Women on Work

Between burnout, return to office mandates, and inflation, many women find themselves taking inventory of their lives and how they want to spend their time. But when you’ve followed the rules of others and ignored your own intuition your entire adult life, where do you even begin your journey? In the last episode of Women on Work, Alysia talks to Kristin Hanggi – director, writer, creative guide, and poet – on quieting the voices of doubt that stop us from truly discovering ourselves, finding the courage to create unabashedly, and embracing the delicious freedom that comes from defining and owning success on our terms. Great resources to check out: https://www.kristinhanggi.com/

After three amazing seasons, Women on Work is going to hit "stop" on our podcast, which is something we learned to do through our own conversations. As they always say, life is messy and Alysia and Liz are leaving the podcast behind for no reason other than messiness and life! We want to thank our listeners and our guests for joining us on our journey and listening to us be uncomfortable and grow into better people. To all of our listeners, always remember, Lean in, or don't... but whatever you do, you do you.

We always go deep and heavy on Women on Work, so we decided to give you a few minutes of light and mindfulness to start your week. For this month’s Mindful Moment, we are joined by Monica Gonzalez – a sustainability leader, yoga and meditation teacher, and holistic life practitioner. Get in touch with Monica on Instagram

Another season of Women of Work is “in the can”! Season 3 dove into a lot of heavy topics, ranging from difficult conversations and giving constructive feedback to pregnancy loss and the impact of pornography on the workplace. Going deep allowed Alysia and Liz to discuss topics that fueled their hate fires and have conversations where their tears flowed freely. As the podcast continues, it’s amazing to see how many different aspects of our lives are impacting or impacted by our work. With many stones still left unturned, Alysia and Liz are excited for what Season 4 will bring! Thank you to our guests for sharing their experiences and being vulnerable with us. Thank you to our listeners for continuing to tune in and find out what’s on our minds and coming out of our mouths every Tuesday. “Women on Work” WILL RETURN for Season 4 on February 7, 2023. Stay subscribed, we’re only taking a break!

The lingering effects of the #MeToo movement is more awareness about consent and sexual harassment in the workplace. But these experiences don’t just reside in the hours between 9 and 5. The totality of our relationships, both platonic and sexual, influence how we interact across our entire life, including in the workplace. In this episode, Liz and Alysia talk to Donna Freitas – author, professor and researcher – and discuss the long-term implications of sexual assault and harassment, how our sexual history shows up at work, and the need to rethink institutions to make it easier for victims to find and receive support. Great Resources to Check Out: https://www.donnafreitas.com/

Women on Work Unfiltered are short conversations where Alysia and Liz will dive into provocative conversations usually left with the empty wine glasses outside of work. After a season full of heavy topics, Alysia and Liz decided to keep it light for this episode and dive deep into their inner nerds to discuss (and maybe debate) their loves of certain ‘force’ful movies that ‘trek’ across the universe, and their other nerdy or guilty pleasures when it comes to screen time consumption. As moms it can be difficult to find the time to indulge in a movie or TV series, so allow them some grace as they reveal their shared love of reality television as well!

Job longevity no longer carries the same value it used to hold for employers. Long gone are the days where pensions are handed out to employees who put in their time and dedicated their career to a single company. Nowadays, most resumes show a lot more movement and history than those of the past. With greater acceptance of job mobility and transition, companies need to work harder to retain their employees and to also recognize employee value comes in all shapes and sizes. However, with that said, is job loyalty a value to employers or employees anymore? Or does job satisfaction and job performance override the value of time served? In today’s episode Alysia and Liz unpack some potentially old school thoughts around job loyalty and the emotionality that people, maybe women especially, can assign to the value of their contributions at work and the tricky stickiness that can create.

Have you ever wondered about coaching – what it looks like, how it works, and the benefits? We can all use a guide on our respective paths, an unbiased third-party helping us parse through the complexities of the choices laid before us and uncovering our true passion. This week, Alysia brings her own coach – Amy Haworth – back for a real coaching session. Listen in to hear all about the benefits of coaching and what it looks and sounds like. Great Resources to Check Out: https://nobodymakesitalone.com/

Women on Work Unfiltered are short conversations where Alysia and Liz will dive into provocative conversations usually left with the empty wine glasses outside of work. The danger of social media is not a new conversation. As parents, Alysia and Liz fear the long-term effects it will have on their children, especially how it may impact their mental health and even, career potential. However, from creating movements, sharing information, and making impact, social media when used properly and in the right hands social media does have its benefits. While Liz has openly expressed her personal aversion to social media, Alysia (the podcast social media maven) and producer Sabrina (of the SoMe generation) have experienced and chased the thrill of the “like”. This episode will be a mix of social media 101, tips and tricks, and maybe scare tactics as well. Follow Sabrina's dog: @mylight_saber

While there is always room for continued improvement, representation and diversity overall has greatly improved in the general media. Specifically speaking for little girls, today you can see women of all shapes and sizes, pursuing careers of all types, loving in a variety of ways, and living for and prioritizing themselves. However, for many women of a certain age today, there were not many positive role models available to them as little girls. Growing up, most imagery shown and taught to little girls was that of the traditional homemaker/mother or that of a single woman who pursued their career at all costs. Either/Or. And very rarely in positions of leadership or in careers that were not supporting, administrative roles. In this episode, Alysia and Liz discuss their childhoods, what they remember standing out to them in the media and how it shaped or at the very least impacted how they see themselves and their place in the world and at work today.

We always go deep and heavy on Women on Work, so we decided to give you a few minutes of light and mindfulness to start your week. For this month’s Mindful Moment, we are joined by Monica Gonzalez – a sustainability leader, yoga and meditation teacher, and holistic life practitioner. Get in touch with Monica on Instagram

Diet culture is present in most women’s daily lives. From avoiding carbs to taking before and after snapshots, diet culture is integrated into the fabric of our lives. It changes and morphs, attaching itself to trending words and phrases like “wellness”, “health”, and “investing and loving yourself”. And women in the workplace aren’t immune to their value being tied to their body shape and overall attractiveness. This week Alysia talks to Abha Bowers – CEO, Certified Nutrition Coach, Personal Trainer and body positivity advocate – on the toxic effects of diet culture, investing in your definition of wellness, and how to start loving yourself. Great Resources to Check Out: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abhabowers-cnc/

What is at the heart of the quiet quitting conversation? Is it just people saying “NO” to the mathematic improbability of giving 110%? For so long, people have been praised for going above and beyond for their jobs, giving it 110% or more, but what does that really mean? Is giving only 100% a bad thing? Isn’t that exactly how much an employee is paid for? How often is the extra 10% rewarded with something other than burnout? Alysia and Liz discuss quiet quitting and how closely it is associated with burnout, job dissatisfaction, and personal prioritization. We’ve all learned recently in a dramatic fashion that life is short, is quiet quitting just another extension of the great reevaluation – where people are not looking for other jobs, but are finding themselves?

Women spend endless hours proving themselves at work. “Work harder and smarter” is the adage almost every woman in the workplace lives by. It’s ingrained in us at an early age. The reality, though, is that the systems and environments many of us spend our waking hours in weren't designed for us. In fact, we don’t even have access to the people, places, and conversations that are most likely to help grow ourselves and our career. Liz and Alysia talk to Erin Gallagher – CEO, entrepreneur, women’s advocate – on creating paths to access for women, the effects the reversal of Roe v. Wade has for women in the workplace, and how we all need to work together to build a new table in the boardroom that welcomes everyone. Great Resources to Check Out: https://www.ellaforall.com/ linkedin.com/in/erinfgallagher Instagram @erin.gallag.her

Prior to the pandemic, many organizations were hesitant to hire remotely or support flexible work options for their employees. After being put to the test these last couple of years, remote work has more than demonstrated its value and employees have proven that work is no longer about a place. Having passed the test, it can be confusing to employees now that some organizations are requiring them to go back into the office. In some cases, applying even more stringent office requirements than prior to the pandemic. Alysia and Liz talk discuss the pros and cons of these organizations’ decisions and the impacts it has to the people who work for them.

Becoming a parent is the most overwhelming, wonderful, exhausting and rewarding experience of many of our lives. And despite the countless books and endless unsolicited advice, you can’t quite be prepared enough to become a mother. After parental leave (if you are lucky to get any), you return to work and quickly realize while the job may have stayed the same, you and your life are profoundly different. But as working mothers we often feel we must work like we have no children and parent like we don’t work. This week join Liz and Alysia as they talk to - Lori Mihalich-Levin, CEO and founder of Mindful Return - on designing a positive experience for parents returning to work after parental leave and helping manage the chaos of being a working parent. Great Resources to Check Out: mindfulreturn.com Instagram: @mindfulreturn

We always go deep and heavy on Women on Work, so we decided to give you a few minutes of light and mindfulness to start your week. For this month’s Mindful Moment, we are joined by Anisha Desai Fraser – an acupuncturist, qi gong energy healer, and yoga teacher. Get in touch with Anisha on Instagram.

Anxiety comes in many shapes and forms, but often finds itself manifesting inside of the mind of many women. While the stigma of therapy has been reduced, it’s still hard for women to find the space they need while balancing the various demands on their shoulders. With a plethora of options to address anxiety be it medication, exercise, deep breathing or whatever it takes short of committing a crime, sometimes the best salve is to just talk to other women. As sufferers of anxiety, it can often be viewed as a debility, but if channeled or embraced can it become our superpower? Alysia and Liz are joined by their "Original Listener" and Producer, Sabrina Hill to have a multi-generational conversation about anxiety, how it impacts how we see ourselves, but also explore how it has been used as their personal superpowers as they continue in their careers.

Whether it’s shared aloud or an internal thought, misunderstandings and conflict can arise in the best of teams… even podcast co-hosts! Liz and Alysia experienced one such moment recently and learned a lot about each other and came through the difficult conversation unscathed. Listen in as they admit to each other how dangerous the stories we tell ourselves can be, how important it is to show your invisible work, and ultimately, the importance of making time to connect and not just go through the motions day in and day out.

Pregnancy loss can occur during any stage of pregnancy, however, when most people make it through their first trimester breathe a sigh of relief and begin to share the exciting news with family and the workplace. But what happens when your excitement turns to grief when tragedy strikes, and your maternity leave turns into bereavement leave? How do you navigate these conversations in a work environment? In this week’s episode, Alysia and Liz connect with returning guest Lindsey Bryant as she shares her deeply emotional experience with the unexpected loss of her baby, Carter, at 35 weeks in utero and the responsibility that is thrust upon the bereaved when it comes to soothing the discomfort of others. Instead of seeking comfort, Alysia and Liz allow the tears to flow and sit with Lindsey to hear about her experience and understand how even in the event of child loss, you are still parents, and acknowledge the life lost too soon and their presence in the world. In loving memory of Carter Shea Bryant. (aka Smalls). Check out https://stillparents.net/ to learn more.