Lesbian.com : Connecting lesbians worldwide | workplace

5 ways to protect yourself from cranky co-workers

candy — Fri, 07 Mar 2014 18:00:45 +0000

BY WHITNEY SOGOL
Project Eve

You all know her. She is the most difficult manager in the office. She is self-centered, unhappy in her personal life and impossible to please. You also all know him. You love him, but sometimes his inability to get to the dry-cleaner on time or control his emotions when his team looses drives you crazy. What do you do when confronted with a moody colleague, client or loved one?

There is no balm we can apply to guard against unpleasant moods of those we interact with — by choice or necessity — on a daily basis. But, there are some things we can do to manage how others’ sour moods impact our state of mind.

As a consultant, it is my job to soothe clients and help them wade through whatever muck has hit the fan on any given day. It is also my job to remain calm and offer strategic recommendations on how to fix challenging situations.

Four-legged friends in the workplace

candy — Fri, 24 Jan 2014 16:30:38 +0000

BY LAUREN ROSE
Tagg Magazine

Working in a veterinarian’s office isn’t the only job that lets you interact with animals at work. A growing number of companies are allowing employees to bring their dogs to work. Currently, about 17 percent of U.S. companies allow pets in the workplace, according to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association (APPA), and bringing dogs to work is more than just an indulgence — employees can actually benefit from the presence of man’s best friend.

Less Stress

Pet owners often worry about leaving their dogs at home unattended while they’re at work. It’s easy to imagine that bringing Fido to the office would lower the stress level of a dog owner, and a Virginia Commonwealth University study found that employees who are accompanied by their dog actually produce lower levels of cortisol, a stress-induced hormone. The presence of their dog forces people to get outside even for a few minutes instead of sitting at their desk all day, letting stress build.

A guide to coming out at work

Sidney — Wed, 15 Jan 2014 17:00:49 +0000

BY BRIANNE L. CROTEAU
Tagg Magazine

No matter how many times I do it, there is always that silent moment after I first mention my partner to a colleague; that millisecond where I’m holding my breath and bracing for their reaction to my “outing”. These people have known me in one way but now I am revealing an entirely new dimension of myself, one that may change the way they view, relate and interact with me. Will they be surprised to learn that I’m a lesbian or have they already made their own assumptions based on the way I dress or act? Will it negatively affect our working relationship? Will sharing my personal life bring us closer and foster a better understanding of each other? Will it affect my chances for advancement?

When deciding to come out at work, consider these questions:
Is your office a place where you feel safe? Are offensive e-mails forwarded? Do your colleagues throw around derogatory phrases like “that’s so gay” or worse? Are there anti-discrimination policies in place and/or does the office provide same-sex or domestic partner benefits? Are there other out coworkers – and if so, how are they treated? Does your company embrace diverse lifestyles or do you feel like the lone fish swimming against the heteronormative stream?

Your colleagues may take their cues from you, so if you are relaxed in sharing your personal information, it can help them feel comfortable asking questions or discussing LGBT related issues.

Walmart announces plan to offer domestic partner benefits

candy — Fri, 30 Aug 2013 13:30:56 +0000

BY CHRIS JOHNSON
Washington Blade

The nation’s largest retailer will begin to offer domestic partner benefits to its employees in same-sex relationships, although LGBT advocates are calling on the company to go further.

Walmart — which, with more than two million workers, is the biggest private employer in the world — announced that it would begin to offer these benefits along with other changes on Monday in a postcard that was sent to workers obtained by the Washington Blade and other media outlets.

Under the heading “Enrolling domestic partners,” the postcard states, “Beginning in 2014, if you’re a full-time associate you can cover your spouse/domestic partner in the medical, dental, vision, life, critical illness or accident plans.”

The benefit of workplace boredom

candy — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 12:14:23 +0000

BY GABRIELLE KAROL
LearnVest

If you’ve ever been so bored at the office that you felt like you were literally watching each second tick by on the clock — we feel you. Having experienced work-induced, mind-numbing boredom once or twice before, we can easily say that feeling busy — or even stressed — is far superior to feeling bored.

But a surprising new study from the U.K.’s University of Central Lancashire has shown that boredom can have a surprisingly beneficial side effect: increased creativity.

Coming out in the workplace

candy — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 08:58:42 +0000

BY BRIANNE L. CROTEAU
Tagg Magazine

In today’s age of online networking and social media, we are constantly packaging, marketing and promoting ourselves to the world. The ability to choose how we present ourselves, both personally and professionally, is more important than ever. For lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgendered people, a big part is if, how and when to disclose our sexuality.