There are certain conversations that never seem okay to talk about in the workplace, even with your favorite work best friend, but rules are meant to be broken. Sometimes, when speaking about these so called taboo topics, it may strengthen your relationship with your colleagues and make you more confident, ultimately making you more productive and reducing your stress levels.
Here’s how you should approach these taboo topics.
Overwhelming Stress
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Sometimes women avoid talking about their feelings at work to avoid being labeled as ‘complainers’ or ‘weak.’ But we all know that talking about your frustrations can be uplifting and can lead to solutions. That is why you should capitalize on your emotional intelligence and identify the reasons behind your frustrations, then share what has been stressing you out whilst also pairing it with possible suggestions for improvements.
Sexual Harassment
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A lot of women feel ashamed to talk about sexual harassment in the work place, but any form of harassment should not be tolerated. As a matter of fact, holding it in and not talking about will lead to more frustration and stress. That is why this sensitive topic should be discussed with someone you trust. Approach a member of the HR department who can possibly advise the best course of action.
Personal Problems
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Everyone goes through bad days and rough patches. Sometimes there are things outside of work that greatly impact your work performance at the office. Whether it’s your parents, children or relationship, it’s hard to leave your problems at the door when it comes to things that actually matter. So instead of holding it in, you should learn to talk about your problems as to avoid blowing up at your coworkers or boss whilst also limiting what you need to share.
Compensation
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It doesn’t pay to stay silent about the size of your paycheck, how else can you know where you stand in the food chain? Whilst comparing compensation with a colleague is considered taboo, you should still discuss the conversation with a trusted coworker without putting the other person on the spot. If you feel that you’re grossly underpaid, don’t stay quiet about it as this can lead to a lack of motivation and dissatisfaction at work.
Politics
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Getting into an aggressive debate with your colleagues at work is never a good idea. That is why most of the time, talking about politics is greatly prohibited inside the office. However, there are some political topics that have an immense influence on women and how they get treated in the work place. So instead, limit your conversations to political events that are relevant to the work place.
