Women in the Workplace

Lately, my motivation has been slipping—and I know I’m not the only one. The energy across the team feels heavy. Heads are down, conversations are cautious, and people are second-guessing even the most basic tasks. It’s like we’re all walking on eggshells, asking unnecessary questions just to avoid potential conflict. It’s dehumanizing. What makes it worse? The person everyone seems to fear is the one making the most mistakes. Not minor slip-ups, but amateur errors that have no place at the General Manager level. It’s frustrating to watch someone project incompetence onto the team while their own actions go unchecked. It’s a twisted narrative—and one that’s damaging morale. Every day, I walk in and brace myself for what hasn’t been done. The store is falling apart. We’re behind on our workload, and what used to flow smoothly now takes twice as long. People are being shuffled around aimlessly, while others take advantage of the chaos and clock out mentally. Accountability has vanished...

Serving in a leadership role within a large corporation often exposes individuals to heightened levels of stress, emotional exhaustion, and potential burnout. When leadership development is lacking—both above and below a given role—organizational performance suffers, and employee well-being is compromised (Maslach & Leiter, 2016). At the store level, for example, corporate walk-throughs often emphasize deficiencies rather than accomplishments. This lack of positive reinforcement, coupled with persistent negative feedback, can demoralize employees and reduce overall productivity (Luthans & Youssef-Morgan, 2017). A case in point is a General Manager who, despite his efforts, is consistently criticized for minor issues and seldom acknowledged for successes. Over time, this imbalance can manifest in psychological distress such as anxiety, isolation, and fear of failure—indicators often associated with work-related depression (Kahn et al., 2006). As the manager becomes emotionally w...

So I walked into a new day—another round of what feels like corporate hell dressed in khakis and a power trip. It’s only her third day, and somehow the new manager already acts like the queen of compliance. She called me into the office like I was a teenager sent to the principal. "What time did you clock in?" "Did you use the restroom before or after?" Is this real life? Do we need pee logs now? Should I chart it on a whiteboard? This is the same manager I was encouraged to welcome with open arms. “Just give her a chance,” they said. “She’s really nice once you get to know her.” Right. If ice had a personality, it would be her. And not just with me—even the kindest guy on the team said she’s giving him weird vibes. (This is coming from someone who once casually shared his thoughts on necrophilia documentaries. So… perspective.) Corporate, let’s be real: You dropped dynamite into a store that had finally found its rhythm. We weren't perfect, but we were hol...

     I’ve been wanting to start a blog for a while — a space where I could open up about my personal journey working in corporate America while navigating my educational path in Industrial-Organizational Psychology. So here it is. If you’ve ever felt overlooked, overworked, or just plain invisible at your job, this one’s for you.      I’ve worked at a major corporate pet retailer for the past nine years. Despite my background as a veterinary technician and previous leadership experience in other industries, I’ve experienced very little advancement. I started this job part-time when the store first opened in my town. I was just beginning college, later in life, at age 31, and the flexibility fit my schedule. Within six months, I was promoted to Animal Department Manager. I was proud and motivated.      Let me give you a visual: our department handles a lot . There are seven freshwater aquatic systems (three rows each, plus sumps), two saltwa...