Ask Women and Work Question: I’m considering taking a huge leap into a totally different industry. I’m worried about taking such a big risk though. What steps should I take to do this in a smart way?First, you should validate whether this new industry is the right place for you. If you’re going to make a big career change, you want to make sure you’re really happy at the end of it because it can take a lot of work to get there.
In your question, you say, ‘a huge leap.’ If you tell your brain you’re taking a big risk, your brain is going to resist that, because we are biologically wired for safety. So, think instead about small experiments that can get you closer to where you want to be.
One last thing: Make sure you’re financially safe. It can take a long time to get into a new industry, and it can be messy. You want to make sure you’re not causing financial anxiety and stress when you’re trying to make a big life change. Workplace mental health programs aren’t delivering the expected outcomes, experts say Kate Ashton, a Calgary-based HR professional and executive partner of Salopek & Associates, cites numerous studies, notably from Sun Life Financial and Telus Corp. Health’s mental health index, that show 60 per cent of employees report mental health challenges, yet only 30 per cent feel their workplace provides adequate support.
Alberta’s ruling United Conservative Party is openly hostile to DEI and climate initiatives, and federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, Canada’s likely prime-minister-in-waiting, repeatedly uses the word “woke” as a pejorative while promising to undo the signature piece of climate policy produced by the current Liberal government.