When Your Extra Work Causes Problems at Home

Taking on an extra project at work can benefit your career — but it can also sow conflict at home. If a big assignment comes up that you suspect could cause tension with your partner, try these strategies to balance going the extra mile at work and being a good partner at home.

• Be proactive, not reactive. Rather than waiting for special requests to sporadically arise, find ways to consistently contribute beyond your job description. This will make it easier to say no when something big comes up that you just can’t take on.

• Clarify whether extra work is actually required. Before saying yes, find out from your boss whether the organization really needs you on this, whether the task is as urgent as it might seem at first blush, and whether someone else could handle it instead.

• Communicate! If you feel you just can’t say no to the pressing demands at work, do your best to provide early notice to your partner — and make clear that you’re invested in helping them deal with the potential burden that the additional work might create (e.g., arranging for a babysitter, meal delivery, etc.) If your partner still asks you not to take on the work, it might be time to go back to your boss.

This tip is adapted from “You’re Working More. Here’s How to Talk to Your Partner About It.,” by Mark C. Bolino.

Don’t Focus Your DEI Efforts on the Calendar

Observances like Cinco de Mayo, Juneteenth, or Women’s History Month offer an opportunity to celebrate members of your community. But when you approach these celebrations as a quick and easy DEI win, your efforts will come across as opportunistic — or even cringeworthy. These three strategies will help ensure your approach is authentic and respectful.

Show up all year round. If your organization launches a splashy campaign for Pride month, but hasn’t considered equitable benefits for LGBTQ+ employees, customers, or community members, your efforts will be seen as performative allyship or rainbow washing. Instead, engage with your communities, identify their needs, and incorporate these into your year-round policies and practices.

Ask “Who is this for?” Too often companies make these celebrations about educating people who don’t identify with the group that’s being honored. Asking “Who is this for,” and shifting the focus of your programming accordingly, can help you increase connection and belonging for all employees.

Avoid tokenizing at all costs. Don’t ask the groups who are being celebrated to bear the burden of organizing your efforts. Consult them, integrate their input, and compensate them accordingly, but don’t place the onus on them.

This tip is adapted from “Don’t Let Your Calendar Dictate Your DEI Initiatives,” by Nani Vishwanath

Interrupt “Benevolent” Sexism on Your Team

As a leader, you have a responsibility to address "benevolent" sexism: attitudes, practices, and actions that seem positive but undermine supporting women at work, often under the pretense of helping, protecting, or complimenting them. (For example, not offering a high-visibility project to a woman because she has young children.) To interrupt benevolent sexism, start by increasing your awareness. Reflect on how ideas such as "men are responsible for protecting women" or "men and women are different and complementary" can actually be harmful. Check your assumptions about how people should or shouldn’t act based on their gender. Then, if you hear others making benevolently sexist comments, challenge them. For example, if a colleague wants to “save” a woman from a complex project, help them zoom out by asking: “What are the consequences of not involving her in this project? Wouldn’t it be better to ask her directly instead of assuming she won’t want it?” Finally, model equitable behavior by focusing on women’s competencies. Give feedback related to work results, instead of characteristics stereotypically associated with women, such as warmth or likability.

This tip is adapted from “Dismantling 'Benevolent' Sexism,” by Negin Sattari

Don’t Allow High Performers to Get Away with Toxic Behavior

If one of your highest performing employees is also one of your most toxic, what should you do? As productive as they might seem, these so-called toxic rock stars are a major problem and can drive away your other valued employees. Here’s what to do if you have a toxic employee on your team.

Take an honest look at your culture. If you suspect the person is not an outlier, or the only one participating in toxic behaviors, conduct a culture survey, focus groups, and one-on-one conversations with your employees to learn more. It’s important to know how you might be contributing to the problem, or allowing it to persist. Don’t be defensive about what you find — respond with humility, curiosity, and empathy.

Establish a reliable feedback process. Provide anonymous reporting opportunities so employees can feel confident they won’t be penalized for speaking up about a toxic colleague — especially if that person has a lot of organizational power and influence.

Establish a no-tolerance policy. Decisive action is critical. Otherwise you risk sending the message that bad behavior is OK as long as people are delivering results.

This tip is adapted from “Leaders, Stop Rewarding Toxic Rock Stars,” by Deepa Purushothaman and Lisen Stromberg

Keep Valuable Employees By Understanding What Drives Them

Every manager worries at some point that their best employees are eyeing the door. So, how can you assess whether your top talent is engaged? Are there ways to head off thoughts of leaving? Retaining valuable employees starts with having open and honest conversations about what they want and need. In your one-on-one meetings, ask how they’re feeling about their work and what they’re most excited about. If and when they ask for something — a raise, a new assignment, or a flexible work schedule — don’t make assumptions about what’s driving their request. Instead, just ask. You may not be able to give them exactly what they want, but understanding their motivations may help you meet their needs in other ways. Be transparent about what’s in your control and what’s not. For example, you can say, “I can’t guarantee that, but I hear that it’s important to you. I’m going to keep it in mind as we continue to navigate this uncertain future. You’re a valuable employee, and I’m going to do my best to give you those things when it’s in my control.”

This tip is adapted from “The Essentials: Retaining Talent,” by Women at Work podcast episode

Make Work More Fun

Is having fun at work important? Short answer: Yes! Research suggests that fun has a positive impact on employee engagement, creativity, and retention. So, how can you make it part of your workday?

• Gamify your to-do list. As soon as you finish a task, reward yourself with something small — take a walk, call a friend, or buy yourself a treat.

• Switch things up. Making simple changes can give you a fresh perspective. For example, try putting challenging work tasks on post-it notes so that you can squish them into balls and toss them in the trash when you complete them.

• Create a soundtrack to your workday. Build different playlists for different types of tasks. Matching your energy and rhythm to the music can be an effective way to build some positive momentum throughout the day.

• Vary your location. Are things starting to feel boring? Head over to your favorite coffee shop to finish your workday — or better yet, take your next phone call on a walk. A temporary relocation can be restorative, rejuvenating, and, well, fun!

The Most Ridiculous Questions People Have Been Asked During Job Interviews

Sometimes off-the-wall random questions can still be telling during a job interview. For example, your employee could be wanting to know more about your personality and leadership skills by asking you what animal you embody the most. However, some questions employers are asked are just strange and unnecessary! Twitter users shared the most ridiculous questions/tests and requests they’ve faced in a job interview.

“I was locked in a room and told I had 45 mins to write a 2k-word essay (this was a social media job at a charity) This was after an hour-long interview where they asked questions like ‘what do you hate most about your current job’ + ‘do you drink’” –@maredparry

“I was asked how I would fit a giraffe into a fridge.” –@benellis90

“One bar made me create a dress out of black bin bags with other candidates as proof I could "work as part of a team" –@tillyjeanette

“What would your death row meal be and why?” –@Vicky_Warrell

“Are you married or with children? We need to know if you have distractions or will devote yourself fully?” –@andsoshethinks

Source: The Huffington Post

Harness Your Anger at Work

Anger is a difficult feeling to manage — especially in a work context. But anger isn’t inherently bad. In fact, it can serve you, if you know how to channel it. Here are some strategies to help you manage your anger when it arises at work.

Identify the needs behind your emotion. Clarifying questions include: What triggered my anger? Which feelings are underneath my anger? What steps can I take toward a resolution?

Acknowledge that a violation took place. If you’re hurt because of an unfair decision or mistreatment, you’re allowed to feel angry. Acknowledge what you’re feeling and name the violation.

Avoid excessive venting. Blowing off steam is not as productive as you might think. Rehashing a problem, without moving toward a solution, has been shown to make both you and the people listening to you feel worse, not better.

If you can, compose yourself before sharing your emotions. If your heart is racing and your muscles are tense, give yourself time to calm down before sharing how another's actions made you feel.

If you can’t communicate your anger, indirectly address your needs. Sometimes, you’ll be angry because of something you just can’t change. In those instances, look for ways to remove yourself from the situation and reach out to a friend or therapist who can help.

Channel your anger strategically. If you tap into it, anger can actually increase your confidence. Use it as motivation to effectively advocate for yourself.

Most Employees Feel Unappreciated By Employer

Lately, we are constantly hearing about the Great Resignation, but what is causing so many people to leave their jobs? Well, a new survey set out to discover just that and it turns out many workers simply want to know they are appreciated.

The new Bonusly poll finds:

• 63% of workers say they feel unappreciated by their employer daily.

• 59% insist they’ve never had an employer who actually appreciated their work.

• Recognition is so important to some that 29% would give up a week’s pay just for more recognition from their boss.

• As for why they feel unappreciated:

  • 41% say it’s because of favoritism among employees from management.

  • 39% say it’s management’s lack of communication and recognition.

• 46% of those polled have left a job because they felt unappreciated.

• Although 65% say they would stay with an unappreciative manager if they felt recognized by their co-workers and peers.

But showing appreciation isn’t the only area workers think employers need to improve. Other areas include:

• Compensation (32%)

• Benefits (PTO, medical care, etc.) (30%)

• Flexibility (work from home, hours, etc.) (29%)

• Management (29%)

• Career development programs (28%)

• Job security (28%)

Source: Bonusly

Boss Asks Employees to Send Him Screenshot of Phone Battery Usage Before Leaving Work

The boss of a small company in Wuhan, China, recently sparked controversy online after it became known that he asks employees to send him screenshots of their phone battery usage before leaving work.

Convinced that the poor performance of his company in recent months was somehow related to how much time employees spend on their smartphones instead of working, a company boss in Wuhan decided to address the issue by checking their phone use daily.

According to one employee who took to social media to expose the controversial productivity-enhancing method, he and his colleagues are required to go into their phone settings and take screenshots of the battery usage graph for the day and send it to their boss.

As you can imagine, social media didn’t take too well to this intrusive, privacy-trampling tactic. Many called it useless, while others advised employees of the company to simply quit and find a better place to work.

“It’s outrageous, when a company starts doing stuff like this, it usually means it’s going downhill and you can start planning to change jobs,” one person commented on Weibo. 

The employee who first exposed the tactic said that some of his colleagues were outraged by it and took it up with the supervisor, but most are worried about how complaining would impact their employment status, so they just keep their heads down.

How to Be Less Self-Conscious at Work

Are you consistently concerned that your colleagues are judging you? Chances are that you’re not alone. But worrying about what other people think of you — especially at work — can be exhausting, and even distressing. To manage this feeling, make small changes to your behavior. For example, you might focus on active listening. The more attention we pay to things outside ourselves, the easier it becomes to have real, meaningful interactions. Pay attention to what someone says before trying to formulate your response. The key is not to develop the “perfect” answer but rather to make the other person feel heard in the moment. If someone asks you about your week, don’t rehearse what you feel is “the right answer.” Simply answer with whatever first comes to mind. If it’s big social events, like an office party, that stress you out, try creating a game plan ahead of time. This might mean buddying up with someone you trust, or picking three to four people that you know you’d like to talk to. Finally, be kind to yourself. When you feel embarrassed or anxious, imagine how you would treat someone in a similar situation. Try to stay grounded, compassionate, and give yourself some grace.

This tip is adapted from “How I Manage My Social Anxiety at Work,” by Rakshitha Arni Ravishankar

Leave the Door Open for Former Employees to Return

Your relationship with an employee doesn’t have to end when they leave your team. As a manager, it benefits you to end on good terms and leave the door open for them to return in the future. Here’s how to do that. First, destigmatize and normalize leaving. If you talk about employees who quit as traitors, you’ll cause those who remain to view them negatively, creating a culture that’s implicitly closed off to company alumni. Instead, make it clear during onboarding that it’s perfectly normal — even expected — to move on at some point. Talk openly about company alumni and what they’re doing now. Highlight any people who have left and returned to show that being a boomerang employee is possible. Focus on creating an excellent off-boarding experience, too. This could mean providing access to career coaches who can help departing employees land on their feet (assuming that’s financially feasible for your organization), or connecting them with other company alumni who might be good contacts moving forward. Be explicit that the door is open. You might say something like, “While we don’t want you to leave, we understand why you need to go and we’re here to support you. If — and when — you want to return, there will be a home for you here.” Finally, stay in touch. Check in with your alumni a few times a year, particularly if an opportunity arises that you think might be a good fit for them.

This tip is adapted from “Leave the Door Open for Employees to Return to Your Organization,” by Rebecca Zucker

Set Boundaries Early When You Start a New Job

When you start a new job, it's tempting to say “yes” to every request and opportunity that comes your way. But doing so can lead to you continually trying to live up to high expectations, which can be demoralizing and unsustainable. How can you set healthy boundaries in the first days of a new gig? Start by reflecting on what's driving you to overextend yourself in the first place.

Are you overly eager to prove your value? Are you afraid to say no? Is your passion for the work leading you to have unrealistic expectations of yourself? Once you identify what’s motivating you, consider the upside of setting healthy boundaries. While you might think expressing the limits of your capacity is a sign of weakness, it's in fact the opposite; setting boundaries proves you have self-awareness and possess strong time management, prioritization, and communication skills.

Next, articulate your personal preferences to your manager. That may include agreeing upon what time you will start and end work, when you’re able to respond to messages and attend meetings, when you take breaks during the day, and most importantly, the type of work you enjoy doing and what you have the bandwidth for. Your first few weeks and months on a job undoubtedly contribute to your reputation. It’s important to go above and beyond but to do so selectively and strategically to set yourself up to do your best work over the long haul.

Overcome Your Team’s Resistance to Change

Many teams suffer from “active inertia” — the tendency to seek comfort in the old ways of doing things, even when the world around you is changing. To help your employees meet the moment, there are two techniques you might try.

The “foot-in-the-door” technique. Start by asking people to do something small or easy. By agreeing to the request, and then meeting it, they develop a sense of commitment and confidence that makes them more enthusiastic about agreeing to the next (bigger) request. In other words, the path to big change is paved by lots of small steps and little bets — each of which builds on what’s come before.

The “door-in-the-face” technique. With this approach, you ask your employees to do something even more demanding than what you actually have in mind. The idea is that by setting aspirations that seem extreme, you can push people to perform at a level — and creatively solve problems — that would have otherwise felt unachievable. This often pushes people to imagine innovations or work-arounds they wouldn’t think of in the normal course of business.

This tip is adapted from “Persuading Your Team to Embrace Change,” by Bill Taylor

Responding to an Unreasonable Request

Sometimes you get asked to do something at work that just doesn’t seem reasonable. Maybe it would require extraordinary effort on your part, is last minute, or is just unfeasible. Here’s how to respond professionally and confidently. First, assess your relationship with the person making the request. What are the power dynamics at play? If it comes from your boss or an important client, for example, you might feel more pressure to comply.

Next, ask open-ended questions about what’s really behind the request to get a better sense of what's driving it. Their answers could help you propose an alternate solution that's easier to execute. If there isn't an obvious alternative, speak up for yourself. The person making the ask may have no idea that it’s unreasonable. Explain your circumstances and outline why what they're asking isn’t realistic for you. And finally, let the other person know if there’s something they can do differently next time they have a similar request. It’s a way to give gentle but direct feedback and make for more positive interactions in the future.

This tip is adapted from “How to Respond to an Unreasonable Request,” by Rebecca Zucker

In a Rut? Try These Simple Approaches to Re-Energize Yourself

We all fall into work ruts at times. Rather than trying to power through these moments, take a proactive approach to managing your energy. Here are some simple ways to give yourself a little boost when you’re feeling down.

Write your purpose on a post-it. This might be your overall career purpose (why you’ve chosen the profession that you are in) or a micro purpose (what’s motivating you to do a great job on a particular project or task). Keep it at your desk as a constant visual reminder of why you do what you do, especially when things are exhausting or stressful.

Create “a wall of encouragement.” Take any messages of encouragement, awards, positive feedback, or even memes that make you laugh and put them near your desk or store them in a digital folder. Look at them when you need to feel re-energized and appreciated.

Write up a "to-don’t" list. What things are you currently doing that are sucking up your energy? Identify which ones you can stop doing and put them on a list. These might be certain people that you decide not to see, habits that you want to break, or tedious tasks that can be automated or delegated.

This tip is adapted from “Stop Trying to Manage Your Time,” by Amantha Imber

Many People Want To Keep Working From Home

Many people learned both the joy and pain of working from home thanks to COVID. Surprisingly, most want to keep doing it. That’s the biggest takeaway from a new Harris Poll survey. Some 43-percent of people wish to keep working remotely.

Another 35-percent want a healthy mix of office and home workdays. And 25-percent can’t wait to get back to their cubicle and co-workers.

What is it about working from home that so many like? The flexibility. Also, we’re more in tune with health issues and going back into a pre-pandemic routine. Some don’t miss the small talk with co-workers.

Here’s the rub: employers want their staff back on site. Period. But, with people able to pick and choose their career of choice, it may bite companies. Cali Williams Yost, CEO of Flex + Strategy Group advises bosses to tread lightly, stressing “The DNA of work has changed. Employers need to acknowledge that.”

Source: USA Today

How to Have a Tough Conversation When You're Quarantined

There's plenty of reasons to avoid having serious conversations with the people you're stuck inside with right now. You might feel like the awkwardness would be too much to handle, you may be waiting until you can actually leave after the chat, or you might even be worried that your mate lost their mind after just one day of quarantine and this talk could push them over the edge.

But avoiding topics can only go on so long. There are some ways you can bring something up without creating a hostile living situation. Here are a few tips.

Set a time limit. We only have so much social energy each day, and after a day of working from home, and endless Zoom calls, you're probably running too low on yours to jump into a serious convo. Your best bet is to set a time limit upfront on things. Say something like, "I've only got about 20 minutes, but I want to talk about this topic." It gives you the out after the time is up, and it saves some social energy.

Be genuine. When has a sarcastic question ever help any situation? Ask questions that you're genuinely curious about instead of leading questions that try to prove your point. Also, if you find yourself annoyed with someone, asking them a bunch of questions could flip your brain into feeling my empathy.

Listen. Just listen. When someone is talking, avoid your instincts to solve their problems, give them advice, or even make some bold predictions for them. Just listen. It's that simple. You might not even know how to respond, and that's ok. Just let them know that you heard them, you understand, and maybe ask how you could help.

Changes To Expect In The Workplace After COVID-19

It’s tough to imagine going back into the office right now and having everything go back to normal. Mostly because there’s a lot of things that have improved due to the crisis that many companies are likely to keep around after things open up. So what will the new, new normal look like when the dust settles? Here’s what some shifts experts are predicting post-corona.

• Full digital transformation supported by a genuinely virtual workforce. It was bumpy at first, but more and more companies are learning how to serve their customers and clients remotely. And there’s no stopping that now. Every industry has been hit with some significant digital transformations, and it’s more likely that they’ll try to expand than go back to having no footprint in the virtual arena.

• Focus on outputs versus facetime. Expect a more significant focus on what gets done rather than when. Remote work has shown it doesn’t matter which employee gets in first or leaves last; it’s all about productivity. Experts predict organizations to move towards outcome-driven expectations with clear priorities and goals instead of discrete tasks.

•  Stronger communications. It took a crisis, but companies are taking a hard look at how they’ve been communicating internally and making some changes. For things to work with remote staff, there have to be more channels for dialogue and the tools and training to use those channels effectively. Plus, all those meetings that could have been emailed should once and for all email.

 Source: Fast Company

Half The US Wants To Work From Home Forever

The coronavirus has ruined a lot of parts of daily life, but the majority of people that are still employed agree that it has upgraded their work-life. It turns out this free trial of working remotely isn’t too shabby.

A new poll found that more than half of the people in the U.S. say they want to continue working from home following COVID-19. And the other half must still be trying to figure out how to make a Zoom account. That’s just a guess, though.

Interestingly, while every generation is into the idea of never going into the office again, baby boomers are feeling it the most. Just about 75% of the boomers said they wanted to kiss the cubicle life goodbye for good. Meanwhile, even though 80% of millennials said we’re more productive at home, only 50% of us said they’d want to work there forever. 

Despite the self-reported productivity boost, nearly two-thirds of people in the U.S. say their employers won’t allow them to keep working out of their home office.