{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"The Emotional Labor Podcast - Mary Beth Ferrante","description":"I was introduced to Mary Beth Ferrante through a colleague in the professional organizing industry, and I\u2019m so glad to have had this conversation with her. Mary Beth is the founder of Wrk360, a mom of two, a daughter of aging parents, and an entrepreneur with a deep passion for reimagining the workplace. She\u2019s an expert on the intersection of unpaid care work and paid work\u2014the kind of work that shows up in your job description\u2014and she has a lot to say about why this matters. During our conversation, Mary Beth shared a jaw-dropping statistic: caregiving contributes $1.9 trillion to the GDP, but its value remains largely invisible. Why? Because caregiving work itself is so often invisible. And this lack of recognition ripples out into the workplace, especially for women. Mary Beth laid out the stark realities: 79% of new moms are less likely to be hired, and 50% are less likely to be promoted. These numbers are depressing, but they highlight the urgent need for change. What I love about Mary Beth\u2019s work is that she\u2019s not just pointing out the problems\u2014she\u2019s actively designing solutions. One idea we discussed is the concept of a re-onboarding program for employees returning from maternity leave. Think about it: when a woman comes back to work after having a baby, she\u2019s stepping into the workplace with a whole new identity. She\u2019s not just an employee anymore; she\u2019s now a working mom. And while, yes, every mom is a working mom\u2014whether paid or unpaid\u2014the workplace rarely acknowledges this profound transition. Imagine a workplace where her return is supported with a thoughtfully co-created transition plan. It\u2019s a plan that acknowledges how much her life has changed while also ensuring that her team is ready to support her success. This kind of approach not only helps her stay engaged on the job but also increases the likelihood she\u2019ll stay with the company. Mary Beth\u2019s vision for the future of work is one where emotional labor, caregiving, and workplace equity aren\u2019t afterthoughts but central to how we design policies and cultures. Our conversation was inspiring, eye-opening, and filled with practical takeaways for anyone looking to support caregivers\u2014at work and beyond. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! Here is a link to download a quick quiz on the mental load: Rebalance the Mental Load to Reduce Overwhelm - Are YOU Ready? Mary Beth's LinkedIn: https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/mbferrante\/ ","author_name":"The Emotional Labor Podcast","author_url":"https:\/\/linktr.ee\/drreginaflark","html":"