Women in the workforce

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7 Ways Women Can Achieve Happiness & Satisfaction In Their Careers



"Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions." —Dalai Lama

Studies have shown that people who derive meaning from their profession or feel commitment toward their organization's mission are people who are much more resilient and satisfied in their economic environment. Average career professionals will work approximately 90,000 hours in their lifetime, so finding happiness and satisfaction is critical.

The good news is that life doesn't have to be perfect for you to find happiness at work. Below are seven ways women can achieve happiness and satisfaction.

1. Discover The Five Cs


Woman on laptop smiles while working from home

You must maintain high levels of confidence, commitment, conviction, and contribution, and choose a cultural fit.

With the five Cs, you will have a feeling of recognition, pride, and trust in your company.

2. Find Purpose In Your Work


Woman on laptop finds purpose in her career

Too frequently, we get caught up in the day-to-day grind of our jobs and forget to look at the big picture—the "why" or the reason that motivates us to work.

Tapping back into the true purpose of your job will make your daily tasks and accomplishments more meaningful. Discover ways that your work can improve the lives of other people.

3. Challenge Yourself


Professional woman at work

Challenging yourself is one way to intensify your "joy" factor. Why not offer to step in where you normally wouldn't be accountable? Why not ask your boss if you can shadow a colleague in another department to learn how various aspects of the company work?

This will create variety in your work (making it inherently more interesting) and you will score points for being a proactive employee who's ready to take on new challenges. It might even land you a promotion and/or raise.

4. Look Beyond The Corporate Ladder


Older woman on laptop happy in her career

Studies indicate that eight out of the 10 jobs that make people happiest in America are not on the corporate ladder. Instead, they were positions with perks like flexible hours or positions that offered high levels of independence.

These facts suggest that choosing work that aligns with your values—even if those values take you further off the beaten path—is a good foundation for career satisfaction.

5. Work Toward Your Goals


Happy woman on laptop and phone works toward her career goals

San Francisco State University's Ryan Howell co-authored a study in 2009 and found that working hard to improve a skill or ability may induce greater stress in the moment but also guarantees greater happiness on a daily basis and in the long term. "No pain, no gain," he says.

If tasks aren't enjoyable in the moment, the sense of accomplishment when the task is over changes that perspective. Howell found that reaching the goal isn't even necessary to increase happiness—the process of trying and stretching yourself is enough.

Learning new skills may make you happier, but it also makes you more valuable to your current and future employers.

6. Develop A Social Circle


Group of happy women at work talk during a meeting

Having a strong social (professional) network is key. It's easy to hate your job when you don't know your co-workers and it is even easier if you continue to avoid them. If you hate your co-workers, the situation isn't going to change.

Don't let another day go by without learning about your co-workers. Reach out to them and be curious about their lives. Two people can't become friends without one of them starting the conversation.

7. Look For Opportunities For Growth


Young woman on laptop happy while working from home

If you feel like you're always on the defensive in your job, then take a deep breath and look for an opportunity instead. Take joy in the fact that there is always a new project to start in the workplace. It doesn't matter what you do or where you work, there is always something new that could be done.

Instead of punching the clock and settling into the same routine, take some time to search for new opportunities. Constantly defending yourself is draining for everyone involved. You'll find it much easier—and much more pleasant—to look for opportunities to grow instead of making excuses.

Most of us are happy when people say good things about us. When you do good things for other people, you create happiness for them and set the stage to receive it in return. For example, compliments are so simple to give that we often forget about them, but they are so powerful that we should always find ways to recognize others. Try spending a day giving compliments instead of criticizing.

Gaining respect and happiness in the workplace is easy to accomplish when goodwill is abundant. Finding happiness is as much about the decisions and actions you take as it is about having good things happen to you. Try some of the above strategies and put yourself in a better position to achieve happiness.

Remember, if you are not enjoying your life...change it! Doing the same thing today will create the same results tomorrow.

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This article was originally published at an earlier date.

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As businesses strive to create environments that foster diversity, inclusivity, and fairness, the imperative to understand and implement effective strategies for promoting gender equality in the workplace has never been more pressing. A workplace that promotes gender equality is a workplace where innovation and productivity flourish, driving long-term organizational success. What practical strategies can leaders implement to help create an inclusive and equitable work environment where everyone can thrive?

We recently asked our leading executives for their best tips on how to promote gender equality in the workplace.

Here are their responses...

Michael Willis, Sports Business Operations Executive


No more playing it safe with surface-level initiatives or empty gestures. It's time to unleash a storm of innovation and redefine what it means to truly champion gender equality in every corner of the professional realm.

Step 1: Shatter the Status Quo - Throw out those old-school gender roles and expectations. Men in leadership and nurturing roles? Absolutely. Women in traditionally male-dominated industries? You bet. Let's obliterate the barriers that have held us back for too long.

Step 2: Pay Parity or Bust - No more excuses. Audit those payrolls and fix the wage gap pronto. It's time to show that the value of your work has nothing to do with gender. Pay up or prepare to face some significant disruption.

Step 3: Fierce Flexibility - Flextime isn't just for show—it's for real. Allow everyone to craft their schedules around their lives. Parent-teacher meetings, gym time, creative pursuits—let's blend work and life in a way that makes sense for everyone.

Step 4: Gender-Blind Hiring - Resumes with no names, no gender indicators—just skills and experience. It's time to pick talent based on capability, not gender assumptions.

Step 5: Parental Leave for All - Parental leave that doesn't discriminate. Dads, moms, adoptive parents—everyone gets a chance to bond and support their families without fearing career repercussions.

Step 6: Mandatory Unconscious Bias Training - Nobody escapes this. Everyone, from the CEO to the intern, gets a reality check on their biases. It's time to level the playing field by leveling the mindset.

Step 7: Leadership Overhaul - Time to rewrite the leadership narrative. Promote women not just because it's trendy but because they're qualified. We need diverse voices at the top calling the shots.

Step 8: Transparency Talk - Publish diversity and inclusion data. Let everyone see precisely where your workplace stands.

Step 9: Speak Out, Stand Up - Foster an environment where calling out inequality isn't risky business. Encourage employees to speak up and back them up when they do.

Step 10: Disruptive Mentorship - Pair rising stars with seasoned pros from all walks of life. Gender, age, industry—mix it up. The wisdom doesn't just flow one way.

Step 11: Men as Allies - Men, it's time to join the fight for gender equality. Amplify women's voices, challenge the system, and acknowledge that when one of us rises, we all do.

Step 12: Fearless Flexing - Embrace employees who challenge the norms. Please encourage them to break boundaries and create initiatives that amplify gender equality like never before.

So, there you have it—a disruptive approach to gender equality in the workplace. It's time to shake things up, challenge the norms, and make equality more than just a buzzword. Let's create a workplace where everyone thrives, regardless of gender, because we're in this together for real change.

Michael Willis has 18+ years of experience working with accounting & sports organizations and has managed P&Ls of $10M - $125M+ with budgets of $3M-$50M+. He worked for the NFL for 22 1/2 years, mainly with the game officials working on the financial/accounting side of the business.

Kathryn Marshburn, Artist & Label Partnerships


Gender equality concept

The music industry has experienced gender inequality for decades where women are still vastly under-represented. We have an outrageous gender gap that is improving but at a nominal rate and we need more equity leadership from all music entities.

Thirty percent of music artists identify as females on the Billboard Hot 100 today. Basically, this means that there are 3.5 men for every 1 woman represented in the music industry. We have to correct this inequity, but the question is how?

The runway for men from the top 100 position to the top 20 position is much easier than the mapping of females to a top 20 position. It is painfully obvious that it is harder for women to break into music and to make it into the top where 70% of men are making the breakthrough over a longer runaway. Women are expected to go straight to the top quickly and it’s just not realistic or fair.

What are the solutions to consider?

1. Music label initiatives to sign and seek more female artists, providing better budgets to support music production and distribution.

2. Rip the Band-Aid off the issue exposing the narrative about the inequities in the industry that exist with a lack of female music engineers, music, executives, and other parallel roles within the music industry. Provide opportunities to speak on the issue and to amplify the need to have better equality.

3. Demand that streaming platforms support marketing campaigns that feature women. An amazing example of this is the EQUAL campaign at Spotify, where major marketing dollars are put to the test behind international female artists, virtually unknown music artists, that include worldwide promotions such as Times Square billboards, live events, and other marketing activations. Spotify has successfully provided support for female music artists to tell their stories through music and increased fanbase growth and overall support of women in music.

4. Providing an educational track at the elementary school level encouraging more music programs targeted at females including writing, composing, and vocal training.

5. Become more transparent about pay inequity, and close the gap.

6. Move from a mentorship mentality to a sponsorship mindset.

With a huge gap in gender within the music industry, we must become better advocates for women and female artists.

The industry has always been difficult to break through, but it’s particularly harder for women who are struggling to map their journey through unfair territory. Please leave comments and thoughts and help us to create a more equitable environment in the music.

Kathryn Marshburn has spent 12+ years in the music and gaming industries guiding teams on identifying targeted goals with an agile approach resulting in driving revenue and reducing risk.

Lisa Perry, Global Marketing Executive


Group of coworkers/professionals in a meeting for a company that promotes gender equality

Gender inequality has been a hot topic of discussion and concern lately. While progress has been made in recent years, there are still areas where gender disparities exist.

  • Not a single country in the world has achieved gender equality. On a global level, there’s been little progress on gender equality since the Global Goals were signed in 2015. Source
  • Over 380 million women and girls are living in extreme poverty. That’s more than the entire population of the United States living on less than $1.90 a day. Source
  • Women shoulder billions of hours of unpaid childcare globally. And the pandemic just made it worse. Source
  • Women earn 82% of what men make in the same roles, and this gender gap has remained relatively stable over the past 20 years. Source
  • Less than 20% of the world’s landholders are women. Source
  • Women make up 10.4% of Fortune 500 CEOs and earn 75% less than their male counterparts. Source

In the face of these staggering statistics, it’s imperative to address gender inequality in all spheres of life, including the workplace. When there is a lack of diversity in decision-making, it eliminates the viewpoint of a huge percentage of the population. So, how can organizations take concrete steps to promote gender equality in the workplace?

  • Equal Pay for Equal Work: Ensure men and women are paid equally for the same roles and responsibilities. Regularly review salary structures and address any pay disparities.
  • Inclusive Hiring Practices: Implement unbiased and inclusive hiring practices that ensure equal opportunities for all candidates, regardless of gender. Use diverse hiring panels and consider blind recruitment techniques.
  • Flexible Work Policies: Offer flexible work arrangements that cater to the diverse needs of employees, particularly women who often juggle work and caregiving responsibilities.
  • Leadership Development: Develop programs that actively identify and nurture female talent within the organization. Encourage women to take on leadership roles and provide them with mentorship and guidance.
  • Education and Training: Conduct gender sensitivity training for all employees to create awareness about unconscious biases and stereotypes in the workplace.
  • Family-Friendly Policies: Provide comprehensive family-friendly policies, including parental leave, childcare facilities, and support for caregivers, to ensure a conducive environment for both men and women to balance work and family responsibilities.
  • Transparent Promotion Criteria: Clearly define and communicate promotion criteria to ensure that opportunities for growth and advancement are available to all employees based on merit.

Promoting a workplace culture of gender equality empowers organizations to harness their workforce’s full potential, fuel economic growth, and foster inclusivity. Embracing gender equality nurtures an environment where every voice matters, bolstering employee satisfaction and retention. Beyond a moral duty, it’s an investment in the future of organizations and societies, propelling progress.

For a step-by-step guide on how to develop a brand strategy, check out my book How to Develop a Brand Strategy.

Lisa Perry helps companies drive revenue by using consumer trends, insights, and data analytics to innovate their approach to marketing.

How do you promote gender equality in the workplace? Join the conversation inside Work It Daily's Executive Program.

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Baby On Board! How To Job Search While Pregnant



Job searching for two? Congratulations! As a pregnant job seeker, you're likely experiencing a myriad of emotions—excitement, happiness, fear, and stress. Taking on a job search while pregnant can be a challenge. Fortunately, we've got some great tips that will make your job search a little easier.

1. Understand What's Important To You


Pregnant woman sits at a desk

“As a brand-new mother, I can say with overwhelming certainty that having a child will change your life—and your priorities," says Amanda Augustine, career advice expert for TopResume. “When you're evaluating different job opportunities, consider what's most important to you when it comes to the role and the organization."

Consider what kinds of things you'll need in order to both perform your best on the job and support your growing family. What kinds of benefits are going to be important to you as a mom?

Here are a few things you should consider when researching companies and roles:

  • Competitive Compensation Package
  • Quality of Insurance/Benefits
  • Parental Leave Policies
  • Flexible Work Arrangements
  • Ability to Telecommute

Augustine also recommends checking out Seramount's 100 Best Companies List when building your list of companies to target.

2. Focus On What You Have To Offer


Pregnant woman looks for a job

“Don't begin each job interview (or job application) by mentioning your pregnancy," says Augustine. “Remember, the focus should be placed on learning more about the position and communicating your interest in the role and your qualifications, not your family plans."

Employers are looking for great candidates. Just because you're pregnant doesn't mean you're not a great candidate. Instead of focusing on your pregnancy, showcase why you're the best person for the job. In fact, if your pregnancy isn't visibly obvious yet, there's no need to mention your pregnancy during the interview at all, according to Augustine.

3. Be On The Lookout For Illegal Questions


Pregnant woman waits for her job interview

Employers aren't allowed to inquire about your marital status, children, or your future family plans during the hiring process. Watch out for seemingly innocent questions that stem from a casual conversation such as, “Sorry I'm running a little late—had to drop the kids off at soccer practice. Do you have any kids? Love 'em, but they're taking over my life with their activities!"

The truth is, your interviewer might not realize that these questions are inappropriate. He or she might just be inexperienced or extra friendly. However, it's important to tactfully avoid answering these questions because the wrong answer can impact your future at the company.

As a result, it's important to handle the situation tactfully. Remember, your goal is to make a great impression. Calling out an interviewer for asking an illegal question is, unfortunately, not the best strategy when trying to accomplish this.

4. Don't Talk About Maternity Leave Until You've Gotten The Offer


Pregnant woman joins a video meeting

While it's tempting to ask about the company's maternity leave policy during the hiring process, Augustine strongly recommends holding off until you've been offered the job—in writing.

“Whenever possible, save this conversation until you're ready to negotiate your compensation," says Augustine.

Instead, do your homework. Research the company's parental leave policy on sites such as Glassdoor and Comparably. Doing a little detective work beforehand can save you some major headaches down the road.

5. Think Ahead


Pregnant woman job searching

“Keep conversations about your maternity leave to a minimum with the employer," says Augustine. “Remember, it's only a temporary absence and shouldn't impact your performance."

However, you will need to give your employer a heads up on a few things, so think ahead. When it comes time to discuss your pregnancy plans with your employer, be prepared to answer questions like...

  • “When do you anticipate going on maternity leave?"
  • “When will you return to the office?"
  • “How do you plan to cover your responsibilities to ensure a smooth transition?"

“When you take the time to prepare thoughtful responses," says Augustine, “you're showing your new employer your commitment to the company's success and also demonstrating your value as a long-term employee."

As a mother-to-be, you've got enough on your plate these days. Don't make your job search more stressful than it needs to be. Instead, take these tips and apply them to your search today!

Job searching while pregnant isn't easy, but we hope these tips will help you successfully find a job if you're expecting. If you need more help finding a job while pregnant, we're here for you.

We'd love it if you joined our FREE community. It’s a private, online platform where workers, just like you, are coming together to learn and grow into powerful Workplace Renegades.

It's time to find work that makes you feel happy, satisfied, and fulfilled. Join our FREE community today to finally become an empowered business-of-one!

This article was originally published at an earlier date.


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Top 8 Career Choices For Women



Whether you're a college student trying to figure out where your true calling lies, an experienced professional getting back to work, or someone just looking for a career in another field, you need to make your choice carefully. With women making considerable strides in fields that were previously male-dominated, the lines of career limitations have blurred.

There are more career choices available to women now than ever before. A woman plays many roles—sister, daughter, friend, wife, mother, confidante, breadwinner, and so on. You, being a multitasking woman, need to find a career that not only pays you well, but allows you to be a career woman without having to compromise on any of these roles.

If you think this is impossible, think again!

Lots of women have found careers that balance beautifully with their family life. So, now that you know it isn't unthinkable to achieve work-life balance, how about making it happen for yourself?

With a plethora of options, you may have a tough time deciding which career would be most suitable for you. Of course, no two women are the same and neither are their choices. But some careers provide women with the best opportunity to achieve both career success and work-life balance.

Here are the top eight career choices for women:

1. Entrepreneurship


Woman entrepreneur working at her own restaurant

For women who want a chance to do what they really love doing, who have always dreamed of starting their own business, entrepreneurship could be the perfect career.

Wouldn't it be great to work from a place of your choice and at your own time? This would give you the flexibility to allocate time to your business and family as needed.

This is also one of the biggest challenges you will ever take up in your life as every decision will rest on your shoulders. Your employees would depend on you for their livelihood. Hence, this is also a great way to contribute to society.

Being an entrepreneur lets you be in charge because it is you who runs the show. Instead of putting in efforts to generate profits for other companies, why not channel those efforts towards creating greater profits for yourself?

2. IT


Woman working in IT

With IT companies starting up and mushrooming rapidly, it's little wonder that this field has become so popular among women.

Young women can take up a career in the IT sector after earning a certificate or bachelor's degree in an applicable field, like computer science, informational technology, and cyber security. There are also many programs available to women of all ages who want to learn how to code—one of the most useful and in-demand skills in today's job market.

The ease and excitement of working on the internet, designing software and apps, implementing IT solutions for businesses, security, gaming, smartphones, etc. could be a huge draw. This is another field where you can make a difference as well as earn good money.

3. Medicine


Woman doctor smiles at her desk

Whether you choose to be a pharmacist, a surgeon, or a nurse, a career in the medical field provides women with the ability to achieve career success and wealth. Plus, there's good job security.

As a qualified professional, you will always be in high demand, and once you've gained significant work experience, there's going to be no looking back.

4. Teaching


Woman teaches her students

Teaching has always been considered one of the most women-friendly careers as it allows women to spend sufficient time with their families, de-stress, go on vacations, and balance home and work. It's also one of the most rewarding and important careers anyone can choose to pursue.

The best part of being in the teaching field is that recession or no recession, your skills will always be sought after.

5. Human Resources


Woman in HR talks to a potential employee

This field is perfect for women who have a penchant for working in the corporate world and interacting with people to solve organizational issues.

The job involves shortlisting and interviewing candidates, hiring and training them, setting their pay, benefits, and perks, designing appraisal systems, formulating policies and leave structures, looking after employee welfare, and settling disputes.

Every large organization needs qualified and experienced HR personnel and they are paid quite well, too.

6. Psychology


Woman therapist talks to a group of people

No one solves problems like a woman does.

Given the fact that most women are good observers, empathetic listeners, and great communicators (all soft skills employers want in employees), they're sure to excel as psychologists or therapists.

A career in this field allows you to help those struggling to overcome many different personal and family problems. With substantial work experience, you can stand to make a lot of money and even charge on an hourly basis.

7. Interior Design


Woman chooses interior design as a career

You've probably put in a lot of thought and effort into designing your home and making it look stunning. From selecting the perfect hangers for the closet to picking out the most exquisite lampshade, you know what it takes to make a home beautiful.

Now, how about extending this talent a little further and helping others make their home look gorgeous, too? A career in interior design is a great option for women who are creative, organized, and detail-oriented—who don't want a boring office job.

As you develop your career as an interior designer, you also gain the flexibility to pick your clients and appointments and get paid immensely well.

8. Media


Woman chooses a career in media

For women who are creative, good at communication, and love research, media is the place to be.

All companies nowadays have (or should have) social media accounts that need managing, in addition to their primary marketing and PR departments, so this field is only growing.

Writing, advertising, public relations, journalism, photography—there are many choices available for women who want to pursue a career in media.

Women today can achieve it all, from financial independence to a family, and from a progressive career to a great personal and social life. And, why not? Your decisions have the potential to give you all that you desire.

So, make sure you decide well!

If you're a woman struggling to find the right career for you, we can help.

We'd love it if you joined our FREE community. It’s a private, online platform where workers, just like you, are coming together to learn and grow into powerful Workplace Renegades.

It's time to find work that makes you feel happy, satisfied, and fulfilled. Join our FREE community today to finally become an empowered business-of-one!

This article was originally published at an earlier date.

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Top 8 Career Choices For Women