5 Reasons Women Need A “Work Wife”
When women champion each other, we all win.
Having a “work wife” means you have a companion at work with whom you share a strong bond. Just like a successful marriage, ‘work spouses’ support one another, they have a relationship built on trust, and can advocate for one another when the other isn’t in the room. And whether you have one special person or a collection of female allies - women supporting women is the path to equity.
Here are 5 reasons, women need a work wife.
Companionship makes you happier
According to the CIGNA 2020 Loneliness And The Workplace Report (yes, that’s a thing) “those with a best friend at work report less loneliness” and “satisfaction with work relationships and companionship makes for happier workers”. You know the old saying “happy wife, happy life.”
Double standards still exist
Many workplaces still burden women with a “Likeability Penalty”. When a study of performance reviews was conducted by Fortune writer, Kieran Snyder, 66 percent of women received negative feedback on their personal style such as “You can sometimes be abrasive,” compared to less than 1 percent of men. Having women advocates to challenge these kinds of stigmatizing descriptors is how we can start to change perceptions.
Everyone can use a “hype woman”
Even the most successful women leaders doubt their own abilities and question their value from time to time. We have all seen the stat from the 2008 Report “A Business Case for Women” that points out that men apply for jobs where they meet 60% of the criteria where women apply when they meet 100%. When you have a hype woman (or women) in your corner, you have someone to remind you how great you are.
Help keep work at work
Venting to your actual spouse, family or friends can put unneeded strain on those relationships. It is hard for those outside of your workplace or profession to have a full perspective to understand what you are going through. A work wife can help you with perspective, but also keep work at work because talking about work when you aren’t at work is truly no fun.
We all need to vent
Many of us are verbal processors and while we don’t condone gossipping, sometimes you need to get negative or frustrating thoughts off your chest in order to move on to more productive conversations. Having someone you trust who can listen with empathy and validate your feelings is what keeps you going when things are challenging.
