The Engagement Crisis Impacting Young Workers

How do new parents balance limited paid leave and a newborn who has to spend weeks in intensive care? Becoming a NICU family is heart-wrenching enough, but having to weigh returning to work before your newborn has come home from the hospital makes this already-stressful time even harder.Today, I’m thrilled to share some good news about a new groundbreaking law that has  Colorado once again on the forefront of caring for caregivers.Whether you’re living in Colorado or wondering how to advocate for your state to take more action on this front, this episode is essential listening for anyone passionate about the infrastructure of care and gender equality in America.Learn all about the new legislation, including:How inspiring new benefits will benefit parents with babies in the NICU;How employees and businesses alike are benefiting;And how the state is reducing premiums while increasing benefits. Related Links:Episode 489, How the Cost of Childcare Has Become a Workforce Issue -  https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode489Episode 434, The Economic Imperative of Affordable Childcare -  https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode434Episode 479, America’s Parents Are Not Okay - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode479Senate Bill 25-144, “Change to Paid Family Med Leave Insurance Program” - https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2025A/bills/fn/2025a_sb144_00.pdfA Better Balance, “Colorado Expands Paid Family and Medical Leave for NICU Parents” - https://www.abetterbalance.org/colorado-expands-paid-family-and-medical-leave-for-nicu-parents/Colorado General Assembly, “Change Paid Family Medical Leave Insurance Program” - https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb25-144Colorado Politics, “Colorado governor signs bill increasing family leave for parents of NICU babies” - https://www.coloradopolitics.com/governor/colorado-governor-signs-bill-increasing-family-leave-for-parents-of-nicu-babies/article_04eeae6d-9c50-485d-bbde-9feadc2d062c.htmlDenver7, “Deductions for Colorado's paid family, medical leave program begin in 2023” - https://www.denver7.com/news/politics/deductions-for-colorados-paid-family-medical-leave-program-begin-in-2023Colorado’s Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) program - https://famli.colorado.gov/TAKE ACTION with Bossed Up - https://www.bossedup.org/takeactionBossed Up Courage Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/927776673968737/Bossed Up LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/groups/7071888/

With the uncertain state of the economy right now, money is on most people’s minds. Now is the perfect time to explore why our finances are so much more than “just numbers,” and how intricately emotions and money intertwine.My guest, Aja Evans, is a financial therapist and the author of the new book, Feel Good Finance. After noticing how often people in therapy sessions breeze past their money stresses, she set out to make talking through our financial concerns more commonplace. This one is certain to resonate—Aja’s insights left me feeling like I’d just had a cathartic therapy session myself.Identify your financial priorities and values with Aja’s expert advice:Why we need to consider our childhoods when thinking about money;How we can talk about money with our kids to set them up for their own financial futures;The hefty, wide-ranging impact of financial trauma (and why we need to address it);How to start figuring out our basic needs and making brave changes to get aligned.Related Links:Learn more about Aja’s work - https://ajaevanscounseling.com/Get a copy of “Feel Good Finance” - https://bookshop.org/p/books/feel-good-finance-untangle-your-relationship-with-money-for-better-mental-emotional-and-financial-well-being-aja-evans/21301669Connect with Aja on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ajaetherapy/Listen to Hidden Brain, “Rewrite Your Money Story” - https://hiddenbrain.org/podcast/money-2-0-rewrite-your-money-story/TAKE ACTION with Bossed Up - https://www.bossedup.org/takeactionBossed Up Courage Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/927776673968737/Bossed Up LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/groups/7071888/

As a leader, how can you tackle disengagement on your team? Employee engagement is in crisis, and it’s costing more than just morale. According to Gallup, only 31% of the American workforce is engaged at work, while a staggering 17% are actively disengaged—cynical, vocal, and dragging others down with them. This unfortunate reality takes a toll on worker mental health, and also poses a full-blown productivity problem, with real financial consequences.In this episode, I unpack the latest findings from Gallup’s workforce engagement surveys and look at how leaders can leverage it as a blueprint for creating meaningful, motivating work environments. From setting clear expectations to building genuine connections and offering real opportunities for growth, we explore the practical ways to shift your team’s momentum.Take a deeper look at what the numbers say about leading your team to maximum impact:What the generational divide in employee engagement might reveal;Why it’s not as simple as blaming remote work for worker disengagement;How expectations create the foundation for a more engaged workforce.Related Links:Book Emilie to speak at your event - https://www.emiliearies.com/Episode 265, How to Set Clear Expectations As a Leader - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode265Episode 376, How to Make Performance Reviews More Effective as a Manager - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode376Episode 407, How to Delegate Without Feeling So Bad About It - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode407Episode 452, Redefining Success: Women and the Fight for a Fair Economy - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode452Episode 483, Can You Be Friends At Work? - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode483Episode 489 How the Cost of Childcare Has Become a Workforce Issue, https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode489Gallup, U.S. Employee Engagement Sinks to 10-Year Low - https://www.gallup.com/workplace/654911/employee-engagement-sinks-year-low.aspxGallup 2025 State of the Global Workplace Report - https://www.gallup.com/workplace/349484/state-of-the-global-workplace.aspxGallup, The Benefits of Employee Engagement - https://www.gallup.com/workplace/236927/employee-engagement-drives-growth.aspxGallup, The Q12 Employee Engagement Survey - https://www.gallup.com/q12-employee-engagement-survey/LEVEL UP: a Leadership Accelerator for Women on the Rise - https://www.bossedup.org/levelupBossed Up Courage Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/927776673968737/Bossed Up LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/groups/7071888/

What would happen if you stopped pursuing a career destination and focused instead on the best direction? Too often, we find ourselves checking the “right” boxes to get the best degree and climb the corporate ladder, only to find ourselves unfulfilled as we near the top. There’s something wrong with that picture.Megan Hellerer, the author of “Directional Living: A Transformational Guide to Fulfillment in Work and Life,” joins me to talk about the approach she has adopted and the one she now teaches. Directional living is about recognizing that human beings change over time. It’s about eschewing a Final Destination and the resulting roadmap and instead focusing on what aligns with our lives and goals as we go through life.Embrace Megan’s individualized approach to constructing a fulfilling life and career:Why the American Dream just isn’t serving us anymore;Why we can’t define fulfillment by society’s limiting perception of success;How recalibrating your inner thermostat can help you start living directionally;Why the idea of “failure” is overrated and what to focus on instead.Related Links:Buy “Directional Living: A Transformational Guide to Fulfillment in Work and Life” by Megan Hellerer - https://meganhellerer.com/directional-living-bookLearn more about Megan’s coaching - https://meganhellerer.com/work-with-meConnect with Megan on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/meganhellerer/LEVEL UP: a Leadership Accelerator for Women on the Rise - https://www.bossedup.org/levelupBossed Up Courage Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/927776673968737/Bossed Up LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/groups/7071888/

What separates a good manager from a great leader—and why does it matter for your career? The important difference between these two mindsets is often overlooked, but recognizing and honing a leadership approach can help land you the promotion, raise, or amazing new job you deserve.In this episode, I share three key dimensions where making the shift from a management to a leadership mindset really lets you shine. Through practical examples and workplace scenarios, I explore how leadership isn't about abandoning managerial skills and their inherent structure—it's about thinking more broadly, connecting more deeply, and pushing for change when it counts. From writing memos to preparing a presentation, anyone can start zooming out, questioning the status quo, and influencing outcomes at a higher level.Think big-picture with these little mindset shifts:The difference between being task-focused and people-focused;The benefits of shifting from execution to innovation;What it means to do the right thing, not just do things right;How to sharpen your leadership mentality in any situation.Related Links:Stanford Advancement of Women in Medicine - https://drive.google.com/file/d/19mNpvWVeiD6yWSZMf42deJqjvZoVqJKj/viewLeadership Development and DEI Training for Teams - https://www.bossedup.org/forteamsHerminia Ibarra on Women and Vision - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBYTlKnLSMk&t=249sEpisode 308, How Women Leaders Can Win in Male-Dominated Workplaces - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode308Episode 344, What Confidence Really Is and How to Cultivate It - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode344Episode 356, How to Think Like a Leader Rather Than a Manager - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode356LEVEL UP: a Leadership Accelerator for Women on the Rise - https://www.bossedup.org/levelupBossed Up Courage Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/927776673968737/Bossed Up LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/groups/7071888/

What can you or your organization do to make the workplace more inclusive for people with autism?Recently, RFK Jr., the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, attracted considerable criticism following his disparagingly blanket statements about people with autism. Many people in the autism community lead fulfilling lives full of love, joy, and productive work—despite the hapless and hopeless depiction of this population that RFK shared. This is an excellent moment to draw attention to my conversation with Amanda Kelly, the president and CEO of Firefly Autism and one of the founders of the groundbreaking Colorado Neurodiversity Chamber of Commerce (CNDCC). It’s impossible not to look at our growing talent shortage in this country and ask: why aren’t we hiring neurodivergent and autistic people? In this episode, Amanda dives into how we can all make our workplaces more welcoming for neurodivergent individuals, who make up one-fifth of our population. Whether you’re neurodiverse or neurotypical, Amanda’s jaw-dropping stats and pursuit of equity will inspire you:Learn about the shocking lack of career resources for autistic adults;Discover how organizations can make their workplaces more inclusive, for neurodivergent people and beyond;Break down the ongoing issues of neurodiversity and inequities in diagnosis; Understand the unique gender component of autism and its impacts.Related Links:Firefly Autism - https://fireflyautism.org/Colorado Neurodiversity Chamber of Commerce - https://www.cndcc.org/Connect with Amanda on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-d-kelly-d-psych-2b5957a0/RFK Jr., “Autism destroys families” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPxTnX1sgJc“Addressing the ‘Cliff’ for Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorder” - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33539916/NYT, “The Dangerous Race to Put More Children to Work” - https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/24/opinion/editorials/arkansas-child-labor.htmlAutism Recovery Network, “Why Is the Autistic Unemployment Rate So High?” - https://autismrecovery.sg/why-is-the-autistic-unemployment-rate-so-high/Episode 390, How to Manage ADHD in the Workplace - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode390TAKE ACTION with Bossed Up - https://www.bossedup.org/takeactionBossed Up Courage Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/927776673968737/Bossed Up LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/groups/7071888/

How could the SAVE Act send us tumbling back to the Suffragette era? This bill that’s pending review in the Senate could jeopardize voting access for up to 69 million American women. It would require all voters to prove citizenship with a passport or birth certificate in order to register to vote, which is a big problem for anyone who’s name has changed since birth—including through marriage—as well as anyone who doesn’t have easy access to such documentation.In this episode, I take a closer look at whether the concern from women and voter rights activists across the country is legitimate or overblown. Spoiler alert: it’s worse than I imagined.Make sure you’re in the know about this major threat, including:The specifics of the SAVE Act;The challenges that make this legislation so alarming to women’s and voter rights activists;How you can make your voice heard to prevent this bill from becoming law.Related Links:5 Calls, “Oppose the SAVE Act (H.R. 22) - A Voter Suppression Bill - Passed House” - https://5calls.org/issue/save-act-voter-suppression/Congress.Gov, Find Your Members - https://www.congress.gov/members/find-your-memberRead the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act - https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/22Politico, “The House Passed the SAVE Act. What Comes Next?” - https://www.politico.com/newsletters/weekly-score/2025/04/14/the-house-passed-the-save-act-what-comes-next-00288458CAP, “The SAVE Act Would Disenfranchise Millions of Citizens” - https://www.americanprogress.org/article/the-save-act-would-disenfranchise-millions-of-citizens/YouGov, “Adults under 30 are more likely than older Americans to have a current U.S. passport” - https://today.yougov.com/travel/articles/46028-adults-under-30-more-likely-have-us-passportNPR, “Will the SAVE Act make it harder for married women to vote? We ask legal experts” - https://www.npr.org/2025/04/13/g-s1-59684/save-act-married-women-vote-rights-explainedCAWP, “Gender Gap: Voting Choices in Presidential Elections” - https://cawp.rutgers.edu/gender-gap-voting-choices-presidential-electionsKaroline Leavitt Defends GOP's SAVE Act Amid Uproar - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZ_qkZdiBgkDemocratic Women’s Caucus, Maxine Dexter discusses her amendment -  https://www.instagram.com/reel/DICD8rhRjEQ/TAKE ACTION with Bossed Up - https://www.bossedup.org/takeactionBossed Up Courage Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/927776673968737/Bossed Up LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/groups/7071888/

How do you deal with feelings of betrayal and resentment in the workplace?Chances are, you have experienced hurt feelings at work. The problem is, much of the corporate world revolves around the idea that the office and boardroom are no place for feelings. So, what do you do when emotional wounds begin to impact your ability to even carry out your job?Tara Mohr has thought long and hard about this question. The author of Playing Big: Practical Wisdom for Women Who Want to Speak Up, Create, and Lead acknowledges that office tension can deeply affect our well-being. She joins me to delve into what her research and years of coaching have revealed about the best way to address hurt feelings honestly and professionally, so you can continue to cultivate holistic satisfaction in your work life and beyond.Discover how to navigate hurt feelings at work mindfully, including:How to accept the reality of hurt feelings, even in the workplace;The four-step framework Tara uses to help her clients address their sense of betrayal or hurt at work;Why we need to deal with hurt feelings before making significant career changes.Related Links:Download Tara’s F.O.U.R. Process journaling worksheet - https://www.taramohr.com/four-process/Learn more about Tara and her work - https://www.taramohr.comConnect with Tara - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tarasmohr/Buy Playing Big: Practical Wisdom for Women Who Want to Speak Up, Create, and Lead - https://www.taramohr.com/the-playing-big-book/Permission To Feel: The Power of Emotional Intelligence to Achieve Well-Being and Success by Marc Brackett - https://bookshop.org/p/books/permission-to-feel-unlocking-the-power-of-emotions-to-help-our-kids-ourselves-and-our-society-thrive-marc-brackett/9879244?ean=9781250212832&next=tRadical Candor by Kim Scott - https://bookshop.org/p/books/radical-candor-be-a-kick-ass-boss-without-losing-your-humanity-kim-scott/8486942?ean=9781250235374&next=tEpisode 30, Coping with Your Inner Critic: https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode30Episode 323: How to Lead with Emotional Intelligence - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode323  Episode 394, How to Recover from Workplace Bullying -  https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode394LEVEL UP: a Leadership Accelerator for Women on the Rise - https://www.bossedup.org/levelupBossed Up Courage Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/927776673968737/Bossed Up LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/groups/7071888/

How might public policy positively impact our drastically declining birth rate?President Trump has suggested that all new parents receive a one-time $5,000 payout in the hopes of encouraging people to have more children. You likely had some kind of strong reaction to this statement. Whether that was surprise at a Republican recommending a social support, concern about forcing people to have more kids, or annoyance at how insignificant an amount is on the table—you’re definitely not alone. It’s clear that people are having fewer babies these days. But it’s the reasons behind this fact that are sometimes in question and need to be addressed. In this episode, I take a closer look at, and share my thoughts on, how policy has—and potentially could—impact plummeting birth rates in the U.S. and beyond. Consider the interplay between public policy and early childhood care, including:The statistical divide between how many kids women want and how many they’re having;The glaring problems that get in the way of having children in today’s economy;The family-friendly policies we’ve seen proposed, passed, and tabled til now;How far we need to take these initiatives if we want to reverse the birth rate decline.Related Links:Episode 479, America’s Parents Are Not Okay - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode479Episode 489, How the Cost of Childcare Has Become a Workforce Issue - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode489Episode 495, New Prenatal Leave Law Benefits Pregnant Workers in New York - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode495Episode 451, The Impact of Return-To-Office Mandates on Working Moms - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode451Senior Living News, Help Address the Population’s ‘Inverted Pyramid’ - https://www.seniorlivingnews.com/help-address-the-populations-inverted-pyramid/New York Times, American Women Are Having Fewer Children Than They’d Like - https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/13/upshot/american-fertility-is-falling-short-of-what-women-want.htmlNew York Times, Stay-at-Home Parents Work Hard. Should They Be Paid? - https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/03/upshot/paying-for-parenting.htmlNew York Times, An Interview with Andrew Yang - https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/12/podcasts/the-daily/andrew-yang-democratic-debate.htmlAbby Care, Get Paid to Care for Your Family in Colorado - https://www.abbycare.org/blog/get-paid-to-care-for-your-family-in-coloradoPopulation and Development Review, The Gender Revolution: A Framework for Understanding Changing Family and Demographic Behavior - https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1728-4457.2015.00045.xCompact Magazine, The Failure of Feminist Natalism by Darel E. Paul - https://www.compactmag.com/article/the-failure-of-feminist-natalism/TAKE ACTION with Bossed Up - https://www.bossedup.org/takeactionBossed Up Courage Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/927776673968737/Bossed Up LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/groups/7071888/

Were the 1990s really the “girl power” era of women’s empowerment we remember?If you were “coming of age” or raising young girls 30 years ago, you probably remember the tumult of scantily clad celebs and brand-backed messaging ostensibly celebrating women’s empowerment. Sophie Gilbert, an author and The Atlantic staff writer, dives into just how empowering this period really was in her new book, Girl on Girl: How Pop Culture Turned a Generation of Women Against Themselves, which drops today.On today’s episode, Sophie leads us through her lightbulb moments and research for the book, exploring the social messaging that planted some pretty problematic ideas in the minds of young and teenage girls and people of all genders. This is an important history to examine, as is the question of how we avoid the same missteps in the future.Start talking about the real past and critical future of feminism, including: How we were fooled into believing sexual power was the only kind we could possess;Why the goal of commercial feminism changed so drastically from the early to the late 90s;How we can start to claim the power we deserve (even when it feels like we don’t have the time).Related Links:Order your copy of “Girl on Girl: How Pop Culture Turned a Generation of Women Against Themselves” - https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738003/girl-on-girl-by-sophie-gilbert/Learn more about Sophie’s work - https://www.theatlantic.com/author/sophie-gilbert/Follow Sophie on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/sophiegilbertwrites/“Becoming the Third Wave” by Rebecca Walker - http://www.tonahangen.com/wsc/hi215/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/RW3rdWave-2.pdf“The End of Men” by Hanna Rosin - https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-end-of-men-and-the-rise-of-women-hanna-rosin/15539438“Backlash: The Undeclared War Against American Women” by Susan Faludi - https://bookshop.org/p/books/backlash-the-undeclared-war-against-american-women-susan-faludi/8728966“The Power” by Naomi Alderman -  https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-power-naomi-alderman/114254“Holding It Together: How Women Became America's Safety Net” by Jessica Calarco - https://bookshop.org/p/books/holding-it-together-how-women-became-america-s-social-safety-net-jessica-calarco/20583065TAKE ACTION with Bossed Up - https://www.bossedup.org/takeactionBossed Up Courage Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/927776673968737/Bossed Up LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/groups/7071888/