- Introduction by Women of NATE Committee Member Jessica Cobb
- WON Profile: Taylor VanSickle
- Where will you find the Women of NATE?
- Upcoming Events
- Recent Event Highlights
- Feature Article: 3 Ways To Have Better Work/Life Balance In 2022
- Book Recommendation
Release:
February 2, 2022
Women of NATE Today Newsletter
Volume 4, Issue 2
The Women Of NATE Today newsletter originated with a purpose to foster the exchange of ideas and expertise between women in all areas of our industry. This February 2022 edition marks a notable milestone, as the publication is now halfway into its third year of circulation. Looking back at an abundant amount of content delivered to readers since inception, I am immensely proud of what WE have accomplished.
And by “WE”, I am referring to the collective whole who have contributed to making the newsletter a success: the women who shared a glimpse into their lives through a profile spotlight, the mentorship pairings who volunteered their stories to be told, the insightful writers that penned featured articles, and the supportive industry peers who submitted countless photos, stories, and achievements to highlight and congratulate a plethora of talented women in the industry. As with anything in life, you can only expect to receive back from something what you put into it… and the newsletter continuing to grow stronger with each edition is direct proof of the truth to that statement.
Throughout the past editions, there are countless items which have struck a chord with me, but one of the most memorable was the closing quote from the inaugural edition:
“It took me quite a long time to develop a voice, and now that I have it, I am not going to be silent.”
-Madeleine Albright
With the newsletter now distributed to over 8,000 recipients, it’s appropriate to say that the stage has been set, and each edition is confirmation that the voices of women in our industry continue to be heard.
As we inch closer to the upcoming NATE UNITE 2022 Conference and Exposition, it is amazing to see how much the WON organization has grown since its creation in June 2016. This year’s trade show is packed with an awesome lineup of WON sponsored events: from informative educational sessions to the 5K Fun Run/Walk, there are a variety of avenues for connecting with WON members that provide valuable growth, guidance, and networking opportunities. The full list of WON events is located below and on-site resources will be available at the WON lounge.
Women Of NATE Today is excited to share your experiences, interactions, and successes from NATE UNITE 2022 in the next newsletter – so make sure to keep your submissions coming!
Respectfully,
Jessica Cobb
Jessica Cobb is seated on the NATE Board of Directors; serves on the Women Of NATE and Military of NATE Committees; and is CEO of MDTS in Ortonville, Michigan. She can be reached at jessica@mdtsusa.com.
WON Profile: Taylor VanSickle
Taylor VanSickle has spent the last seven years in telecom. She is currently serving as Director of Operations for Allios, a leading supply chain company for the telecom industry. Taylor's focus is on supporting customer accounts and creating synergies to standardize global customer satisfaction metrics across her organization. Taylor also serves as a founding member of WISE, Women Impacting the Smart Economy. WISE aims at creating an environment where women thrive by building a network to share ideas, nurture career development, highlight growth opportunities and build rewarding professional relationships within our organization and beyond.
Tell us something about yourself that would surprise us.
I have a twin sister, and yes, we can read each other's minds
Top three life highlights?
1. Graduating from Texas A&M University.
2. Buying my first house.
3. Serving as a founding member of our our Employee Resource Group WISE, Women Impacting the Smart Economy.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
When I'm not working, my dog is always by my side, we go on a lot of walks and visit family together. I also watch a lot of documentaries, try to learn new facts about animals, listen to podcasts about science or health, and spend a lot of time reading.
What does true leadership mean to you?
Great leaders are also followers and are always on a mission. True leaders have courage, work with integrity, and can inspire those around them and make them feel invaluable.
If you could witness any historical event, what would you want to see?
I would be intrigued in seeing events during the Early Bronze Age of Egypt.
If you were on death row, what would your last meal be?
Blue Bell ice cream!
What is on your bucket list?
I would love to visit the Galapagos Islands.
Tell us three things most people don't know about you.
1. I love learning new things.
2. I played at least four sports a year growing up.
3. I am an introvert.
Three words to best describe you.
Genuine, Driven, Organized.
What are three career lessons you've learned thus far?
1. True leaders are great followers.
2. The right mentor can change your career, and more importantly, change your life.
3. No one likes a 'yes' man or woman. Growth happens when teams are challenged to find the best solution and can be innovative and share ideas.
What does a typical day look like for you?
Coffee, work, then more coffee! Honestly, I cannot get through my day without some coffee and laughter! I am an organizer, so each evening I review my calendar for the following day and week. I wake up pretty early and go to bed decently late, as I like to be productive with how I spend my time and I cannot do much if I'm in bed over 6-7 hours. After I pour a glass of cold brew, I read some scripture, walk my dog, and then finally check my phone before getting started with my day. My daily role requires I connect with many different teams across both my organization and my customers, so I do attend at least 15-20+ meetings daily, as communication is key in my position. I spend a lot of time reviewing analytics and implementing processes to ensure we are driving towards the right KPIs, and I actively coach those around me regularly. I am a firm believer that before you walk away from your work each day, to be satisfied with what you have accomplished, so I try to walk that out as a leader and check in with my team before wrapping up, to ensure they are confident as well.
What else do you do for fun?
I enjoy watching documentaries, listening to podcasts about science or health, and visiting museums and historical sites.
What advice would you give to recent new hires?
Take your seat at the table, advocate for yourself.
Where will you find the Women of NATE?
Take Women of NATE with you!
Are you traveling for work or taking a leisure vacation? Take a creative photo holding a Women of NATE (WON) logo in front of a landmark that lets us know where you are.
(Right) A Women of NATE member recently visited the Asclepeion of Kos located on the Greek island of Kos. Asclepeions were healing temples are located in ancient Greece dedicated to Asclepius, the first doctor-demigod in Greek mythology. There were many Asclepeions all over ancient Greece, but the one in Kos was one of the largest and most well-known.
(Above) One of the 7th churches of revelation in the city of Pergamun.
(Left) Women of NATE visits the Kefken Island which lies off the Black Sea coast of Turkey, a short boat ride from the mainland village of Cebeci in the Kandıra district of Kocaeli Province.
(Right) Fethiye is a city and district of Muğla Province in the Aegean Region of Turkiye. Earlier this month, Turkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan issued a communication, tweaking the country's internationally recognized name from "Turkey" to Turkiye.
Submit your photos along with your name and location to nikki@natehome.com for a chance to be showcased in an upcoming Newsletter or social media post.
Upcoming Events
Recent Event Highlights
(Right) The Colorado Wireless Association Holiday Party was held on January 20th in Denver, Colorado and NATE WIN was an event sponsor.
The highlight of the evening was when COWA President Tim Urband and COWA Charity Committee Chris Ecton presented NATE WIN Rocky Mountain Ambassador Chris Memmott a $12,500 check for the Tower Family Foundation.
3 Ways To Have Better Work/Life Balance In 2022
Are you ready to take control of your work/life balance in 2022? I ask because, despite the dramatic rise in working from home during the pandemic, many employees and self-employed people report feeling more stressed than ever.
Workplace consultant Lindsay Pollak writes that she's "hearing from employees and leaders at all levels across all industries about how they're experiencing higher burnout, anxiety and depression, as well as how employers are receiving more and more requests from employees for mental health breaks." Pollak thinks mental health in the workplace will be the HR headline for 2022.
And in a recent McKinsey & Co. look at trends for 2022, one CEO said "Prioritizing work-life balance across all industries including those that have typically been hostile or predatory to their workforce will impact the economy in fundamental ways."
For Some, Work/Life Balance Is a Fantasy
Of course, for many low-level and essential workers who labor at more than one job and rarely have the luxury of working from home, achieving work/life balance is a near impossible feat. Low pay remains the top driver of workplace stress, followed by long hours and a lack of advancement opportunities, according to the latest American Psychological Association well-being survey.
Yet for some, the pandemic has improved their work/life balance. A recent survey of 1,010 U.S. employees from the invoicing company Skynova found that a whopping 83% of people believe they currently have a positive work/life balance.
"We were surprised to learn that this percentage is as high as it is," said Jennifer Graham, a web developer at Skynova. "But many companies have implemented new policies to help combat resignations and employee turnover. These new incentives have contributed to the work-life balance we see in our study."
Reason for Optimism
Clearly, work/life balance during the pandemic has varied widely, depending upon the job, personal circumstances and a host of other factors. To quote Charles Dickens, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times."
Yet despite the ongoing challenges, as a coach who specializes in helping people with second-act careers and reinvention, I think there's reason for optimism moving forward.
More companies have embraced flexibility due to the pandemic. And with employers desperate to fill job vacancies and retain workers — a record 4.4 million Americans quit their jobs in September — you'll likely have stronger negotiating power for better work/life balance than you've had in quite some time.
3 Steps to Improve Work/Life Balance in 2022
So, whether you're looking to switch jobs or make your current position or entrepreneurial endeavor less stressful, here are three steps to help improve your work/life balance next year:
1. Define your work/life priorities. While you'll never achieve the perfect balance, the first step is to get clear about your list of wants and needs. This list will differ for everyone, so make sure it reflects your priorities.
Typically, there's a range of components that influence work/life balance. Among the factors referenced in the Skynova study: securing a flexible schedule, having more time for family and hobbies, not having to work overtime, being able to take breaks during the workday and having the ability to take sufficient vacation time without being made to feel guilty for taking it.
As you reflect on your priorities, you might notice that they've changed as you've aged.
In the Skynova survey, 67% of boomers rated having time with family as the most crucial aspect of a healthy work/life balance, as opposed to 61% of Gen Xers and 59% of millennials. But when it came to the ability to take vacation time, only 48% of boomers rated that as important, versus 58% of Gen Xers and 56% of millennials.
So, ask yourself what's most important to you now: Do I need to work from home full-time? Do I want more vacation time? Would I be happier if I could take time for exercise during the workday? Only after you acknowledge your specific drivers, can you be clear about the best solutions.
2. Focus on what you control. It's easy to blame your employer or demanding clients for your work/life challenges. But, in reality, you may have more control over your work/life balance than you realize.
Do you really need to respond to work emails at night or spend time working on a holiday? Over time, those behaviors can become self-destructive habits. And yet, according to a survey from the global staffing company Robert Half, 68% of professionals who transitioned to a remote setup during the pandemic said they work on the weekend.
"A quick fix for greater work/life ease is to account for how you spend your time, zero in on priorities and cut out the fluff," says Wilton, Conn.-based career adviser and founder of The 4 Jobs Club, Kathryn Sollmann (the four jobs to nurture, Sollman says, are careers, children, aging parents and households).
"Our to-do lists tend to be filled with tasks that might be nice to do in a perfect world, but don't fit our imperfect lives," notes Sollmann. "It's better to focus on two or three achievable things within your control."
3. Before moving on, explore ways to improve your current situation. Given the hot job market, it's understandable if you're ready to go find a new job or launch a business. But first, you might want to try improving your current situation.
And here, you may be in the driver's seat. Right now, many employers are looking for ways to retain their staff. A recent LinkedIn study found that the U.S. job promotion rate is on the rise, trending 9% higher than the same period last year.
You also might be surprised by other benefits your employer might offer if you ask about better work/life balance.
One new study from the human resources trade group SHRM found that 42% of organizations it surveyed have implemented new or additional remote work or flexibility options to reduce turnover.
So, think about which components of your job you'd like to see changed and go have a talk with your manager. Then, if your employer refuses to budge, 2022 just might be your moment to jump on the Great Resignation bandwagon.
Nancy Collamer, M.S., is a semi-retirement coach, speaker and author of Second-Act Careers: 50+ Ways to Profit From Your Passions During Semi-Retirement. You can now download her free workbook called 25 Ways to Help You Identify Your Ideal Second Act on her website at MyLifestyleCareer.com (and you'll also receive her free bi-monthly newsletter).
This article last appeared online on the nextavenue website and can be viewed at the following link: https://www.nextavenue.org/3-ways-to-have-better-work-life-balance/.
