Money Matters: Coworkers, Code switching, and I need a promotion

Happy Monday Ladies!

This month is pure focus on us. Selfish, I know.

When you begin working in any organization predominantly co-ed or female oriented, the fangs and claws come out either early upon arrival or just in the thick of changes.

As a woman, it is fairly easy to build a rapport with your fellow colleagues. There are some coworkers that become more than just colleagues, they become life long friends who you can talk with beyond work. In the same token, there are some colleagues that want to be on that level with you too but yet there is just something about them that tells you no in your spirit.

When it comes to your productivity, the health of the environment you work in essentially can add to your money or take away from it. Hence, code switching.

The term “Code switching” was coined from the 1960’s switchboard operator profession where in order to connect call a phone plug was manually placed in the appropriate jacks to connect two parties.

Fast forward to present day, after being saturated in work culture we immediately switch our personas upon entrance into an office to connect with all different walks of life. Many people do not have the same customs of manners we may have or just have this way to turn us off from socializing. We immediately put ourselves under immense pressure to subject ourselves to book smart morons or less cultured street smart connoisseurs. Some understand the struggle and others struggle with your normal excel sheet. Then God said let there be code switching.

I’ll admit I code switch everyday all day. Just for peace of mind not to curse (I don’t like cursing FYI) someone out or coming out of character because I have bills to pay and debt to get rid of. Code switching is usually established once you learn the unpleasantries of a work team and or environment.

Coworkers should come with an employee fact sheet but they don’t so to have a better environment as an employee here are somethings you should observe from the gate:

• What is the “work culture” when the work is half way completed?
• Do coworkers help each other or is everyone for self?
• Who is the seasoned veteran who doesn’t want any changes?
• Who is the office annoyance?
• Who is or are the office gossiper(s)?

• Who has excess privilege in the department?
• Who is the office minion?
• Who is the manager’s or CEO’s Olivia Pope?
• Do complaints trickle back down from HR to the parties whom they were made for?
• Do weekend chronicles come back into the office as headlines?
• Do you find yourself more fatigued as you step into the building or more so when you leave?

Now let’s say you’ve been at the company now for some time and it’s promotion season. You’ve been eyeing a particular position or even expecting a raise. Have you curated your game plan? Notice how I didn’t say create.

People create when there is a need, others curate what is present and use it to their advantage.

Through this time how have you marketed yourself? Have you maximized on certain opportunities? Have you brushed up on old talents? Have you even scouted yourself to other organizations? (Counter offers). If not, CODE SWITCH:

Girl, what is you doing?!!

Some of us women are too damn smart, talented, and well-organized to be caught up in a box of a position at a company that may not even show us lick of appreciation. Now I’m not saying quit and start a movement. I’m calling you out to code-switch and connect yourself correctly. Network, go to seminars, curate the proper conversations, tap into other industries. Because if that promotion comes what are you going to do with it beside try to stash some money that you may just end up spending on that sale at that store or that trip you may or may not get approved time for (tapped into my personal closet for a second there)…And if it doesn’t, again what are you going to do with what you do have?

Girl, we know better, let’s do better.

Let up the suicide doors
This is my life homie, you decide yours– Kanye West- “Can’t tell me nothing”