What to Do If You’re Sick of Taking on the “Second Shift” at Work Too

Business woman on the phone checking watchBy Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

A few months ago, a friend of mine wrote a post on Facebook about something that had frustrated her at work. My friend, who works in a technology role for a federal contractor, had received an email from a male colleague, asking if she wouldn’t mind helping to set up the office kitchen for a team party. All of the other women on the team got the email. None of the men did.

This may seem like a small thing, being asked to set up some refreshments for an office party. But, when you add up the consequences of being asked throughout your entire professional career to do these small chores, it’s not. Microinequities like these are the building blocks that make up a workplace culture that positions women as the helpers, the cleaners, the fixers, the note-takers, the coffee-makers, the party planners, the support staff to the “real” workers – even if their job description is the same as everyone else’s.

The second shift sees women in dual career households coming home at the end of the day, and doing the majority of housework and childcare compared to their partner. Even women in full time jobs who make more money than their husbands do the same amount or more at home, a recent Simmons College study [PDF] showed.

But the second shift is not simply a phenomenon that takes place after work. It’s a symptom of a broader cultural expectation that women clean up messes wherever they are. Women are getting stuck with the second shift at work too. And doing all that extra work, work that’s not considered mission critical in the least bit, can be a drag on your time and your power.

My friend did something brave. Rather than sigh heavily and just go help set up, she chose not to ignore the sexist slight. She replied to the email, pointing out that none of the men on the floor were asked to help out with the party, and it’s not appropriate to expect only women to.

That’s another factor – it takes a lot of courage to stand up to microinequities. Since they’re so small, the perpetrator may not even realize he or she did anything wrong. It’s easy for them to laugh it off as a joke, or worse, accuse the aggrieved of overreacting. And in the immediate sense, the payoff is small.

But calling out this kind of behavior is a long game, and ultimately it makes the work environment a more equitable place where women will be taken seriously. In the short term, at least you won’t be fuming later over what you “should have said.”

Read more

/by

The Problem With a Masculine Corporate Culture

iStock_000010106679XSmallBy Tina Vasquez (Los Angeles)

The idea that “masculine identity” is a social construct is not a new one. As Robin Ely, Professor of Business Administration and Senior Associate Dean for Culture and Community, points out, different cultures associate different attributes with men and masculinity, but in almost all cultures, such attributes—whatever they may be—are more highly valued than those associated with women and femininity.

Ely’s recent study, a collaboration with her colleague, Stanford University consulting professor Debra Meyerson, proves without a shadow of a doubt that an entire culture can dramatically shift when stripped of its traditional masculine identity.

“Unmasking Manly Men: The Organizational Reconstruction of Men’s Identity” took Ely and Meyerson 130 miles off the coast of Southern Louisiana, landing them smack-dab in the middle of one of the toughest, most male-dominated work environments imaginable: an offshore oil platform. The manager of the oil rig had implemented innovative approaches to leadership development in order to reduce unsafe behaviors stereotypically associated with “macho” men, such as taking unnecessary risks, refusing to ask questions that make them appear vulnerable, and pressuring coworkers to prove themselves through acts of physical bravery. However, he wasn’t achieving an effective result.

He found that by stripping the oil rig away of its traditional masculine identity, there was a noticeable shift in the entire culture of the rig: communication improved, men listened to each other more, they learned from their mistakes, and placed more emphasis on teamwork.

So, what does work on an oil rig have to do with corporate America? The concept of not just pushing against masculine leadership stereotypes, but dismantling them entirely can be transferred to the corporate landscape. This could be necessary if organizations continue conflating concepts of leadership competence with images of masculinity.

Ely says the research speaks to the question of how men construct identities in the workplace and the larger role organizations play in shaping this process. “In other research,” she says, “we have seen that conventional masculinity often becomes the performance standard, even when an alternative standard would be more beneficial to the organization, not to mention to women employees with an interest in career advancement.”

Read more

/by

Recognition and Respect are Key Issues for Women Professionals

iStock_000006684238XSmallBy Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

According to a new study by Thomson Reuters, today’s professional workforce is collaborative, entrepreneurial, and looking for a way to live their values at work. The study of more than 1,000 professionals in Brazil, China, India, the United Kingdom, and the United States also showed surprising commonalities across genders in terms of work style and habits.

For example, nearly equal proportions of men and women said they prefer an interactive or collaborative team environment (56 percent and 55 percent, respectively). Similarly, 63 percent of both men and women agreed that solving problems is important to them, and 55 percent of men and 56 percent of women said having a vision of what they want to achieve in their careers is important to them. About the same proportions of men and women said challenging work is important to them (53 percent and 56 percent, respectively). Finally, 46 percent and 48 percent of men and women said they want to be able to be entrepreneurial in their jobs.

But the report revealed one big area where genders diverged in how they want to be treated at work: recognition and respect.

According to the data presented in this study, women were more keen to be recognized by management for the work they have accomplished, and they desired more strongly to be respected by their colleagues than men.63 percent of women, compared to 53 percent of men, were much more likely than men to say having their work recognized by superiors is important to them. Similarly, 61 percent of women were also more likely than men to say that gaining the respect of their coworkers was important to them. Gaining the respect of their coworkers was important to just 53 percent of men surveyed.

These are key differences that managers should recognize when leading teams of professionals – either women don’t think they’re getting enough respect at work, or they simply value recognition more than men. Either way, supervisors should take note.

Read more

/by

Tips for Developing Your Soft Skills: Learn How Raising Your EQ Can Boost Your Career

Overhead view of office staffBy Michelle Hendelman, Editor-in-Chief

Learning how to be good at your job is easy, but having what it takes to be great and be recognized by your peers and managers as a rising star requires extra effort and attention to something known as your soft skills. The senior women we interview often encourage young people to distinguish themselves from the pack as early on in their career as they possibly can.

But, this can be easier said than done when you look around and notice that most of your peers are essentially at the same technical level as you are. So what is going to make the difference between good and great at work? Listening, leading with compassion, adapting to change, being a good team player — all of these attributes (and much more) make up your unique set of soft skills, or what is commonly referred to as emotional intelligence.

Improving your soft skills, in addition to keeping your technical skills sharp, is one of the fastest ways to elevate yourself above the competition. Since developing your soft skills is such an important aspect of your career advancement and professional development, we have compiled some important tips for honing your soft skills at work. Following these simple tips will make you a more valuable asset to your company.

Read more

/by

Nature vs. Nurture: What’s the Key Driver Behind Gender Inequity in the Workplace?

iStock_000015781730XSmallBy Michelle Hendelman, Editor-in-Chief

The Independent, a UK newspaper, recently published a story asserting that women need to change their mindset if they want to get ahead in their careers, or at the very least, compete with their male counterparts. This perspective is based on the brainsex theory research of Dr. Anne Moir, who portends that professional women should learn how the neurological differences between men and women impact workplace behavior, and potentially contribute to gender bias they may encounter.

Could neuroscience be one explanation for the corporate gender gap, or are there other factors at play, such as environmental elements of corporate culture that reinforce societal perceptions of gender stereotypes?

A recent article in Investments & Wealth Monitor indicated that men and women are in fact hardwired differently, and that these gender differences must be kept in mind when financial advisors work with female clients. Kathleen Burns Kingsbury, the article’s author writes,

“Women view wealth as security for their loved ones now and in the future; therefore, they want to work with advisors they trust implicitly. The female brain reinforces this need for connection, as evidenced by brain scans showing the pleasure centers of women’s brains light up when bonding with others.” She continues, “Men enjoy relationships, but they are socialized and neurologically hardwired to value independence and competition over connection.”

These generalizations about gender stereotypes have penetrated just about every aspect of life, and have been identified as some of the primary reasons for workplace inequities such as the gender pay gap and the underrepresentation of women in leadership roles. But is it enough to say the gender gap in business exists simply because men and women might be wired differently? That just seems too easy.

Read more

/by

At Work, Giving is the New Getting

iStock_000017306404XSmallBy Terry Selucky (Los Angeles)

What’s the best way to guarantee a healthy ROI?

Attract talent. Analyze and use data. Beef up social media. Cultivate compassion?

Though at first glance it may seem counter-intuitive, creating a workplace culture that encourages compassion and collaboration among co-workers — as opposed to cutthroat competition — is actually one of the most effective ways to boost business.

Background

A recent article in The McKinsey Quarterly states that creating a giving culture at work not only reduces the stress level among employees, but also helps employees feel more loyal and committed. Emma Seppala, Associate Director for the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education at the University of California, notes that seeing someone help another person creates a “heightened state of well-being” and when leaders demonstrate generosity in this way, workers are “more likely to act in a helpful and friendly way with other employees for no particular reason.”

Even if the warm fuzzies you get from being selfless aren’t enough, analyzing the bottom line pleads the case for workplace compassion. For example, Philip Podsakoff from Indiana University has demonstrated a direct correlation between the frequency with which employees come to each other’s aid and the company’s sales revenues. Collaboration promotes a customer-first atmosphere; work gets done faster, it enhances team cohesion and coordination, provides spontaneous training for new employees, and increases consistency in products or services.

The McKinsey piece, contributed by Adam Grant, author of Give and Take: A Revolutionary Approach to Success, separates workplaces into three cultures: Givers, Takers, and Matchers. Though the monikers are self-explanatory, the findings are not: Matcher cultures trade favors in a closed loop, making them inefficient vehicles for exchange. Takers try to get as much as possible without giving in return, which does not benefit the whole. But Giver cultures encourage knowledge sharing among all employees and, in turn, best results and the most efficiency.

Fortunately for women (and perhaps, women-run businesses), they are natural “givers.” An article from Time shows that, in monetary giving at least, women are 40% more likely to donate than men, and at all income levels, they give more than their male counterparts. And, a recent article from The New York Times reveals that the mere presence of women makes everyone more generous — both in families and in the workplace.

Read more

/by

Three Ways to Make Your Boss Look Good – And Boost Your Career

Business PeopleBy Tina Vasquez (Los Angeles)

There are a multitude of reasons why people work to make their bosses look good. Perhaps they hope it will get them noticed, leading to a promotion of their own. In an unsteady economy, it might be the best route to keeping their job. Maybe they’re just looking to boost their department as a whole, and the most effective way to do that is to help the person leading the way. Whatever the reason, nothing bad can come of it, but what are the most effective ways to make your boss shine?

Michelle Foster Earle, president of OmniSure Consulting Group, a highly specialized firm offering consultation and support in risk management and loss control, says that learning new technology gets her attention. After 25 years as a senior leader on Wall Street, Doris Braun left to form Leadership Solutions for Women, an organization dedicated to advancing women in financial services. Braun says that when she was on Wall Street, getting her attention meant focusing on client relationships. Amanda Augustine, a career coach and job search expert for TheLadders, where she authors a career advice column shared with more than 5 million job seekers each week, also thinks that learning a new skills is not just helpful, but the best way to get noticed.

With the input of these experienced women, let’s look at three specific ways you can help your boss and boost your career:

Read more

/by

Four Types of Bias that Keep Women from Getting Promoted

Young Female Executive In Deep Thought - IsolatedBy Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

Everyone is subject to bias – we all have them, and we are all affected by them. Our task in the 21st century is to acknowledge our implicit assumptions about others (and ourselves) and examine how they may be holding others back (or propelling others forward).

In the corporate setting, people in the majority group can gloss over how their biases may be keeping people in non-dominant groups from advancing. A new white paper [PDF] by consulting group Cook Ross takes a look at the biases that keep women from getting promotions during the review process. The report author, Leslie Traub, Chief Consulting Officer at Cook Ross, writes that, at the entry level, the workforce at many companies approach gender parity. But over time, that diversity thins out.

One reason why is that bias during the review process affects whether women are recognized, valued, and, ultimately, promoted or retained. The report says, “Performance reviews that do not objectively reflect employee contributions are one of the main obstacles to retaining under-represented groups. When the performance review process is out of balance, opportunities for advancement narrow and in turn, narrow an organization’s diversity pipeline.”

Cook writes that reducing bias is everyone’s responsibility. “A shared recognition that bias exists in every decision and a collective and personal commitment to its reduction are the only antidotes to unchecked bias hijacking all of our critical decisions,” she says.

The benefits of mitigating bias will result a more diverse, competitive workforce. Here are four types of bias that keep women and other minority groups in the workforce from advancing. Once we recognize the barriers that keep women from getting ahead, we can begin dismantling them.

Read more

/by

Will Gen Y Women in the Workplace be the Drivers of Corporate Change?

iStock_000002351861XSmallBy Michelle Hendelman, Editor-in-Chief

Generation Y – the group of young people born anywhere between the early 1980s and the early 2000s, have been the source of plenty of criticism recently from the generations before them who believe that the Millennial generation is single-handedly ruining the modern world as we know it. There are always two sides to every story, and the battle between the generations in the workplace, is no exception to that rule.

Boomers and Traditionals seem to agree on one thing. That is the millennial generation is not equipped to handle the challenges in front of them, namely a crippled economy that only recently has shown any hopeful sign of a lasting recovery. However, Millennials—as a whole—exude a confidence and an optimism that might be enough to make a significant impact in some key areas. One of these areas is women’s career advancement.

Will Gen Y women be effective change agents in the gender diversity space or will they continue to run up against the same challenges as women before them? A recent research study suggests that Gen Y women have what it takes.

Read more

/by

Women Aren’t Funny: Why is this Gender-Based Myth Gaining Traction?

Young business woman in a office environment.By Tina Vasquez (Los Angeles)

To further understand how difficult the corporate landscape continues to be for women, one only needs to look at headlines associated with linguistic expert Judith Baxter’s most recent study: “Female bosses ‘less funny in the boardroom’” and “Women’s jokes fall flat at work, report finds.”

The professor of applied linguistics at Aston University spent 18 months conducting her research at seven large companies, examining 14 team meetings, of which half were led by senior-level men and half by senior-level women. Baxter found that women often resort to self-deprecating humor, with 70 percent of female senior professionals joking about themselves in a somewhat negative light. Needless to say, it almost always went over poorly. While it was clear the women were making self-deprecating jokes because it was the safer option (they would rather laugh at themselves than laugh at others), their humor was seen as “contrived, defensive, or just mean.”

“I looked at the wording that provoked the laugh. In almost every case, the speaker had attempted a witticism which might range from a pun, a self-deprecating remark, a jokey remark at the expense of other colleagues or their organization, or banter with colleagues. There were few fully fledged jokes. I then looked at the response to the witticism. I saw that women rarely gained a laugh, unlike men. Indeed, they often ended up laughing at their own jokes, which made the comment appear contrived and the speaker seem defensive,” Baxter said.

Read more

/by