnvironmentReflect on the times when you were able to concentrate best. Is it with soothing music in the background? Or do you prefer when the room is cooler? Set your workspace to be the most optimal place for you to work in. Remove any distractions or transfer them to another room.The benefits of keeping healthy and fit are worth the adjustments to your routine. These tips are also perfect for busy women who want to stay active as they juggle their time for work and family as well.Not only will you be stronger at fighting illness, you can also improve your mood and handle stress better. You don't need to create a home gym just to keep fit because with these ten ideas, it's now much easier to stay healthy while working from home.
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Why we all need to be courageous in 2021
In the past year, we've all encountered numerous hardships because of the pandemic. Possible lockdowns and retrenchments are some of the things that keep us up at night. We wonder, "what can I do when I'm cooped up at home?", "what about my family who needs me?" and "will we be alright?"The thing is, the only way to move forward is to take that first, courageous step.Apart But Not AloneWe may be apart but we are far from being alone. Though we're all practicing social distancing, technology has helped us reconnect so that we can become closer than ever.Whenever we open our screens during video calls, it's hard to miss the subtle hints that show the other sides of our coworkers. For women, your workmates are used to seeing the hardworking employee, but as much as we try to maintain the separation between the personal and professional, they also have the chance to see you as a mother, sister, or wife.This new insight among your coworkers fosters a sense of empathy and you become closer, knowing each other's worries and personal situations.In the end, we realize that companies and organizations are made up of individuals, each one human and vulnerable. The pandemic has affected us all in myriad ways, both personally and professionally. We can help each other in every one of those aspects.With that in mind, companies and their management can be a great source of support for workers. Employers and employees must work together and display a sense of solidarity to improve the overall team morale.Organizations will have to undergo this transformation to keep up with the rapidly evolving industries. Many businesses are changing the way they work by embedding digital tools and technology into their operations. But this is only feasible if they work hand in hand with their employees and maintain a human-centric approach.Driving ChangeWhen employees have the support of their bosses and organizations, they are free to work with renewed motivation. It's one less worry off their backs and it shows in their work performance.They work harder than ever but they also become kinder. This allows the team to work with empathy and kindness not just with each other but also toward customers as well.Sharing this dramatic change in all our lives presents an opportunity to direct it toward transforming old, outdated policies that have no place in the new normal. And it drives home how things won't be the same—and that's a good thing.Moreover, women have it especially hard. Women work to put food on the table and her family is a prime motivation for her. As she works to perform her best in an economy that's slowed down to a stop, she'll need all the support she can get.This is because when we empower every single employee, they regain the courage they need to keep going and to keep striving. And when they believe that they can handle the problems they are facing, it fosters hope for the future.Transforming Into HopeHope allows the possibility of change. Times are uncertain but the only way to get through it is by pushing forward. There is no going back so we need the courage to look at the current situation and ask ourselves, "what can we change to help us get through this?"This critical eye stimulates the creativity and innovation of those in the forefront of development. The results can drive the building of new technology to combat the coronavirus and lead to the discovery of new lifestyles that can adapt to these times.These changes are meant to create a cycle of support, courage, hope and transformation. As long as this cycle is propagated, the world can start to change. It's about making the most out of what we have and improving it into something even better.We have all been through so much in just about a year, and frankly, there's no signs of it ending. The times are rough but to move on, we need to learn from past mistakes and grow as a community.Change of a large scale can only occur if everyone works together in cooperation. And with that, we gain the courage to explore solutions and new possibilities. It is then we can face the greater challenges that await us, with hope in our eyes and courage in our hearts.
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