This Month’s Must-Read: What Are Women in the Workplace Actually Talking About?

The Great Resignation, The Great Regret, hybrid work, flexible working — there’s a lot going on in the world of work. The women in our community have been talking about the job market right now, and each month, we’re sharing what they’re discussing and how they’re feeling.  

Here’s what’s trending right now:

Discrimination in the Hiring Process

It’s not just interviews that lead to discrimination in the hiring process; discrimination can start before you even get to the interview. One Fairygodboss member shared her experience with a job application process that required applicants to include their college graduation year. 

“One mandatory, numeric field was ‘start date’ on your college degree. I see no reason for this question other than being a work-around to know your age. It is not legal to ask "end date" of education for that reason,” the Fairygodboss member wrote. “Is there anything I'm missing requiring the ‘start date’ of your college degree other than a sneaky approach to ageism?”  

Other members of the community weighed in with shock — most were unsure why the company would ask for a date at all, and agreed it could signal ageism.

What Employers Should Consider

Every word and section of a job application matters. Whether it’s a description of your ideal candidate or a job requirements section, what you include (and don’t include) can speak volumes about your company’s culture and values. If you’re asking candidates for graduation dates, you may be signaling ageist hiring practices to applicants.

The Great Regret

The Great Regret is perhaps a logical side effect of The Great Resignation: after millions of people left their jobs in hopes of greener pastures, many of those people now find themselves disliking their new roles. Almost 3 in 4 people who quit during The Great Resignation are now feeling regret. One Fairygodboss member shared her personal experience:

“I started a new job 2 months ago and knew within a month it was a mistake. It was a career change for me, I was at another company over 15 years and was too comfortable. At this point I know I have to leave as there are indications that I will not 'make it." I am very stressed. I cannot return to my previous employer as they were upset I left even though I gave sufficient notice. How can I explain leaving a job after such little time in an interview?”

Fairygodboss members chimed in and gave advice on how to approach this situation. The overwhelming response? Be honest, and next time when you’re looking for a new company, do extensive research to really get a sense of what working there is like. 

What Employers Should Consider

Employers can help minimize new employees feeling regret by promoting transparency and honesty throughout the interview process about the company culture. Interviewing isn’t a one-way street; while you want to get the best candidate for your role, your company should also be a good fit for the candidate. Employer value propositions should attract and repel (the right folks). Ensuring shared understanding of what the organization’s values and practices are during the interview process not only makes for a better candidate experience, but also increases the chance that new employees will be retained over the longer term.

Work Relationships

Remote work made it harder to connect with colleagues — but now that many people are back to in-person work at least sometimes, adjusting to coworker relationships has proved awkward and sometimes difficult. 

“At the end of the day, I feel really alone and like I have nowhere to go - I also just hate drama and feel like I can't talk to anyone solely because I just want the drama to stop and not perpetuate it in any way,” one Fairygodboss member shared in a post titled “I'm being bullied at work and I don't know what to do.”

She continued, “I have been applying for jobs, but it makes me sad that I'm being forced out because I like what I do, I love the team I manage (don't get me started on my fear of them going through what I went through), but at the end of the day I can tell one of us will need to leave and the VP has no intention of going anywhere. I also am just sick of having a pit in my stomach every time we have an interaction. At the end of all of this, she wins. As a black woman, this makes me feel so helpless and small.”

What Employers Should Consider

Inclusive company culture isn’t just about the macro policies and overall culture: day-to-day personal and team interactions matter. The Great Resignation isn’t just about higher salaries and flexible work arrangements. If an employee doesn’t feel like they’re being valued by their coworkers and direct manager, that may be enough for them to feel like they should jump ship. HR business partners can play a critical role in diffusing situations or helping with coaching individuals through hairy situations.