Tag: #remotework
What’s your Astronaut Story?
My husband and I are big fans of “The Big Bang Theory,” and we joke around that my astronaut story is me finishing my dissertation this term. I am super excited about it, and I do understand with my ADHD, my hard work in academia has been all I want to talk about lately. However, I invite everyone to share what they are excited about and passionate about. So, what’s your Astronaut story?
Remember sharing is caring, especially since Remote is here to stay.
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•Research Blog: drstephaniebeardbaremoteresearch.org
Women Raise Both Families and Economies
By Stephanie Diana Eubank
So, I have written about the fact that I am a working mom of two here in California, and I have been blessed to work remotely as a Subject Matter Expert or SME in the financial industry for over ten years. And no, I don’t mean I have worked remotely during COVID, and it felt like 10 years. I have worked remotely as a Subject Matter Expert in the financial sector for over 10 years. Remote work gave me the luxury of having a work/ life balance that many women have not been granted.
It struck me today when I was reading an article from The Verge.com, and they were talking about the best gifts for work-from-home employees. And the first few lines of the work read something to the effect that when Dolly Parton wrote the song “9-5,” she did not contemplate remote work. The author isn’t wrong, but I think Dolly would have liked the freedom of remote work. And to be fair remote work has been a concept that we have had the tools to do on a large scale without suffering productivity since the 80s, so maybe she did. I know I need my cup of ambition to work from home.
I am ADHD and Dyslexic, so what my husband and I call Squirrel moments…I love Dolly Parton she wrote one of my favorite Whitney Huston sons, “I Will Always Love You.” I also love her movies. Ha-ha, I joke with my hairdresser that I have never done my hair because it just isn’t natural, as a paraphrase from one of my favorite lines from “Steel Magnolias.”
Back to the topic, remote work is a crucial tool for women to get back into and stay in the workforce. Part of the inspiration for my research and advocacy of remote work is that it brings more diversity into the workplace. One group is a particular woman.
According to the MIT Sloan School of Management article published in April of 2022 (and I will paste it in the comments.), women are less likely, statistically speaking, to be promoted. According to the research of Prof Danielle Li, women in the workplace receive consistently higher performance ratings than men but are 14% less likely to be promoted.
Unfortunately, a big part of the problem is that there is still the old belief that if women get pregnant, they will leave their job. Or that women are less reliable in the workplace because they have kids or are traditionally otherwise primary caregivers. Now where women are, according to Caregiver.org, 75% of the US are caregivers to children, the elderly, or disabled persons. However, the PEWs report of October 2022 reads that women are more likely than men to adjust their careers for their family it is not because they are less devoted to their job or less capable but because there is no infrastructure to help them balance work and family. In 2012 PEWs published a report that showed 79% of Americans said women should return to a “more traditional role,” but when the same people were surveyed about what to do about kids with working moms, only 16% said that having a mom that works full time is good for kids?
This is stressed even more when we think about how over 1.1 million women had to leave the workforce during COVID to address the loss of childcare. And don’t get me started on the topic of maternity leave.
As a working mom, I have worked remotely for over 10 years. And no, I don’t mean I have worked remotely during COVID, and it felt like 10 years. I have worked remotely as a Subject Matter Expert in the financial sector for over 10 years. Remote work gave me the luxury of having a work/ life balance that many women have not been granted.
Remote work is not a fix for all the infrastructure issues to support women in the labor force. Still, it creates opportunities for women to balance and provide those tools and leadership perspectives that the economy needs while supporting their families. It also lowers stress for remote workers. As leaders, we must remember a basic economic concept that women raise families and economies.
But if you want real items that are good gift ideas this Holiday season for the Remote Working Mom or Woman in your life, I suggest the following:
- https://amzn.to/3ujd9cf, especially if they have a micro-managing boss or their company doesn’t use Boss Ware ethically.
- https://amzn.to/3HanBu3
- https://amzn.to/3iAXG4n
- https://amzn.to/3OUOgNs
- https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0798LJDV3/ref=cm_sw_r_as_gl_apa_gl_i_PYS1YWJDZFCY7DPD8N39?linkCode=ml2&tag=drbear2023-20
- https://amzn.to/3EZEAwm
- https://amzn.to/3Vr0pMD
- https://amzn.to/3UmyThO
- https://amzn.to/3FkzWui
- https://amzn.to/3H30OjS
- This is my personal favorite is the pink one https://amzn.to/3H30OjS
That’s it for this post. If you want more info on the research behind this post, check out the links below and my Consulting firm’s website. And remember sharing is caring, so like and subscribe. Also, references are below on the research cited in this article.
I made a post on my Youtube Channel @wickedbofthewest on this topic check me out at the links below.
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Wickedbofthewest
Website: wickedbofthewestremoteconsulting.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WickedBoftheWestBusinessConsulting
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wickedbofthewestconsulting/
Twitter: @SDEubank
Work Cited
Johnson, S. K., Hekman, D. R., & Chan, E. T. (2019, February 7). If there’s only one woman in your candidate pool, there’s statistically no chance she’ll be hired. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved December 2, 2022, from https://hbr.org/2016/04/if-theres-only-one-woman-in-your-candidate-pool-theres-statistically-no-chance-shell-be-hired
Somers, M. (2022, April 12). Women are less likely than men to be promoted. here’s one reason why. MIT Sloan. Retrieved December 2, 2022, from https://mitsloan.mit.edu/ideas-made-to-matter/women-are-less-likely-men-to-be-promoted-heres-one-reason-why
Parker, K. (2020, August 14). Women more than men adjust their careers for family life. Pew Research Center. Retrieved December 2, 2022, from https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/10/01/women-more-than-men-adjust-their-careers-for-family-life/
Gonzales, M. (2022, July 7). Nearly 2 million fewer women in Labor Force. SHRM. Retrieved December 2, 2022, from https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/behavioral-competencies/global-and-cultural-effectiveness/pages/over-1-million-fewer-women-in-labor-force.aspx#:~:text=However%2C%201.1%20million%20women%20left,jobs%20lost%20since%20February%202020.
Fry, R. (2022, February 1). Some gender disparities widened in the U.S. workforce during the pandemic. Pew Research Center. Retrieved December 2, 2022, from https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2022/01/14/some-gender-disparities-widened-in-the-u-s-workforce-during-the-pandemic/
Workplace Risks Shouldn’t Mirror Risks of Service Members: An Article on The Rise of PTSD Caused By Bad leadership Even In A Remote Workplace.
By: Stephanie Diana Eubank
When the phrase Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD) is uttered most of us think of the term shell shock and think of our brave service members and how this disorder affects them. However, as detailed in the article, McMenamin (2021); published on the BBC PTSD is a growing issue in the workplace both in person and remotely. The issue detailed in, McMenamin (2021); are not that people are coming into the workplace having PTSD but, rather people are developing in the workplace. Welcome to the growing term and phenomenon of Workplace PTSD and Workplace CPTSD.
The issue is both employees being abused in the workplace and developing workplace PTSD and those who have been suffering from what is called Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD) where employees are being abused from one company to another. There are also employees trying to recover from workplace PTSD from previous abuse because they cannot afford to take time off to recover. The worst part about this phenomenon is that it isn’t new.
The article, Staglin (2022); which was published in Forbes comments on the fact that this has been a long-term issue with no name in the business industry. There is something to say about the trauma that can be found in emotionally labor focused jobs like customer service and sales jobs. Also, there is something to discuss in remote work and essential onsite workers during the pandemic seeing some truly disturbing things and dealing with stress on unparallel levels.
Whereby some trauma is uncontrollable. However, there are a lot of examples as detailed in, Petereit-Haack et al., (2020); of this being a more pervasive issue due to management being toxic and not knowing how to lead. Which from my personal experience has been a significant factor in leadership also becoming traumatized by stress at work, promoting toxic people by other toxic leaders, and a general lack of understanding from leadership the difference between fear and respect.
Toxic workplaces where things like racism, agism, disability shaming, bullying, gaslighting, screaming among other Human Resource No, no’s also can contribute to PTSD and CPTSD in the workplaces. Some, of these behaviors can become pervasive and embedded into organizational culture. However, attitudes are an overall reflection of leadership. Although remote work allows for more diversity in the workplace and allows room to document and stop these behaviors it is not impossible to make a toxic workplace in a remote workplace. It is hard to imagine however, I have experienced it firsthand even in a remote workplace. Worst of all many companies rather cover up the abuse and gaslight workers by saying that they cannot handle the wonderful leaders they have and their methods of authentic leadership. (Which is a perverted interpretation of authentic leadership. See, my article on authentic leadership.)
PTSD and having a toxic workplace that can contribute to PTSD in the workplace is a serious issue for business. Not just for the obvious reasons of potential lawsuits for hostile work environments. According to, Bass (2019); employees who are suffering from PTSD in the workplace are less productive and have a lower morale. When depression from PTSD gets bad enough employees can become a danger to themselves and others.
So, the question becomes how should a business work towards fixing this problem?
- When a manager has multiple people reporting a hostile work environment or a revolving door of employees, Human Resources should take notice and do some training for that leader.
- Develop some communications training for all staff. It will help keep everyone on the same page and address these issues.
- Teach leaders how to lead or prefer to promote and hire leaders with recommendations from past employees, not just employers. How your team or past employees speak about working with you speaks miles about you more than anything else in a background check.
- Companies should work to give room for employees to speak out on bad behavior to address where all parties might need training. This specific type should be room to speak out without reprisals.
- Remote work, which gives room for employees to set healthy boundaries and room to heal from past workplace trauma, is also a helpful tool. In-person makes it, so those who suffer from any disability or different abilities feel a need to mask their needs to blend in. This can be stressful and slow healing as employees regain confidence in their jobs. This remote is a great tool.
For additional information about workplace PTSD and CPTSD, here are some great books to check out:
- https://amzn.to/3TBUKBS
- Harder, H. G., Wagner, S., & Rash, J. (2016). Mental illness in the workplace: Psychological disability management. Taylor and Francis.
- https://amzn.to/3eK95O1
- Tehrani, N. (2011). Managing trauma in the workplace: Supporting workers and Organizations. Routledge.
- https://amzn.to/3TCKRnx
- Nadeau, K. G. (1997). “Add in the workplace: Choices, changes, and challenges” (1st ed.). Routledge; 1st edition.
- https://amzn.to/3TmLphI
- Manning, K. (2021). The empathetic workplace. HarperCollins Leadership, an imprint of HarperCollins.
Remember, sharing is caring, and please feel free to share workplace incidents that felt traumatic. It is good for helping with the healing process.
Work Cited
McMenamin, L. (2021, April 19). Why long-term workplace trauma is a real phenomenon. BBC Worklife. Retrieved October 20, 2022, from https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20210415-why-long-term-workplace-trauma-is-a-real-phenomenon
Manion, L. (2022, February 4). When trauma is triggered at work. NAMI. Retrieved October 20, 2022, from https://www.nami.org/Blogs/NAMI-Blog/February-2022/When-Trauma-Is-Triggered-at-Work
Staglin, G. (2022, October 12). Trauma at the workplace, what to do about it. Forbes. Retrieved October 20, 2022, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/onemind/2021/11/10/trauma-at-the-workplace–and-what-to-do-about-it/?sh=6c3953b439e1
Petereit-Haack, G., Bolm-Audorff, U., Romero Starke, K., & Seidler, A. (2020). Occupational risk for post-traumatic stress disorder and trauma-related depression: A systematic review with meta-analysis. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(24), 9369. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17249369
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7765156/
Bass, B. (2019, August 8). Increasing awareness of the impact of PTSD in the Workplace. Sedgwick. Retrieved October 20, 2022, from https://www.sedgwick.com/blog/2019/08/08/increasing-awareness-of-the-impact-of-ptsd-in-the-workplace
Why Are Companies Having Fits Over Remote Work Digital Nomads?
By Stephanie Diana Eubank
Remote work is supposed to provide workers with more work and life balance. This includes simple concepts like being able to work in different parts of one’s home or in the yard or traveling. With so many companies and industries making a fuss about people taking their time off, complaining when staff takes their work laptop to go on trips so that they can enjoy the area after hours or enjoy the mental health benefits a change of scenery provides an odd conflict. From personal experience, management has become concerned and reprimanded me for working out in my backyard. I felt a little confined, so I went to do my afternoon meeting outside to get a little sun. To change locations or work outside on my property remotely is one of the ways detailed in Wiest (2020); remote work can help improve mental health.
Burnout, according to the research in the Fortune article by Wiest (2020), is a major factor in employee retention. Small steps can be taken to help with the mental health aspects of burnout through remote work. Travel as a method to utilize the work-life balance of remote is another way to combat burnout and other mental health issues caused by the isolation of remote work. As detailed in the article by Kemmis (2021), the term digital nomad has been coined to reference people who use their time to travel and work remotely. There have even been findings that working in places like coffee shops, libraries, or other places adds to balance and can help with feelings of isolation. I enjoy taking my laptop to the library or restaurants with indoor playgrounds to do my homework or take classes allowing my children to have fun while I balance self-improvement and caring for my children.
The comment that home is where the wifi is as an effort to balance having a career while seeing the world, especially after the COVID lockdowns. The article also details that not all people vacation as part of being a digital nomad but live for months or years in other countries to enhance their experience. The article, Ekstein (2022), posted on Bloomberg, notes how digital nomads are also part of a fiscal movement redefining the cultivation of building wealth and blending work/ life balance. Specifically, Ekstein (2022); notes millennials, Gen Z, and even some semi-retired remote workers have been using the mobile lifestyle of RV life. Again, embracing the concept of home is where the wifi is to both afford to travel and enjoy their work. The example I can give is some of my professors at the doctorate level live on their boat, travel up and down the Gulf of Mexico, and make sure to doc on days they teach to do so remotely. I have worked with other professors and managers, constantly traveling to enjoy their families while meeting work commitments remotely.
So, why are companies upset that workers are traveling or working in different places in their homes? The Fortune article, Kelly (2022), specifies it isn’t companies having the problem with the remote worker’s location. In the article, Kelly (2022); states it is specifically middle management. The reason is that remote work has made it so that employees can work independently and won’t need middle management workers, especially with productivity no longer being linked to a specific amount of hours work is a progressing trend. Also, it is cited in Kelly (2022); that middle management is often only armed with micromanagement as the tool to manage employees and teams. Micromanagement as a long-term management plan is not feasible in a remote workplace. In fact, this behavior in management is linked to creating a toxic work environment and can breed a hostile work environment. Although per the article by Liu (2021), these leaders who take Umbridge on remote work locations and digital nomads argue that not being in the stationary workstation can always lead to data theft. However, there are basic tools remote workers can use to mitigate these issues.
The tools that can be easily obtained and easy to afford to combat any data thefts are as follows:
- McAfee Total Protection https://amzn.to/3oItMLx
- Norton 360 Deluxe https://amzn.to/3vsA8T3
- GL.iNet GL-MT1300 (Beryl) VPN secure travel wireless router https://amzn.to/3OO2Pk3
Conclusion: Some leaders are taking a stance with remote workers about their physical location, which is folly. It is a waste of leaders’ time because there are simple steps to protect data. If they require that of employees, it will limit issues and help prevent further push and pull conflicts with remote workers going forward in the Great Resignation. Instead, leaders must practice authentic leadership, learn about their teams, and support them. That’s what real leaders do.
If you have stories of leaders making a fuss about personal location, leave a comment here or on Twitter @SDEubank, and let’s talk about it. Remember sharing is caring.
Work Cited
Ekstein, N. (2022, February 7). How Working From Home Will Permanently Change the Way We Travel. Bloomberg.com. Retrieved August 1, 2022, from https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-02-07/how-working-from-home-will-permanently-change-the-way-we-travel
Kelly, J. (2022, April 14). The real reasons why companies don’t want you to work remotely. Forbes. Retrieved August 1, 2022, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackkelly/2021/08/17/the-real-reasons-why-companies-dont-want-you-to-work-remotely/?sh=41cda83a7fb3
Kemmis, S. (2021, April 14). How to rethink ‘home’ and ‘travel’ if your job is now remote. NerdWallet. Retrieved August 1, 2022, from https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/travel/working-remotely-while-traveling-considerations
Liu, J. (2021, April 8). Why a remote job might not mean you can work from anywhere. CNBC. Retrieved August 1, 2022, from https://www.cnbc.com/2021/04/08/why-a-remote-job-might-not-mean-you-can-work-from-anywhere.html
Wiest, B. (2020, September 11). Remote work shown to significantly improve mental health, 80% prefer flex options post-pandemic. Forbes. Retrieved August 2, 2022, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/briannawiest/2020/09/11/remote-work-shown-to-significantly-improve-mental-health-80-prefer-flex-options-post-pandemic/?sh=4bdb97945d47
Dr. Stephanie Diana Eubank DBA Remote Team Research (AKA Dr. Bear) 