Women at Work

Latest Episodes:

When You Work in a Male-Dominated Industry Dec 09, 2019

Show notes

Being treated like an outsider. Feeling like you have to prove yourself. Struggling to make your voice heard. Whether it’s overt discrimination or more subtle forms of bias, male-dominated industries like engineering can pose challenges for women. Research shows that even well-meaning mentors direct female engineers into less technical, less valued roles. It’s no wonder so many women end up leaving the industry.

We talk to a professor and two students at Olin College of Engineering about their experiences working among mostly men, what it means to “play nice,” and how male colleagues can help (listen!). Then we talk to an expert about how to evaluate a company’s gender culture before you accept a job and how to stay true to your career goals when other people think they know what’s best for you.

Our HBR reading list:

“The Subtle Stressors Making Women Want to Leave Engineering,” by M. Teresa Cardador and Brianna Barker Caza
“The Problem of Visibility for Women in Engineering, and How They Manage It,” by Dulini Fernando et al.
“How the Imagined ‘Rationality’ of Engineering Is Hurting Diversity — and Engineering,” by Joan C. Williams and Marina Multhaup
“Why Do So Many Women Who Study Engineering Leave the Field?” by Susan S. Silbey
“What Managers Can Do to Keep Women in Engineering,” by Dulini Fernando et al.

Email us: womenatwork@hbr.org

Our theme music is Matt Hill’s “City In Motion,” provided by Audio Network.

Aging Up, Not Out Dec 02, 2019

Show notes

Starting sometime around our mid-50s, work presents us with a new set of biases. Coworkers assume that older people are tired and uninterested in professional development. Eventually they start asking when you’re going to retire. But experience and maturity can give women an advantage in the workplace.

Amy B. and Amy G. interview aging expert Nancy Morrow-Howell about putting in the effort to stay current, how to assert yourself when you feel overlooked, and what to say when people ask that annoying retirement question. Then, HBR.org editor Maureen Hoch joins the Amys to talk about what growing older has been like for them. They also give advice on leaving a secure job for new opportunities and managing the combined stress of parenting, a demanding career, and menopause.

Our HBR reading list:

“When No One Retires,” by Paul Irving
“The Case for Hiring Older Workers,” by Josh Bersin and Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic
“Four Ways to Adapt to an Aging Workforce,” by Michael North and Hal Hershfield
“Generational Differences At Work Are Small. Thinking They’re Big Affects Our Behavior,” by Eden King et al.

Email us: womenatwork@hbr.org

Our theme music is Matt Hill’s “City In Motion,” provided by Audio Network.

Navigating Conflict Nov 25, 2019

Show notes

We all face conflict at work. Maybe it’s a boss who took all the credit for your project or a colleague who keeps going over your head to get more resources. In these situations, some of us shy away from having a disagreement, and some of us dig right into the difficult conversation. Whatever your natural tendency is, dealing with conflict is a crucial skill to succeed at work. It can lead to higher job satisfaction, stronger relationships with colleagues, and innovation.

In this live show we explore how conflict shows up at work and what to do when it does: how to assess the situation, prepare for and have a productive conversation, and get to a resolution. Our guest, an expert on leadership and innovation, shares insights from her experiences; and we take audience questions about when it’s OK to agree to disagree, how to handle conflict when you or your colleague work remotely, and other scenarios.

Our HBR reading list:

The HBR Guide to Dealing with Conflict, by Amy Gallo
“Calming Your Brain During Conflict,” by Diane Musho Hamilton
“Why We Should Be Disagreeing More at Work,” by Amy Gallo
“Get Over Your Fear of Conflict,” by Amy Jen Su
“Resolve a Fight with a Remote Colleague,” by Amy Gallo

Email us: womenatwork@hbr.org

Our theme music is Matt Hill’s “City In Motion,” provided by Audio Network.

How to Make Part Time Work for You Nov 18, 2019

Show notes

There are a lot of reasons working part time might make sense: among them, you have more hours in the week to take care of kids or parents, take on freelance work, go back to school. But working part time can stall career advancement, and oftentimes women end up doing a full-time job for half the pay while taking on more responsibilities at home.

We speak with Linda Duxbury about the problems she’s seen some professional women run into when they work part time. She suggests factors to consider before reducing your hours and conversations that can smooth the transition. We also talk to an incredibly organized consultant and mother of three whose part-time schedule hasn’t kept her from getting promoted.

Our HBR reading list:

“Five Strategies of Successful Part-Time Work,” by Vivien Corwin, Thomas B. Lawrence, and Peter J. Frost
“The Problem with Part-Time Work Is That It’s Rarely Part-Time,” by Laura Vanderkam
“The Case of the Part-Time Partner,” by Gary W. Loveman
“What Happens When All Employees Work When They Feel Like It,” by Freek Vermeulen

Email us: womenatwork@hbr.org

Our theme music is Matt Hill’s “City In Motion,” provided by Audio Network.

How We Take Care of Ourselves Nov 11, 2019

Show notes

Despite what we see on Instagram, self-care isn’t just about face masks and massages (although those are nice). It’s about spending your time, including your workday, in ways that prioritize the things and people you care about. Studies show that this kind of self-care makes us happier and more focused in our jobs.

But it can be a challenge to take care of ourselves when we’re on deadline, traveling too much, or reporting to a boss who emails at all hours. We speak with researcher Ashley Whillans about how managers can model healthy habits and how employees can make time to practice them. Ashley shares a personal experience about what happens when we don’t prioritize self-care, while Amy G. gets a firsthand lesson in an airport.

Our HBR reading list:

“Time for Happiness,” by Ashley Whillans
“6 Ways to Weave Self-Care into Your Workday,” by Amy Jen Su
“Use Your Money to Buy Happier Time,” HBR IdeaCast interview with Ashley Whillans
“What One Company Learned from Forcing Employees to Use Their Vacation Time,” by Neil Pasricha and Shashank Nigam
“How Self-Care Became So Much Work,” by Charlotte Lieberman

Email us: womenatwork@hbr.org

Our theme music is Matt Hill’s “City In Motion,” provided by Audio Network.

May We Recommend…The Anxious Achiever Nov 07, 2019

Show notes

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., where the culture tells people who suffer from anxiety and depression that they can’t succeed. But Morra Aarons-Mele, host of The Anxious Achiever podcast, is trying to reframe the way people think about and deal with mental health at work. She’s doing that through candid and oftentimes emotional interviews with leaders and experts.

In this preview of an upcoming episode, Morra gets advice from former clinical psychologist Alice Boyes about how to handle unexpected feedback at work.

The Anxious Achiever is part of HBR Presents, a new network of business podcasts curated by HBR editors. Subscribe to this show on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Work Friendships Are Mostly Amazing and Sometimes Messy Nov 04, 2019

Show notes

Say you get along especially well with a colleague. You find yourself hanging out at each other’s desks, texting instead of emailing, meeting up for lunch over the weekend—you’re friends. That’s all well and good…until work puts your friendship to the test. Maybe you disagree over how to approach a project (and hesitate to tell her), or you want to offer her an assignment (but worry how that would come off to others), or she scores a promotion (that you wanted).

We talk through some of the conflicts that frequently come up between friends at work with two researchers who’ve studied these relationships. They give advice on how to respectfully set boundaries and face stressful moments. We also hear from two women who became friends at work and have stayed friends long after they stopped being coworkers.

Our HBR reading list:

- “What to Do When a Work Friendship Becomes Emotionally Draining,” by Amy Gallo
- “Why Work Friendships Go Awry, and How to Prevent It,” by Art Markman
- “Having Work Friends Can Be Tricky, but It’s Worth It,” by Emma Seppälä and Marissa King
- “Work Friends Make Us More Productive (Except When They Stress Us Out),” by David Burkus
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Email us: womenatwork@hbr.org

Join us for a live episode taping in Boston on Tuesday, Nov. 12. The event is free, but you need to register to get in.

Our theme music is Matt Hill’s “City In Motion,” provided by Audio Network.

Sponsorship: Defining the Relationship Oct 29, 2019

Show notes

Having a sponsor — someone who can use their influence to push your career forward — is invaluable. But how exactly they do this, and what your role is in making it happen, isn’t always clear-cut. Who should we be seeking to sponsor us? Should sponsors be candid with their proteges about what they’re doing on their behalf?

We pose these questions and others to Rosalind Chow, a researcher who studies sponsorship. She clarifies some of the ambiguity and talks about what should be transparent and what should stay unspoken. Then we hear how one of these relationships works between two lawyers, as well as between Nicole and Amy B.

Our HBR reading list:

“Sponsors Need to Stop Acting Like Mentors,” by Julia Taylor Kennedy and Pooja Jain-Link
“A Lack of Sponsorship Is Keeping Women from Advancing into Leadership,” by Herminia Ibarra
“What Men Can Do to Be Better Mentors and Sponsors to Women,” by Rania H. Anderson and David G. Smith
“Want to Be a Better Manager? Get a Protégé,” by Sylvia Ann Hewlett

Email us: womenatwork@hbr.org

Join us for a live episode taping in Boston on Tuesday, Nov. 12. The event is free, but you need to register to get in.

Our theme music is Matt Hill’s “City In Motion,” provided by Audio Network.

Networking Doesn’t Have to Be a Drag Oct 21, 2019

Show notes

If you hate networking events, it may be comforting to hear that experts don’t think they’re a great way to build strong relationships anyway. There are more natural, less transactional ways to connect with people, especially inside your company. Getting to know colleagues in different units and at different levels gives us perspective on our work and helps us get more done across the organization.

We talk with Inga Carboni about the characteristics of a strong network, common challenges for women building theirs, and how the senior-level women she studied managed those challenges. Next, we tell you how we cope when we find ourselves at a networking event and suggest some ways to start a conversation — or get out of one.

Our HBR reading list:

“Learn to Love Networking,” by Tiziana Casciaro et al.
“5 Misconceptions About Networking,” by Herminia Ibarra
“When You Agree to a Networking Meeting But Don’t Know What You’re Going to Talk About,” by Dorie Clark
“How to Get the Most Out of a Conference,” by Rebecca Knight

Email us: womenatwork@hbr.org

Join us for a live episode in Boston on Tuesday, Nov. 12. The event is free, but you need to register to get in.

Our theme music is Matt Hill’s “City In Motion,” provided by Audio Network.

Let’s Talk About Money Oct 14, 2019

Show notes

One of the primary reasons we work is to earn money, but many of us feel uncomfortable telling others how much we make. This fear may be working against women, because research has shown that salary transparency can help narrow the gender pay gap.

With the help of experts, we explore the complexities of talking about our salaries. First, an economist walks through the pros and cons of disclosing your pay. Then, the host of a personal finance podcast explains why she encourages people to speak openly about salaries. Finally, an HR executive gives advice on how to deal with the gut punch of learning that a peer makes more than you do.

Our HBR reading list: