At Empower Work, we’re focused on creating more positive, supportive pathways at work.
One of my favorite podcasts, NPR Politics, has a segment called “Can’t let it go” where they discuss a story they can’t stop thinking about. For me this week, it’s the new Pixar short that’s been making the rounds, directed by Kristen Lester and produced by Gillian Libbert-Duncan. It depicts Purl, a vivacious ball of yarn, trying to fit in at a toxic, male-dominated office, aptly named B.R.O. Capital.
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Olivia Bland went through a mentally and emotionally exhausting, not to mention likely manipulative and abusive, interview where the CEO “tore [her] and [her] writing to shreds” and caused her to “cry at the bus stop,” only to receive notification the next day that she actually got the job.
Almost everyone has had bad interview. Sometimes it could be regret about the way you answered a particular question, or perhaps you felt a little unprepared or nervous. Other times it could feel like something deeper was off, signaling a misalignment in values, expectations, or something else.
Here are some strategies on what to do if you’ve had a bad interview.
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Ever felt uneasy about a project at work? Something that didn’t sit well with you? You’re not alone. Competing pressures and incentives in the workplace can cause good people to do ethically questionable things. Worried you might be in that boat? We’re here to help with ethical issues in the workplace.
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In the United States, women earn 80 cents per every dollar earned by a man. Equal Pay Day is held on April 10th, because it marks just how far into the year on average women must work to earn what men earned in the previous calendar year. Women Who Code conducted a survey on Equal Pay Day last year that revealed a quarter of women in tech have left a job because they were not being paid the same as men in equal positions. This pay inequity expands beyond tech, and across demographics. Learn more about what you can do to close the wage gap.
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Imposter Syndrome is the feeling that you haven’t earned your success, you simply got lucky, and you’re a fraud or “imposter” around people who actually earned it and know what they’re doing. It makes one feel that they do not have the skills or expertise to hold their current job, but instead made it there “by chance;” they think if anyone found out how little they know about their job, they’d be fired immediately. Imposter Syndrome can cause people to doubt themselves and their ideas at work. This can lead people to avoid sharing their work, leading initiatives, or pursuing challenging tasks for fear of being discovered as an “imposter.”
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Gaslighting is a manipulation strategy that makes someone question their self-worth and sanity. The term is derived from the 1930s play Gas Light, in which a husband makes his wife doubt her perception by manipulating the gas light but claiming to see nothing out of the ordinary himself. In a work environment, gaslighting can make someone feel incompetent or unimportant, like they can’t do anything right. They can feel like they don’t understand what’s going on around them or what’s expected of them. Gaslighting can come from a variety of people—a power-hungry manager, a competitive coworker, or a condescending client.
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What a Peer Counselor has to say about their experience with Empower Work: While in a role researching tools and apps to improve interpersonal relationships in the workplace, I discovered Empower Work and was immediately drawn to their peer counselor training program. My initial interest in volunteering was to help others through tough experiences at work via active listening and empathy.
Their top learnings that have benefitted me as both a volunteer, and a professional:
Avoid heaping on “advice”
Be empathetic and make it about them, not you!
Compose open-ended, thoughtful questions that empower the texter to build their solution
Use the resources provided, no matter how long you have been a peer counselor
Identify what is really bothering the texter and ensure you identify their ideal outcome
Get to know peer counselors and support staff, they are an inspiring group of people!
In addition to supporting texters, my experience with Empower Work helped me down a path of self-discovery, expanding my self worth beyond my job. This journey also helped me forgive, laugh, and move on from a toxic work relationship—freeing me from the unhealthy impact this can impose.
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Microaggressions are harmful small, everyday phrases or actions that are targeted at a person based on their membership in a marginalized group. These actions are often not explicitly about someone’s identity, but implicitly insult and other someone’s race, gender, sexual orientation or disability status. At work, they can make people feel alienated, unsupported, vulnerable, disrespected, uncomfortable, and hurt. Microaggressions often reinforce a message to people from underrepresented groups of, “You are not one of us. You do not belong.”
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We’ve all been there. A team member tells you they’re stressed out about an upcoming performance review. A direct report approaches you about a conflict they’re facing with another employee. A work friend pulls you aside to fervently vent about their boss. Navigating these complex issues — particularly in environments where people don’t feel heard and respected — can feel confusing and isolating. During those challenging moments it’s more important than ever to show up for each other. While we can’t change the culture of a company overnight, there are a few simple things you can do to create space and help co-workers feel supported and heard.
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Here from Leigh Honeywell, who founded Tall Poppy, a company focused on fighting online harassment by working with employers to protect employees, on what she has to say about Empower Work and supporting each other in the workplace: “I’ve worked to understand the web of organizations whose missions touch the work we do. One of the most exciting organizations I’ve gotten to know in the field: Empower Work.”
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Shannon Lubetich talks about committing microaggression, an action that does not necessarily reflect malicious intent but can nevertheless inflict insult or injury, typically to members of marginalized groups and often related to someone’s race, gender, sexual orientation or disability status. They repeatedly send a message to people from underrepresented groups of, “You are not one of us. You do not belong.”
Read about strategies for if you experience a microaggression in the workplace, witness a microaggression, or even commit a microaggression yourself.
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Chris, one of our incredible volunteers, has generously chosen to share their story about reaching out to Empower Work as a texter. In this post they explore what the outcome was, and how it has changed they way they think about work.
Their issue: “I had just started a new job in a new industry and basically did a really bad job negotiating. I didn’t realize how much it was bothering me until a couple of months in. I feel like I struggle with salary a lot in several directions. Money should not be the way that people are valued. But also, in the world today, salary unfortunately represents the way your work is valued. I was struggling with feeling like my work wasn’t valued or respected.”
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Empower Work peer counselors are working professionals who support people through tough work situations and workplace issues. They work across a range of fields and industries and cover a spectrum of geographies.
A number of volunteers say they’ve experienced a difficult work situation at some point in their own career. Many have benefited from mentorship and support during those challenging moments. Others didn’t have someone to turn to, and want to change that reality for other people. Despite their experiences, the motivation is the same: to be there for people when they need support at work.
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This post is part of our peer counselor Q&A series which shares the perspectives of our talented volunteers. Rachel is an Empower Work peer counselor and nonprofit professional in the Bay Area.
From Rachel: I saw an ad for Empower Work at a bus stop in San Francisco and went online to learn more. I was looking for a regular volunteer opportunity and was intrigued by the concept. After talking with Empower Work’s founder, I was truly excited by the opportunity to be a part of a mission-driven startup to see something grow from its early stages.
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This post is part of our peer counselor Q&A series which shares the perspectives of our talented volunteers. Deborah is an Empower Work volunteer and career counselor for college students. When she's not using her counseling skills to help others, she's usually spending time with her family or enjoying one of her creative hobbies.
Her comments include, “We've all had moments of frustration at work and needed someone to talk to. I was excited to find an organization striving to address this through the use of technology. The peer counselor role was a perfect fit—I get to help others with struggles they may face at work while further developing my interpersonal skills.”
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Laura, an Empower Work peer counselor, talks about how why she volunteers, and how she discovered Empower Work when she herself was in a difficult workplace situation.
From Laura: “The Empower Work peer counselor helped me realize that perhaps what I needed most was not necessarily leaving my job--but figuring out what I need to enjoy my job. The fact that the conversation was anonymous and via text allowed me to be more open. I was able to answer questions more honestly without fear of judgement or embarrassment. During such a difficult time, it was really helpful for me to use an anonymous platform to get it all out there to be fully supported in the best way possible for me.“
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Ethical questions within workplaces are arising more frequently in the public dialogue. Ethical issues certainly aren’t exclusive to tech. They happen across every industry and field, from banking to nonprofit to healthcare. Most of these don’t make headlines, but can affect our day-to-day experience at work--and our careers. We can’t just switch off our personal values when we step into the office. As Yale professor Daylian Cain explains, “work is often the place where we have the most societal impact; if you can’t bring your ethical values to work, where can you bring them?”
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This post is part of our peer counselor Q&A series which shares the perspectives of our talented volunteers. Sarah is a career counselor with nearly a decade of experience working in higher education. Her focus is on helping women build confidence in the workplace, leadership development, and salary negotiation.
From Sarah: “"We spend so much of our lives at work and unfortunately, it is all too common for people to feel stuck in a difficult situation with limited or nonexistent resources. Having a place to talk to a trained volunteer where you are free from judgment, potential retaliation, or other negative consequences is crucial for people to move forward in their jobs and careers. In my opinion, having accessible, confidential work support is integral in improving employee satisfaction, retaining great talent, and creating a healthier work environment for everyone.”
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