Work Appropriate

Rainesford Stauffer joins host Anne Helen Petersen to hear from listeners about the vagaries of ambition when it comes to work — and how to conceive of ambition as a potentially positive force outside of work.

On this show, we talk a lot about systemic workplace problems, with roots in rapid-growth capitalism, the gender and racial wage gap, etc. Today, we're doing something a little different-- we're talking about the things coworkers do that are just plain annoying. Lyz Lenz guest hosts.

"Do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life" sounds like sage advice, but it doesn't account for the burn-out, demoralization, constant churn, and low pay of so many passion jobs.

For people who aren't white, straight, cis men, being your authentic self at work can be risky. Even though your identity isn't and shouldn't be a problem, many workplaces treat it like one...

Laura Mariani, a neuroscientist-turned-recruiter, joins host Anne Helen Petersen to answer listeners' questions about deciphering job postings, inquiring about remote work policies, and pivoting industries altogether.

This is Work Appropriate's version of a holiday episode! As work parties ramp up, so do small talk conversations about diets and eating habits...

There are plenty of reasons people choose to freelance-- better hours, more money, freedom from all-staff emails. But then... there's often a moment when you look around and realize that you've created a toxic work environment for yourself. In this episode, freelancer extraordinaire Wudan Yan joins host Anne Helen Petersen to help freelancers everywhere become better bosses to themselves.

Sometimes there's no amount of therapy that's going to fix your relationship with your job. Sometimes your company's culture might be irreparably toxic. And also, sometimes you're just... bored. But when should you cut bait and move on? Jane Coaston, host of the New York Times' podcast The Argument, joins host Anne Helen Petersen to answer listeners' questions about whether it's time to quit.

Starting a new job is almost always stressful-- there's, of course, the tasks and workflow to figure out, but there's also a whole new culture and set of norms to find your place in. Throw in a pandemic and remote work, and it's gotten even more complicated. Anne Helen Petersen and Adrian Hon answer listeners' questions about starting a new job in a remote culture.

Often, people get promoted into management because they're good at their jobs-- not because they know anything about managing people. In this episode, Melissa Nightingale from the Raw Signal Group joins host Anne Helen Petersen to answer questions about all things managerial.