by Solange Lopes | Jul 16, 2014 | Career
Lace Blouse – hm.com
It’s lunch break time, and as you take a break from your busy morning, check out this adorable lace blouse from H&M!
Loving the lace detail of this delicate, yet very elegant and work appropriate blouse. The lace sleeves add a unique detail to this simple, classic blouse, while the lace inserts at the top complete this finely crafted top. It’s the perfect LWT (read Little White Top) for summer, and is great both in and out of the office.
Pair it with a sleek pair of slacks, or a classic pencil skirt, and voila…you’re ready for work! And it’s a plus that this top is a steal at $34.99 at hm.com!
Pssst….While you’re at it, check out the great sales at H&M, with discounts as deep as 75%…
Seen a great, office-friendly fashion pick you’d like to share? Please email us at corporate@thecorporatesister.com!
The Corporate Sister.
by Solange Lopes | Jul 16, 2014 | Career
Back from vacation – huffingtonpost.com
Happy hump-day! And for some of us, the transition is all the more real, as you may just have come back from vacation. Now is the dreaded time to get back to work, cautiously log into your inbox and expect to be flooded with tons of pending emails, unending to-do’s, not to mention the stress, chaotic office life and slight gloom and depression of after vacay!
- Start early! I like to get in the office early on the day that I return from vacation, just to give myself some time to compose my disconnected self before everyone gets in and corporate chaos sets in once again! Plan to get in a bit earlier than usual, take a deep breath, get yourself that extra cup of joe and get ready…
- Reconnect, reconnect, reconnect! After shutting down your out-of-office assistant, don’t just keep staring blindlessly at your computer screen, waiting for it to turn into the white sand and clear water you just left! Get up and walk around the office, make your presence known, inquire about what has been going on during your absence, and what new projects or assignments are under way! And while you’re at it, why not indulge in some positive office gossip?
- Be realistic! The mistake that many a corporate sister (or brother) makes upon returning to work from vacation is that they can catch up on everything in a day. Be realistic, and avoid biting on more work than you can realistically chew! Communicate with management, and make sure to tackle the most urgent tasks first. Allow yourself some flexibility and bandwidth to cover all the requests, emails and tasks waiting for you. You will be less overwhelmed, and…less prone to booking that ticket back to Punta Cana!
Are you back from vacation? How are you coping with it?
The Corporate Sister.
by Solange Lopes | Jul 15, 2014 | Career |
Tory Burch York Tote – $295 – toryburch.com
For our lunch fashion break, we are in love with the new York buckle tote from the Tory Burch collection. As described on the web site, it’s the “quintessential work tote”, with “ a fully padded compartment for a 15″ laptop, one large zip pocket, four open pockets for medium and small electronic devices, a ring to attach the matching York Smartphone Wristlet, a clip for keys, and enough room to add an extra pair of shoes.”
What’s not to love about this lightweight, classic and oh so stylish tote, that is perfect for work, travel, and anything in between. It’s $295 on toryburch.com!
The Corporate Sister.
by Solange Lopes | Jul 15, 2014 | Career |
Happy Tuesday! As much as we speak about gender parity in the workplace, breaking the glass ceiling or leaning in (or out for that matter), one of the topics that is not as much discussed is actually giving professional women the means, room and time to achieve success at work.
As outlined in Jack Canfield’s famous “Success Principles” (one of my all-time favorites), in order to free up sufficient time and resources to pursue our goals and dreams, we need what he calls a “core group”. Your “core group” is basically your support group, and is made of all those people who make it possible for you to do what it is that you do. Whether it’s a devoted baby-sitter, a supportive husband, helpful friends and family, or if you can afford it, a housekeeper, an assistant or personal chef, the individuals in your “core group” directly or indirectly help create more time and resources for you to advance at work, build your own business or finish your education.
Whatever your career goals and aspirations, wherever your current professional station, it is crucial, as a corporate sister and a minority at work, to consider those internal resources. While we often struggle with “doing it all” as we demand a better work-life balance, and being Superwoman when we can barely make it through the day without a sense of sheer exhaustion, we at times fail to look within our own circle and assess if we have what we need to get where we want to be.
While many of us may not exactly be able to afford a personal chef or hire a personal assistant, the reality is most of us just won’t relinquish control and simply admit that we need help. Instead, we allow the detrimental guilt and internal remorse to drive us through debilitating cycles of successes and failures that leave us empty, unhappy and…ultimately unsuccessful!
As you chart your path to career success, and work towards your career goals, do you have a core group?
The Corporate Sister.
by Solange Lopes | Jul 14, 2014 | Career
Embellished sweater tee – $19.99 – the limited.com
For our lunch break, we picked this adorable embellished sweater tee from The Limited. Love the faux gems dressing up this soft sweater tee, perfect for a day at the office. This mid-weight knit is great for the air-conditioned days inside, and light enough for the warm days.
And to start this week on a financially sound foot, this sweater is on sale for only $19.99 at The Limited.
Happy Monday!
Seen a great, office-friendly fashion pick you’d like to share? Please post a comment or email us at corporate@thecorporatesister.com!
The Corporate Sister.
by Solange Lopes | Jul 14, 2014 | Career
Fighting against discrimination at work – the guardian.com
Happy Monday!
Today, we have the pleasure of introducing our guest contributor Zena Thomas, PHR, in our new Ask HR feature. A fellow corporate sister and blogger extraordinaire, Zena blogs at hersavvycareer.com. She will tell us today about what to do in cases of discrimination at work from an HR point of view. Thanks, and welcome Zena!
I always advise employees that they are their own first advocate in cases of discrimination. When faced with discrimination, employees must decide if they want to take action. I encourage employees to stand up and advocate from themselves if they find that they are a victim of discrimination in the workplace. If employees do not report cases of discrimination, then no action will be taken to resolve the problem. Most companies have a documented policy prohibiting discrimination and Human Resources and Senior Management are responsible for ensuring employees have a discrimination-free work environment.
If an employee faces discrimination at work from her Manager then she should immediately turn to Human Resources for assistance. Human Resources is responsible for making sure the company is free from discrimination and harassment. Most HR Departments have an open door policy and would want to know if there is illegal conduct in the workplace. In the case that an employee is not comfortable in going to HR for assistance, there are a few other options available for reporting discrimination.
An Ethics hotline is a great place to start when an employee is a victim of discrimination. The Ethics hotline is a valuable resource for employees to speak with a professional about unethical behavior in the workplace and they are trained to guide employees in the right direction. Also, Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) are available at most companies for employees that may need help in dealing with inappropriate behavior at work. Discrimination has a mental and emotional effect on employees and an EAP is a good place to turn. Whenever an employee is in a difficult work situation and needs guidance, I encourage them to talk to their Mentor. Most mentors have years of experience and have seen the good and bad of corporate America. A Mentor can provide the support that employees needs as well as help guide them through the process. Sometimes a person outside of the organization is needed to help an employee get through this difficult time in their career.
Finally, employees can always turn to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to report a claim of discrimination. This organization is dedicated to investigating claims of discrimination in the workplace based on a person’s race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information. Discrimination based on any of these characteristics is illegal and the EEOC is the agency that enforces these laws. I again recommend that employees report discrimination internally first but if there is not any notable action taken to resolve the issue, then the EEOC is another resource to help victims.
Discrimination is a very serious offense and should not be taken lightly. Employees should know that their Human Resources department and leadership team want to deter discrimination in the workplace and in order to do that, they must be aware that there is a discrimination issue within the organization. Employees have several resources available to report offenses and it is their right as employees to stand up and advocate for themselves against misconduct.
Do you have any further questions about what to do in cases of discrimination at work? Please post a comment below, email us at corporate@thecorporatesister.com or hersavvycareer@gmail.com!
The Corporate Sister.
by Solange Lopes | Jul 11, 2014 | Career
Sateen pencil pants- $69.95 – thelimited.com
For our lunch break today, we are loving these sateen pencil pants from The Limited! They are professional yet fresh and summer-ready for the office!
The ankle length is perfect for the season, while the turquoise color transports us to tropical islands. I would pair these with an elegant, summer-ready blouse, and work-appropriate wedges or low heels. These pants are $69.95 at The Limited.
Psst….The Limited is having a buy 1 get 1 free sale!
The Corporate Sister.
