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The death of 26-year-old <keyword id="20468023" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="EY" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="EY" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="EY">EY</keyword> employee, Anna Sebastian Perayil, shook the nation last week and people have been talking about the incident on social media. Her mother, in a letter to EY, had blamed “work stress” and said that she hopes no other family has to go through what they faced. Ever since the letter has gone viral, people are reacting to it. While many are saying how having a sense of <keyword id="19901232" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="work-life-balance" source="keywords">work-life balance</keyword> is important, others are lashing out at big companies for overworking their employees. Some experts have also weighed in on the debate, saying that the incident is unfortunate and people need to have compassion. <h2>Experts talk about work-life balance </h2> In a conversation with ANI, Corporate Outbound Expert, Tanmay Pendse, urged the government to introduce clear regulations aimed at managing workplace stress more effectively. “We are training people for the last 15-16 years and through the management activities, we make sure that such sessions are included which helps in reducing the stress. After employees reach home they should spend good time with their family and stay away from mobile phones. I appeal to the government to come up with a specific policy so that these kind of situations can be tackled,” Pendse said. He also recommended the introduction of wellness activities like yoga in companies to help employees unwind and manage pressure. Nikhil Badgujar, an Associate Consultant at Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), reflected on how stress is an unavoidable part of corporate life and has to be managed. He also said that what happened with the EY employee was very unfortunate. “Whatever happened is very unfortunate. People need to understand how to react to stress. Stress is relative, as the stress I am feeling is not the same for the other person. People (need) to understand how to react. I can easily understand this as these things are very common nowadays. We need to think about how we can reduce the impact. This is the only thing we can manage. Stress cannot be avoided but it can be managed. In the corporate world stress is a part of our life. We need to understand how to react to that. We are the solution makers itself." Badgujar said. Anand Kulkarni, a Process Specialist at Infosys, agreed that while stress is prevalent in many workplaces, it can be handled with the right mindset. "Being in the corporate for more than ten years, I have been experiencing and observing a lot of work stress. I handle stress by enjoying the work. Stress does exist in the corporate world but it is all about how you handle it.” Pushkar Aurangabadkar, an educator and author, took a more philosophical approach to the issue, noting that societal pressures often drive people into high-stress environments. "The incident is very painful and it has a lot to do with the kind of aspirations that we have these days. The majority of which comes from the compulsive obsession for owning a lot of things. It is not just the trap of corporate but we also need to consider what makes people get into these traps in the first place.” Aurangabadkar added that fostering compassion and promoting spiritual wisdom could help reduce feelings of isolation and pressure in the corporate world. "But there are means and ways in which this can be handled in a better way and as a society, we should be taking care of it. It depends on corporate culture and as everyone might be aware every company has a different culture. It depends from company to company what kind of culture they have that defines how much pressure is getting instituted in that organisation. But beyond that what I believe is compassion and the longing for spiritual wisdom need to be promoted in society because it can reduce the possibility of such incident. The reason is that beyond the pressure people are facing in corporate, it drills down the compulsion and loneliness that we are facing and the answers to which may lie in the compassion." <h2>EY employee's death shocks nation</h2> Anna Sebastian Perayil, a 26-year-old Chartered Accountant, passed away in July 2024, just four months after joining EY in her first job. Her mother, in a heartfelt letter to the company, attributed Anna's death to extreme work pressure. The letter went viral on LinkedIn last week. Anna’s mother said in the letter that her daughter worked tirelessly, even on her convocation day despite experiencing chest pains. Though doctors found no immediate cause for concern, Anna continued to feel unwell. Her mother added how Anna’s manager would reschedule meetings during cricket matches and assign tasks at the end of the day, dismissing Anna’s concerns about the late-night workload. The letter added that despite her struggles, Anna chose to stay, eager to learn and gain experience, but the pressure proved too much. In her letter, Anna’s mother expressed her deep sorrow, not only at losing her daughter but also at EY's failure to provide support. She also said that none of Anna's colleagues or managers attended her funeral. (With ANI inputs)

Unfortunate incident, compassion needs to be promoted: Experts react to EY employee’s death

With Gen Alpha already leading the latest wave of memes (skibidi toilet, anyone? No one?), it can start to feel like toddlers are learning to scroll before they can walk. With social media turning out to become a massive part of growing up nowadays, Australia has become the first nation to step up with plans to ban it for minors. This has sparked a question that desperately needs to be answered: just how much is too much when it comes to kids on social media? The risks aren’t just rumours. Researchers have been raising red flags for years, suggesting that too much screen time at a young age can have lasting effects. So, let’s take a look at what science has to say about how early exposure to social media affects kids’ minds, moods, and everything in between. <h2>The sleep struggle</h2>It’s not just adult sleep that gets disrupted by blue light — it’s kids’ sleep too, only they’re even more vulnerable. Screens, especially before bedtime, can delay the release of melatonin, the hormone that tells our bodies it’s time to sleep. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children who use screens near bedtime often get less sleep and end up feeling groggy the next day. That leads to more than just fatigue; lack of sleep can also affect kids' learning, memory, and even mood stability. <h2>Scrolling through emotions</h2>The social media effect on mental health is a bit like playing with fire. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, while moderate use can boost self-esteem and help kids feel more connected, too much can tip the scales the other way. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="115056492" title="I&amp;#39;m a mom of 6 and don&amp;#39;t throw birthday parties after age 1. Kids don&amp;#39;t remember them and they are a waste of money." mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>Excessive social media can lead to anxiety, depression, and lower self-worth. Kids may also suffer from FOMO (Fear of Missing Out), as they constantly compare themselves to the perfect-looking snapshots of others. Imagine dealing with that pressure before you even hit high school — it’s no wonder it’s causing stress for young minds. <h2>Attention span on shuffle mode</h2>Social media doesn’t just grab kids’ attention; it keeps it on a fast-paced rollercoaster. Research from multiple regions, including India, shows that children who spend a lot of time on social media might find it harder to stay focused on tasks without instant rewards. The endless cycle of quick likes and notifications can make schoolwork and even daily routines feel sluggish by comparison. Think of it as training kids’ brains to expect rewards on a constant, rapid-fire basis — something that real life just doesn’t offer. <h2>Virtual friends vs. real connections</h2>Kids might feel like they have tons of friends online, but are those connections as meaningful as the ones they’d make in person? UCLA researchers found that kids who spend a lot of time online may struggle to develop strong social skills in real life, like reading body language and empathy. This doesn’t mean that social media is all bad; for marginalised kids or those who have niche interests, it can provide a sense of belonging and community. But the danger is when those virtual friendships start replacing real ones, making it harder for kids to connect offline. <h2>Cyberbullying and online harassment</h2>The internet has its darker sides too, and cyberbullying tops the list. According to the Cyberbullying Research Center, more than half of adolescents have experienced cyberbullying in some form. Unlike traditional bullying, which might stop once the school bell rings, online bullying can follow kids home, affecting their mental health long-term. Kids who face bullying online are more likely to experience depression, anxiety, and even thoughts of self-harm, making the need for boundaries even clearer. <h2>Body image battles</h2>Apps like Instagram and TikTok are fun — but they can also be a trap for body image issues, especially for girls. A study published in the Body Image Journal found that young girls who frequently use social media are more likely to experience body dissatisfaction. When kids see a constant feed of “perfect” lives and appearances, they can start to feel that they don’t measure up, even if they’re barely old enough to understand the concept of self-esteem.<h2>To post or not to post?</h2>Despite the risks, social media isn't all bad. When used responsibly, it can be a powerful tool for learning and creativity. These platforms can enhance creative expression and provide educational content that supports academic growth. For children with special interests or those who feel isolated, online communities can offer a sense of belonging and support. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="115028734" title="I was a teen dad on food stamps. Now that I&amp;#39;m a multimillionaire, teaching my kids to appreciate money is really difficult." mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>As we continue to integrate technology into every aspect of our lives, understanding and mitigating its impacts on our youngest members becomes ever more crucial. F or parents and caregivers, the key lies in setting boundaries, fostering open communication, and guiding children to navigate the digital world thoughtfully. Australia’s stance might just be the catalyst needed to inspire similar protective measures worldwide, ensuring that children can enjoy the benefits of technology without falling prey to its pitfalls.

Scrolling to doom? Here's what happens to kids when they are exposed to social media early in their lives

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="22528669" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="workplace-bullying" source="keywords">Workplace bullying</keyword> erodes confidence and <keyword id="19956983" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mental-health" source="keywords">mental health</keyword>, impacting personal and professional lives.</li><li>One subtle sign of workplace bullying is being "<keyword id="23013097" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="managed-out" source="keywords">managed out</keyword>" by your superior.</li></ul><keyword id="23013098" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Stefanie-Costi" source="keywords">Stefanie Costi</keyword> left her job as a junior lawyer at a law firm, citing PTSD. It took her two years to talk about it, but when she finally did, her post on LinkedIn blew up. It reached 1.2 million people, and she received more than 2,000 messages thanking her for speaking out. "So I knew that it was universal across all different industries," Costi told Business Insider. She continued advocating and sharing more posts about how <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/signs-of-toxic-workplace-how-identify-spot-interview-2024-3">toxic dynamics manifest in the workplace</a>, such as being "managed out" by your superior. Now, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/stefanie-costi/">she has 48,000 followers</a> and a TED Talk in the works. <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/work-wife-threw-me-under-bus-raise-put-up-boundaries-2024-1">Workplace bullying</a> is a critical issue, Costi said, because it impacts someone's entire life. "When people are bullied at work, it erodes their confidence, damages their mental health, and can even spill over into their personal lives," she said. "Addressing it is essential to fostering work environments where people can thrive, innovate and feel valued, rather than being undermined and diminished." <h2>Toxic cycles are perpetuated</h2>According to a landmark survey in 2019 of 7,000 lawyers across 135 countries <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.ibanet.org/Bullying-and-sexual-harassment">by the International Bar Association</a>, bullying is rife in the legal profession, particularly in Canada, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. The survey found that around one in two female and one in three male respondents said they had been bullied at work. Costi said she thinks these toxic cycles persist because "humans are flawed." "When you put 50 humans in a workplace, all from different walks of life, all raised very differently, all with different attitudes on things, you can't expect it to go swimmingly all the time," she said. The problem also perpetuates if leaders ignore it because "monkey see, monkey does," Costi added. "So if someone is saying that bullying is the way to survive and senior people are doing it, then you better believe that the young folk are going to learn how to do it too," she said. "A fish rots from the head down." Costi said many signs of workplace bullying can be subtle, but they tend to be consistent. They can include being excluded from meetings or social gatherings after work, constantly criticized, micromanaged, or given unrealistic deadlines. "These actions, when persistent, create a hostile environment that gradually erodes your confidence and well-being," said Costi. "If you start to feel anxious about going to work, it's a big red flag." <h2>A workplace bully pushes people out</h2>Another sign of bullying is the act of being managed out, which is when an employee is systematically pushed out of their role through insidious tactics — being given impossible tasks, receiving unfair performance reviews, or being excluded from key projects. "You're being managed out of your job if everything you do is suddenly micromanaged," Costi said. "Or you're being given impossible tasks with unrealistic deadlines, or your boss doesn't give you the tools to do your job, or you are excluded from important meetings, or your achievements are constantly ignored or downplayed, or your position or similar roles are advertised externally." The result is the employee feels "demoralized," Costi said, and questions their own competence. "Which is precisely the outcome the bully desires," she said. "It's a manipulative strategy that slowly forces the victim to leave the organization 'voluntarily,'" Essentially, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/signs-of-narcissistic-boss-2023-11">a toxic boss</a> will opt to push out the employees they no longer want around rather than learn to work with them. To do this, Costi said they <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/5-signs-of-a-toxic-workplace-and-you-should-quit-2022-3">make the workplace miserable</a> by never providing help or praise, dismissing achievements, and making their reports feel guilty for asking for basic things such as guidance or advice about career progression. Costi said they also openly play favorites and move goalposts, leaving their targeted employees confused and frustrated. "It just escalates so that those subtle signs turn into more overt signs," Costi said. "What happens is people's confidence is eroded over time, so it's like a death by a thousand cuts." This slow drip of mistreatment over time is so damaging because it leads the victims to blame themselves. It's hard for them to vocalize anything tangible that is being done to them, so they internalize it. It attacks "the core of who they are," Costi said, which can lead to chronic stress, anxiety, depression, and a significant loss of self-esteem. "Over time, this <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/health/mental-health/toxic-workplace">toxic environment</a> creates a sense of helplessness and hopelessness, making it hard for the person to see a way out," she said. "The psychological damage can extend far beyond the workplace, affecting relationships, sleep, and overall quality of life." For many, the only obvious option may be to leave. Costi said this isn't the only choice people have, but it is "the healthiest one." "Especially if the toxicity is pervasive and leadership is unresponsive," she said. "However, before making that decision, it's crucial to document your experiences, seek support from trusted colleagues or mentors, and explore all avenues for resolution, such as HR or legal advice," Costi added. "In some cases, standing up to the toxicity can lead to change, but it requires a great deal of courage and support," she said. "Ultimately, your mental and physical health should be the top priority." Correction: August 27, 2024 — An earlier version of this story misstated Stefanie Costi’s previous job. She was a junior lawyer at a law firm, not a senior partner.

Being managed out at work is a type of bullying. This is what to do about it, according to a lawyer.

<ul class="summary-list"><li><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/madison-marsh-air-force-miss-america-duties-photos-2024-5">Madison Marsh</a> is bridging the divide between the US military and pageantry.</li><li>As Miss America and a US Air Force officer, she aims to dispel long-held misconceptions about both.</li></ul>The US military and beauty pageantry are often seen as polar opposites — one known for toughness, discipline, and combat readiness, and the other for elegance, grace, and competition for a crown.Madison Marsh, a US Air Force second lieutenant and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/air-force-officer-madison-marsh-crowned-miss-america-photos-2024-1">Miss America 2024</a>, is on a mission to show that the two worlds are not so different.Marsh spent the last year in both crown and sash and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/air-force-officer-madison-marsh-crowned-miss-america-photos-2024-1">USAF uniform</a>, serving as an active-duty officer and pageant titleholder. In an interview with Business Insider, the 23-year-old said she'd used her platform to show there's no conflict between being a military officer and a beauty contestant."A lot of people don't understand what military services are, or maybe they have some of the outdated views on how the Air Force used to operate," Marsh said. "Now I'm getting to change the idea of showing people that the Air Force is rebranding itself. We are in a new phase where the Air Force is inviting others to take charge of their passions outside of the uniform."Marsh said she is also urging people to look beyond the glitz and glam of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/vintage-photos-of-miss-america-beauty-pageants">Miss America</a> to see the deeper purpose behind the century-old competition."We often have to explain to people how pageants aren't stereotypically what people believe them to be," she said. "The pageant, as in Miss America, that I compete in is about community service, leadership, and public speaking — all of these core skills and values that hold to be true in the Air Force as well."<div type="image" title="Madison Marsh salutes with Joe Biden on a large videoscreen in the background" height="665" width="999" msid="113966827" hostid="261" sizebytes="22442"></div>Breaking these long-held stereotypes was not one she "actively" wanted when she became the first active-duty officer to be <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/miss-colorado-madison-marsh-crowned-miss-america-air-force-harvard-2024-1">crowned Miss America</a>, she said."I didn't step into this role trying or actively wanting to break those stereotypes. I was simply just doing something that I loved," she said. "In the process of being authentically me and ensuring that I still did all the things that I loved, I was able to break some of those stereotypes and show people that if you have passion in different areas, even if they're conflicting with one another, you can still get it done."Nonetheless, the task came easily to her, she said, as she drew on her own fears and uncertainties prior to attending the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/every-uniform-us-air-force-academy-cadet-issued-2023-8">US Air Force Academy</a> to quell those in <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-new-air-force-cadets-go-through-on-day-one-2021-7">potential future cadets</a>.After her win in January, Marsh embarked on a national tour, returning to her hometown of Fort Smith, Arkansas, throwing the first pitch at a Nationals game, and giving her fellow Miss America delegates a tour of the Air Force Academy.Her Miss America title took her overseas as well, speaking with Royal Air Force cadets in the United Kingdom at the world's largest military air show and commemorating the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy, France.And in her 10-month reign as Miss America, Marsh said she is already seeing an impact."This young freshman came up to me with her and her mom, and she told me that she was really considering not going to the [US Air Force] Academy anymore until she had seen that I became Miss America because that showed her that she could still be feminine in and out of uniform, that she could still be herself, that she could still take charge of her outside passions while still serving," Marsh said.<div type="image" title="Madison Marsh smiles for a photo in front of an aircraft displaying &quot;US Air Force.&quot;" height="643" width="1000" msid="113966823" hostid="261" sizebytes="19194"></div>Marsh doesn't have to take up the mantle of representing military women in the world of pageantry alone. In August, 2nd Lt. <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/miss-usa-alma-cooper-army-west-point-pageants-2024-8">Alma Cooper</a>, a US Army military intelligence officer, was <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/new-miss-usa-michigan-us-army-officer-2024-8">crowned</a> <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/miss-usa">Miss USA</a> after a tumultuous year in one of the country's biggest pageants.While the new titleholders haven't connected about their respective wins, Marsh said Cooper is "another great representative who can talk about what it means to be a woman in the Army, and hopefully, that can bring some better recruiting in that area as well."With both <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/miss-usa-miss-america-pageant-differences">Miss America and Miss USA</a> being active-duty officers, Marsh said it's "giving a broader representation of the direction that the military is moving in" — where service members have the freedom to pursue outside passions and interests even if they're high-profile.Beyond pageantry and military, Marsh champions awareness and advocacy for pancreatic cancer, the disease that took her mother Whitney's life when Madison was just 17. She turned her grief into action, founding a nonprofit named after her mother, Whitney Marsh Foundation, assisting in pancreatic cancer research, and pursuing a master's degree in public policy at Harvard Kennedy School, which she deferred until January as she balances pageant duties and active duty.As Marsh approaches her last few months as Miss America, several paths lie before her as she looks to the future — whether it be attending flight school to become an Air Force pilot (she already has a civilian pilot's license), continuing her master's degree to shape future public health policies, or participating in more research and advocacy for pancreatic cancer.<div type="image" title="Madison Marsh sits on the ramp of a C-130J in flight" height="665" width="999" msid="113966828" hostid="261" sizebytes="30540"></div>If there's one thing that people will take away from her reign, Marsh said she hopes she's shown that putting on a uniform — be it crown and sash or flight suit — adds to your identity, not takes away from it."Now we can start to talk about these misconceptions that the general public has, showing that you don't have to give up these vital, passionate parts of yourself to put on that uniform," Marsh said."My passion for serving the pancreatic cancer community still exists when I put on that uniform every morning," she added, "and that's what the military now wants us to move toward: recognizing we don't have to give up these outside passions to still serve."

Miss America Madison Marsh says people just keep getting pageantry and the Air Force wrong

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Cierra Desmaratti worked at Deloitte as an actuarial analyst for a year before getting laid off.</li><li>Desmaratti struggled with Deloitte's hustle culture and felt like she didn't fit in with her peers.</li></ul>This as-told-to conversation is based on a conversation with Cierra Desmaratti, a 25-year-old actuarial analyst from Miami. It's been edited for length and clarity.When I received a call from a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/new-grad-fired-deloitte-made-these-mistakes-2024-8">Deloitte</a> representative saying I'd landed a post-grad job as an <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/actuary-is-the-best-job-in-america-2013-4">actuarial analyst</a>, I was ecstatic. It wasn't just the job; it was the safety that would come with it.I was raised in a low-income family in Naperville, Illinois, and financially supported myself throughout my time at North Central College. Getting this job meant I could finally take a breath and be normal.But I felt anything but normal at Deloitte. I felt like I had to dim my personality to fit in with my peers and struggled to hit my stride in the consulting firm's fast-paced <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-escape-hustle-culture-mental-health-jobs-success-2021-12">hustle culture</a>.Then I got laid off. It was a dark time, but it ultimately made me realize what I deserve from my career.<h2 id="89566fd1-d898-4b73-b6e4-3ee71a0c42ab">I was excited to start at Deloitte but felt out of place</h2>I was onboarded at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/deloitte-pwc-kpmg-ey-big-four-pay-perks-rto-policies-2024-4">Deloitte's Chicago headquarters</a> in September 2021 alongside 80 to 90 fresh hires. I remember looking around at my peers dressed in pressed suit jackets and designer pieces and feeling immediately out of place. The T.J. Maxx clothes I wore had been a splurge, but I no longer felt like they were adequate.I tried making small talk with those around me and quickly realized appearances weren't the only way I stuck out. Everyone seemed to be bonding over their big-name colleges and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/pwc-summer-internship-how-to-get-a-consulting-job-2020-5">Big 4 internships,</a> exchanging anecdotes I simply couldn't relate to.I came from a liberal arts university and had gotten the job through the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.blackactuaries.org/">International Association of Black Actuaries</a>, a close collaborator with Deloitte. During my senior year, I submitted my résumé to the IABA handbook and was chosen by a Deloitte recruiter for an interview. A week later, I'd secured the job. It felt like a dream come true.When my new colleagues asked where I went to school, I'd say North Central College, but they had never heard of it.It seemed like many of my peers had also informally networked with people from their colleges or internships and found housing together in the Chicago area. They came in like a clique, and I felt like the new kid trying to find a place to sit in the cafeteria.I got along with people for the most part in the beginning because we all were just bonding over the excitement of a new job, but I couldn't shake the feeling that I was an outsider.<h2 id="c6321e14-ae4a-473a-88f1-2d9fcb106188">I struggled with the lack of oversight</h2>After a few weeks of onboarding, I started a six-month project as an auditor for a life insurance client.I had a weekly progress check-in with my coach, but I was expected to figure out most of my work independently. My coach was only part-time on my project and made it clear she was busy, so I was wary about bothering her unless it was crucial.Looking back, I regret not advocating for myself.<h2 id="7f74020b-f12d-4ed5-b3d4-feff3ee7f274">I felt like I couldn't be my authentic self</h2>Because my day-to-day tasks were so isolating, I took advantage of every in-person event possible. My department hosted regular <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/scripts-how-to-introduce-yourself-networking-event-professional-meeting-2021-8">networking events</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/work-friends-spouses-loneliness-remote-hybrid-benefits-of-work-connections-2024-6">happy hours</a>, plus a monthly luncheon with a Deloitte leader open to anyone who RSVP'd. These events were something I enjoyed about Deloitte, and I was excited to build some face-to-face connections.But it didn't take long to notice that only traditionally masculine topics seemed acceptable at social events. My colleagues would roar about their sports teams and banter endlessly about March Madness, college football, ski trips they'd taken, and marathons they were running.It made sense that those were topics of conversation because they're socially acceptable hobbies, especially in a predominantly white, male workplace. But I didn't feel like there was space to express my femininity.At one of my first happy hours, I was sitting at a table with colleagues when a senior consultant remarked that intelligent people wouldn't bother engaging in silly things like crystals and astrology. Taken aback but eager to engage in some playful discourse, I mentioned I considered myself intelligent but also quite intuitive and spiritual. The table fell silent until the senior consultant awkwardly acknowledged my comment and changed the subject.That moment, though small, reinforced the idea that my success in the workplace was contingent upon my ability to acquiesce to the social norms. I honestly didn't feel like there was a way to thrive in a more masculine environment without entirely abandoning my femininity, so I tucked away my spiritual, bubbly side.<h2 id="d0e0f516-23a0-4ee5-b55c-fa7d4e042666">Burnout was normalized and joked about</h2>As the busy season ramped up in January, work became all-consuming. I started working 11-hour shifts and immediately felt myself barrelling into <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/seven-types-of-rest-you-need-to-cure-burnout-2024-8">burnout</a>.I didn't feel safe confiding in anyone about my workload concerns because everyone around me seemed to wear their burnout as a badge of honor. I'd see my boss work long hours and hear colleagues laugh off the stress, saying, "That's just Deloitte."I experienced a lot of cognitive dissonance because I wanted to be promoted to my boss's position but didn't want the lifestyle that followed it. I felt guilty for being dissatisfied when I'd been given such a fantastic opportunity at a reputable company.<h2 id="3d94165a-df81-41cf-840b-1547f9c4ccd4">I'd never been so physically and mentally unhealthy</h2>My <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/quit-6-figure-tech-job-mental-health-collapsed-2024-7">mental and physical health</a> went out the window during the busy season. I dropped my hobbies, stopped socializing, and spent the chilly Chicago winter cooped up inside. By the time I'd get off work each night, I was <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/health/conditions-symptoms/why-am-i-so-tired">too tired to do anything</a> except scroll through TikTok in bed.My back ached from being glued to my seat all day, and I relied on snacks to power through stressful assignments. I <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gaining-weight-at-work">gained 20 pounds</a> in just a few months and felt the most physically unhealthy I've ever been.My workload lightened up in March, and by late spring, my coach gave me a performance review. She told me I didn't perform as well on my tasks during the busy months as during my first four months at Deloitte. I was taken aback because I hadn't received any concerns about my performance previously. I felt frustrated knowing I could've made changes sooner if given that feedback.But I still felt scared to communicate that to my coach, so I put my head down and spent the summer focusing on building back stamina and improving my numbers.<h2 id="99b5d6f9-426d-4f4b-9f5d-d36887f0ddc8">I got laid off unexpectedly</h2>In early September, I received a vague email from the department head requesting I join a video call. When I hopped on, he and an HR representative greeted me. I'd been hearing rumblings about <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/consultancy-firms-ey-deloitte-lay-off-underemployed-staff-report-2024-2">recent layoffs</a> throughout the company, so I knew at that moment what was coming next.Wasting no time, the head of the department told me I was being laid off from Deloitte for financial reasons. He said it was a firm decision and passed me off to the HR rep, who walked me through departure protocol. They told me I had 24 hours to log out of my work computer and sign departure documents.It was quick, almost lawyerly. I felt like I had no time to ask questions or push back. It's hard to even recall what happened; I went into a state of shock and felt like I could barely breathe or hear what they were saying.When the call ended, my mind immediately went to the financial blow this would be. I didn't love my job, but my $90,000 salary was my means of survival. I had two weeks' severance and a bit of money in savings, but I had no other job prospects.I cried myself to sleep that night and spent the next day frantically trying to log out of all the programs on my work computer.<h2 id="1605c87d-686a-4cc0-a3ba-021233ff0a14">I moved in with family and spent two months on the job hunt</h2>My lease in Chicago ended in September, so I <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/quit-job-at-meta-bali-trip-moved-into-childhood-home-2024-8">temporarily moved in with family</a> in the South to save money and spend the holidays. I contacted one of Deloitte's hired career counselors to help refine my résumé and apply for jobs. The counselor helped direct me to more actuarial work, for which I'm very grateful.The next two months consisted of applying to jobs and — more importantly — taking space to reflect on my experience at Deloitte. I realized if I wanted to bring my best self to my next job, I needed to fill my cup outside of work. Abandoning my hobbies and social life to pursue professional success hadn't worked. I desperately needed a work-life balance.I also needed a change of scenery. I was tired of the grey-scale, corporate culture of Chicago and wanted to live in a place as unabashedly bold, feminine, and colorful as I am. So when I landed a remote job as an actuarial analyst for Transamerica, I took it as my opportunity to book a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/things-that-surprised-new-yorker-about-miami-florida-2022-1">one-way ticket to Miami</a>.Now that I'm here, I'm moving my body again, dressing in colorful clothes, and exploring Miami's vibrant culture. I feel like I've finally come alive.<h2 id="97afa61a-a42d-4e89-9fa2-2abf35c61ecb">The culture at my new job is the complete opposite of Deloitte</h2>My actuarial work at Transamerica is similar to that of Deloitte, but the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/quit-job-for-double-salary-fired-six-months-later-2024-8">company culture</a> couldn't be more different. My superiors encourage me to leave work at work and I finally have time to nourish my hobbies and relationships.My team is collaborative and close-knit, and I feel like I have a stake in the company. I feel safe showing the team my authentic self and know they'll do the same in return. I've been in this new job for about eight months and feel closer to my entirely remote team at Transamerica than I ever did with the team I saw in person at Deloitte.If I could go back and tell Cierra from a few years ago anything, it would be that you have options. I clung to my career at Deloitte for the safety of a paycheck, but in the process, I completely lost myself and felt more burnt out than ever.I couldn't be happier that I was laid off from Deloitte. It forced me to realize I have the power to choose a lifestyle that fulfills me and forge a career that honors my authentic self.Deloitte representatives did not respond to requests for comment.If you worked in a Big Four firm and would like to share your story, email Tess Martinelli at <a target="_blank" href="mailto:tmartinelli@businessinsider.com">tmartinelli@businessinsider.com</a>

I'm happy I got laid off from Deloitte. The physical and mental toll wasn't worth the paycheck.

This article is part of "<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/workforce-innovation">Workforce Innovation</a>," a series exploring the trends and leaders shaping enterprise transformation.Work doesn't <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/four-day-workweek-workers-showed-up-on-weekends-2023-12">work like it used</a> to.Remote and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/i-chose-higher-paid-job-versus-working-from-home-unsure-2024-4">hybrid work setups</a> are standard — and likely here to stay. Generative artificial intelligence is making its way into many offices, bringing opportunities but also concerns that, as these bots get better, demand for workers might drop.In the C-suite, the rise of roles like chief digital officer and chief data officer reflects the need for diverse skills, from digital transformation to employee wellness and sustainability.Meanwhile, many employers are paying more attention to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/remote-work-fueling-gen-z-job-anxiety-stress-mental-health-2023-12">how employees are feeling</a>. Some leaders are openly <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/equity-talk-the-hartford-leader-addiction-mental-health-insurance-leadership-2023-3">discussing mental-health challenges</a> and ways to manage stress and fight burnout.And despite political pushback against diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, many young people entering the workforce say they <a target="_blank" href="https://www.hrdive.com/news/workers-see-dei-as-a-major-factor-in-job-decisions/693260/#:~:text=In%20the%20firm's%20nationwide%20survey,their%20decision%20about%20a%20workplace.">care about DEI</a>.Business Insider's "Workforce Innovation" series will explore how our jobs are changing by digging into four themes: AI, the changing C-suite, worker well-being, and DEI.As part of the series, we're also convening a Workforce Innovation Board, which will be announced in August. The board will be composed of C-suite leaders from HR, strategy, technology, and DEI. The Board will convene regularly to share insights on the forces driving innovation where we work.Artificial intelligence will be a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/anthropic-ai-jobs-3-years-left-work-agi-2024-6">job killer</a>. AI will become <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/ai-assistants">your digital assistant</a>. AI will <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/openai-researcher-ai-doom-50-chatgpt-2023-5">take over everything</a>. The variety of predictions about what AI will mean for the workplace — and beyond — is wide. And while it's too early to say with certainty how the technology will remake our 9-to-5s, many experts say there will be big changes.AI could help train workers. And it could help weaker performers <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-productivity-boost-job-performance-inequality-economics-2023-11">get better at their jobs</a>. It could help boost overall productivity. As a result, companies are <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/inside-the-ai-hiring-frenzy-big-tech-talent-war-2024-3">fighting for workers</a> who can develop AI models.Daron Acemoglu, an institute professor in the economics department at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, told BI he agreed with the notion that AI could represent one of the biggest changes since the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-birthday-sundar-pichai-ai-internet-history-2023-9">rise of the internet</a>. Yet he said it's unclear how reliable the technology would be at doing parts of — or all of — people's jobs.<div type="image" title="Daron Acemoglu" height="1948" width="1559" msid="110948731" hostid="261" sizebytes="183796"></div>Acemoglu said that some employers rushing to swap people for bots might realize that some AI tools lack the versatility of humans."These models have very limited capabilities," he said. "So if you adopt them too quickly and without enough thought, you might actually not get anything like the productivity boosts that you were expecting."Acemoglu said it's likely some workers — particularly at the high end of the pay scale — would have AI assistants to help them get more done. For others, especially office workers earning middle-class or lower-middle-class incomes, it's unknown how AI might help or hurt."Whether that person is ever going to have any type of help from AI or whether it's going to be his replacement being trained by AI, we'll have to see," he said.The C-suite is <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20240227-how-the-c-suite-got-so-bloated">getting more crowded</a>, and jobs like <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/linkedin-jobs-rise-2024-25-fastest-growing-roles-us-linkedin-news-dxmie%3FtrackingId=qrPyCDiTSMCfSE%252FxL9T3qA%253D%253D/?trackingId=qrPyCDiTSMCfSE%2FxL9T3qA%3D%3D">chief growth officer</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://ceocoachinginternational.com/the-rise-of-specialized-c-suite-positions/">chief AI officer</a> are becoming more common.The rapid evolution of technology requires corporate leaders to elevate more players to the C-suite to help manage it all, according to Ty Wiggins, the global lead of the CEO- and executive-transitions practice at the recruiting firm Russell Reynolds Associates.Increasing amounts of data and the emergence of AI, Wiggins told BI, require companies to have roles beyond chief information officer or chief technology officer. It wasn't long ago, he said, that tech functions might have simply fallen under a chief operating officer or a chief financial officer.<div type="image" title="Ty Wiggins" height="1501" width="2001" msid="110948727" hostid="261" sizebytes="68158"></div>Corporate chiefs now need to have closer connections to different aspects of the business — especially emerging ones like AI, Wiggins said."If that function is not reporting directly into you, you are two steps away from something that's moving so quickly that has a significant impact on the organization and your performance as CEO," he said.Wiggins, the author of "The New CEO," said the C-suite continues to shift away from a place focused on reporting about various aspects of a company to becoming the "top team" tasked with helping the CEO solve the biggest problems facing an organization."The C-suite is no longer just a reporting body," he said. It's not enough for CFOs to pump out financial reports or the head of human resources to lobby for increased hiring, Wiggins said."There is an enormous pressure now on C-suite executives to really move from being a technical expert to a technical leader of other experts and to join the C-suite in a way that means that they can contribute to the other functions," he added.The well-being of workers has drawn greater attention since the pandemic. Many employees report feeling stressed out. And various mental-health challenges are hitting workers — and businesses, as a result. Depression and anxiety alone sap the global economy of an estimated <a target="_blank" href="https://www.who.int/health-topics/depression#tab=tab_2">12 billion productive workdays</a> each year, the World Health Organization says, adding that the annual cost of that reduced output totals almost $1 trillion.Carly Holm, the founder and CEO of Humani HR, a consulting firm, told BI that challenges around workers' mental health are bigger than ever. Yet, as the problems grow, more companies are looking at narrower interventions over a one-size-fits-all program, like offering counseling services that not everyone will want to use."A gym membership may be great for some people, but other people may not be interested in going to a gym," she said.<div type="image" title="Carly Holm" height="3769" width="3648" msid="110948725" hostid="261" sizebytes="325812"></div>A better approach, Holm said, is talking to employees about their needs. Often, this involves something that's not expensive or even difficult to implement, such as flexible work schedules. Or it could involve offering wellness days in addition to vacation days.Business leaders often consider extra days off a major expense, she added. But that extra time away, Holm said, is correlated with improved productivity and business performance."Having that flexible workplace so that people can kind of merge life and work, I think, really goes a long way," she said.Employers also can adjust policies that might not be working, Holm said. Unlimited paid time off sounds great, but if workers don't use it, they lose the chance to recover. Instead, she said, setting a minimum PTO might be a better approach. Some employers, Holm said, are telling workers they need to take a week or two in a row — and not just a day or two here and there."They see the value and getting their employees to unplug," she said."The data is clear: When your employees are healthy, when they are happy, they're going to work better," Holm said.DEI feels like a buzzword gone bad. Companies that a few years ago were happy to talk about their efforts to make their workplaces more equitable are now far less likely to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/audio/2023-09-22/corporate-dei-mentions-drop-to-lowest-level-since-2018-audio">mention DEI</a> in quarterly earnings calls. Some companies have also been <a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/02/20/corporate-diversity-job-cuts/">cutting DEI jobs</a>.It's a notable about-face. DEI initiatives rose toward the top of many corporate to-do lists after George Floyd's murder in 2020 and the racial reckoning that followed. Between 2020 and 2021, the role of chief diversity officer was the fastest-growing title in the C-suite. But by 2022, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/whos-vaulting-c-suite-trends-changed-fast-2022-george-anders/">hiring started to slip</a> for such jobs, according to LinkedIn data. In the years since, DEI has become a political wedge."There's a clear backlash right now," Regina Lawless, the former head of DEI at Instagram and author of "Do You," told BI.<div type="image" title="Regina Lawless" height="1001" width="1334" msid="110948733" hostid="261" sizebytes="90748"></div>She said companies would have to choose how they want to continue to do this work. Lawless said companies were right to ask about the impact of their DEI efforts because some initial steps, like creating coursework on race, could amount to little more than papering over a problem."A lot of companies just went at it in a performative way," she said. "We just throw in an employee resource group and think that's going to solve the very real issues of people from different backgrounds not having equitable experiences in the workplace."Lawless said that as Gen Z took on a larger role in the workplace — they're expected to outnumber boomers among full-time US workers in 2024 — employers would have to be more thoughtful about addressing DEI. That's what many young workers are expecting, she said.To progress and move beyond performative measures, companies will need to look under the hoods of the systems they use to hire, develop, promote, retain, and pay workers, Lawless said. Some of these procedures are leading, even if unintentionally, to inequitable outcomes, she said. In other cases, some people in charge simply have undue power, Lawless added."When you give your managers too much discretion, and there aren't checks and balances, that's when bias has the opportunity to creep in," she said. Lawless added that managers needed training on inclusive leadership to get the most from diverse teams.To move forward, Lawless said, more employers will need to dig deeper into the data and ensure that DEI teams are not the only ones tasked with promoting equitable experiences within an organization. It will have to become a shared responsibility, she said."The future of DEI," Lawless said, "does need to be more diffuse."

The forces reshaping our jobs are coming faster than ever

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The director of the Office of Dietary Supplements doesn't take daily supplements.</li><li>He prioritizes getting enough nutrients by eating a healthy diet, but this isn't always possible.</li></ul>The US' top supplement expert doesn't typically take any himself.Stefan Pasiakos is the director of the Office of Dietary Supplements at the National Institutes of Health, a federal body that assesses the latest <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/vitamins-dietary-supplements-not-worth-buying-dietitians-2023-7">scientific evidence on supplements</a> to strengthen public understanding. He told Business Insider he's not anti-supplement, but takes a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/supplement-expert-doesnt-take-supplements-eats-vegan-2023-11">food-first approach</a> to his health."I do feel that my diet provides an adequate amount of the important nutrients in order to meet requirements and maintain my health. So I don't see a need right now for dietary supplements," Pasiakos said.He supports taking supplements if there's a biological need and an individual isn't meeting that requirement with food, or there's strong evidence for a potential health effect. For instance, people who don't eat animal products are generally advised to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/b12-vegan-vegetarian-diet-algae-supplements-2023-7">take vitamin B12</a>. But, the most important thing, he said, is that a person meets the dietary guidelines for macronutrients (protein, fat, and carbs) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) by following a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/foods-live-10-years-longer-longevity-diet-study-2023-11">healthy diet</a>, which he is able to do most of the time.However, when Pasiakos is very busy and knows his diet will suffer, he leans on three supplements to ensure he's getting all the nutrients his body needs."I know life is challenging and there are plenty of times, especially with my current position where I'm traveling all the time and I know full well that my diet won't be adequate," he said.<h2 id="b0db2d91-08b6-49b8-9d58-3932f9402410">Multivitamin and mineral supplement</h2>When he's traveling, Pasiakos knows that he won't eat enough fruits and vegetables, so he occasionally takes a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/multivitamins-for-memory-older-adults-benefit-2023-10">multivitamin and mineral supplement</a> to fill in the gaps. "I want to make sure that I meet those important nutrient requirements," he said.Taking a multivitamin increases the amount of nutrients a person gets, but the jury is still out on whether it can provide other health benefits.A 2022 study by researchers at Columbia University and Brigham and Women's Hospital found that taking a multivitamin daily for three years appeared to improve older adults' cognition and memory.Meanwhile, a review of studies published in the same year by the US Preventive Services Task Force found no evidence that multivitamins prevent cardiovascular disease or cancer.And earlier this year, researchers at the National Cancer Institute looked at data on 390,124 American adults and found no evidence that multivitamins <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/invest-day-exercise-boost-longevity-aging-expert-physiologist-2024-8">boosted longevity</a>.However, there's no strong evidence to suggest that they are harmful, and it's not uncommon for people to take them as a sort of nutritional insurance.<div type="image" title="vitamin supplements" height="600" width="800" msid="113633035" hostid="261" sizebytes="27596"></div><h2 id="b0da2010-1d2f-412f-9dbe-e6551c1eb16c">Fiber supplement</h2>Pasiakos sometimes takes a fiber supplement, such as <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-fast-psyllium-husk-works-immediate-impact-effect-gut-2023-12">psyllium husk</a> or inulin, when he's traveling.Fiber, which is found in plant foods, feeds the "good" microbes in the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gut-health-boost-overall-digestion-better-moods-2024-7">gut microbiome</a>, the trillions of bacteria, viruses, and fungi that live in the colon lining. These microscopic creatures influence overall health and are thought to impact everything from how well you can fight off a cold to your mood. Fiber is also essential for smooth digestion.Taking fiber supplements, however, isn't the same as getting it from food sources as they don't contain the vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that fiber-rich foods do, according to Mayo Clinic. But they can be helpful for people struggling to consume enough.Fiber supplements can cause bloating and gas, at least at first, and people with stomach problems should talk to a healthcare professional before taking them, according to the clinic.<h2 id="05a37070-a86a-4f9f-86d6-60652be26261">Protein supplement</h2>Exercise is very important to Pasiakos and he likes to consume some protein after a workout because the amino acids stimulate muscle repair and recovery, he said.His preference would be to have a<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/high-protein-recipes-for-fat-loss-personal-trainer-dietitian-2024-1"> high-protein meal</a>, but when his schedule makes that impossible, he'll take a supplement."If I know that I'll have a long space or duration between meals or if I know I don't have access to food in and around the exercise session, I'll make sure that I have some form of supplemental protein available for me," he said.He's not picky about the type of protein supplement and said that whey protein, pea protein, plant protein, and even a glass of milk will suffice. "They're all good," he said.

The US' top supplement expert takes 3 —but only when he's busy. They boost his health and help him recover post-workout.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Marjorie Taylor Greene blamed "mental illness, drugs, and evil forces" for the Texas mall shooting.</li><li>The congresswoman repeated right-wing talking points that link antidepressants to mass shootings.</li></ul>Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene blamed "mental illness, drugs, and evil forces" for the <a href="https://www.insider.com/police-respond-shooting-allen-premium-outets-mall-near-dallas-texas-2023-5?_gl=1*12r24si*_ga*OTUzMDc2OTE0LjE2NzM2ODczNTI.*_ga_E21CV80ZCZ*MTY4MzQ0NTQ5NC4yODQuMC4xNjgzNDQ1NDk2LjU4LjAuMA..">mass shooting at a Texas mall</a> that killed eight people on Saturday.The congresswoman re-posted a graphic video purportedly showing the deceased shooter lying in a pool of blood on Twitter and wrote: "This is exactly what this monster deserves."She doubled down on the claims that mental health and drug addiction were to blame for mass shootings.Greene called for the federal government to partner with states for mental hospitals and drug rehab centers, to fund the criminal justice system, and to study SSRIs and "other factors that cause mass shootings." The Georgia Republican repeated the right-wing talking point that<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mtg-and-tucker-carlson-mass-shootings-ssris-antidepressants-explained-2022-7"> links antidepressants to</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mtg-and-tucker-carlson-mass-shootings-ssris-antidepressants-explained-2022-7"> mass shootings</a>. Psychiatrists say there is little evidence to suggest the medications could increase homicidal tendencies. The Texas mall shooting suspect, who also died, has not yet been named, and it is unclear whether he suffered from mental health issues or drug addiction.Greene, a staunch defender of gun rights, did not mention guns or gun control laws.It has not yet been reported whether the shooter legally obtained the gun used in the shooting.<div type="image" title="People walking in line with hands up next to an Allen, Texas, police cruiser." height="2023" width="2698" msid="100050367" hostid="261" sizebytes="191490"></div>Authorities responded to a shooting at Allen Premium Outlets — a mall near Dallas, Texas — around 3:40 p.m, Insider reported. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/texas-congressman-keith-self-chicago-riots-allen-texas-mass-shooting-2023-5?r=US&amp;IR=T">Allen Fire Department Chief Jonathan Boyd told a press conference</a> that seven people were found dead at the scene, while two more died after being transported to hospital.Seven others were also injured, according to the fire chief. <a href="https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/crime/investigation-underway-reported-shooting-allen-outlet-mall/287-4ff8ca1b-ae70-4c6d-b491-1f2eb41cebaa" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">WFAA-TV reported</a> that some of the victims could include children. Data has shown that between 1966 to 2019, 77% of mass shooters purchased at least some of the weapons used in the shootings legally, according to<a href="https://nij.ojp.gov/topics/articles/public-mass-shootings-database-amasses-details-half-century-us-mass-shootings#note1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> the National Institute of Justice</a>.There have been at least 199 mass shootings in the United States so far in 2023, according to the <a href="https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gun Violence Archive.</a>

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene said 'mental illness, drugs, and evil forces' are to blame for Texas mall shooting

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Dr. <keyword id="12052715" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="jerome-adams" source="Orion">Jerome Adams</keyword>, the former <keyword id="11923164" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="surgeon-general" source="Orion">surgeon general</keyword>, practices medicine in Indiana and continues to be outspoken about public health.</li><li>Adams spoke to Insider informing the public, saying officials must be more transparent about when kids can get vaccinated.</li><li>"They keep moving the goalposts on us [regarding vaccine authorization for kids] and that's further hurting confidence," he said.</li></ul>Last year, Dr. Jerome Adams, the former surgeon general, became a familiar presence to millions of Americans as they watched then-President <keyword id="11914386" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="donald-trump" source="Orion">Donald Trump</keyword>'s briefings during the earliest weeks of the coronavirus pandemic.Adams, a 46-year-old anesthesiologist who grew up in rural St. Mary's County, Md., and rose to become the Indiana State Health Commissioner before being tapped by Trump to serve as surgeon general in 2017, saw firsthand how communicating effectively with the public about <keyword id="11893994" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="covid-19" source="Orion">COVID-19</keyword> was critical."I think that one of the lessons learned from the pandemic is that we absolutely need more communications professionals working with scientists to message the information that goes out there," he said. "I think it's important to appreciate the challenges and the mistakes that have been made in communication throughout the course of this pandemic."Adams, who like most medical professionals learned about the evolving nature of the coronavirus in real time, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/former-surgeon-general-says-cdc-premature-ease-mask-rules-delta-n1274313">has been candid</a> about his regret <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/americans-dont-need-masks-pence-says-as-demand-increases-2020-2">in advising against masks</a> earlier in the pandemic when there was less knowledge about the spread of the virus from asymptomatic carriers.After leaving government in January, Adams now practices medicine in the Indianapolis area and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trumps-surgeon-general-jerome-adams-florida-ban-mask-mandates-2021-8">has continued to be outspoken</a> about public health issues, especially as it relates to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sarasota-county-florida-school-board-defies-desantis-coronavirus-mask-ban-2021-8">the debate</a> over school mask mandates."At some point, the virus forces our hand to move beyond <keyword id="11893346" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="politics" source="Orion">politics</keyword> and really deal with whether or not we want virtual school for the rest of the year or whether or not we want in-person school with masks," he said.Adams recently spoke with Insider about his time as surgeon general and the ongoing fight against COVID-19.Questions and answers have been edited for brevity.Insider's John L. Dorman: Right now, the US still has a significant number of people who have chosen not to get vaccinated (53% of the total population, equaling 176 million people, <a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccinations_vacc-total-admin-rate-total">are fully vaccinated as of Sept. 6</a>). What additional measures can the government employ to fight vaccine hesitancy?Jerome Adams: Recently, I think they have done a very good job of pushing back against misinformation. I've been saying for quite a while that there needs to be a concerted effort to push back against some of the misinformation out there, particularly on social media.I do think that they need to be a lot more transparent about what's going on with the [Food and Drug Administration]. The largest group of people who are unvaccinated in many communities right now remains people who are under 12. Right now, they keep moving the goalposts on us [regarding <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/parents-pleading-have-kids-under-12-vaccinated-for-covid-19-2021-8">vaccine authorization for kids</a>] and that's further hurting confidence because there doesn't seem to be transparency about what's taking so long.They could also find and lift up representatives from the communities that are the most hesitant. So for instance, I can't name one prominent Republican who the Biden administration has embraced and said, "Hey we want you out there speaking about vaccines." They rarely have a Black or Hispanic or Native American doctor out there speaking at their press conferences, and I think that's a real deficit in their response.JD: You were part of the <keyword id="12052716" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="white-house-coronavirus-task-force" source="Orion">White House coronavirus task force</keyword> and played a public role in the national response when there was so much uncertainty. What were those initial weeks like?Adams: I was the [Indiana] health commissioner during the Ebola outbreak. I knew what it would be like to be in this situation, and it was all the more frustrating to not have had a more coordinated media and communications strategy to the public after we saw what happened with Ebola.In February and March of 2020, I was talking with the NAACP and the National Medical Association in trying to raise the alarm that COVID-19 was going to disproportionately hit Black and brown people. I worked with groups to tell them that the virus would affect people in poor health and among lower socioeconomic groups particularly hard.<div type="image" title="Trump Task Force" height="3416" width="5120" msid="86035375" hostid="261"></div>JD: How did you feel like your message was received?Adams: It was heartbreaking, quite frankly, to see it play out the way that it did, because you know, from a scientific point of view, I saw it coming. It was frustrating because in many cases, the pitch was not heard the way I wanted it to be heard, because people only saw the guy standing next to President Trump.They didn't see the Black man who fought and overcame so many challenges just to become a doctor after growing up poor and in a rural area. They didn't see the person who spent his entire career really fighting for health equity. They saw "Trump's Surgeon General" and that caused people to discount, dismiss, or just distrust anything that I said in that space. It seemed like no matter what I did, it was received in a politically charged way and not in a way that I intended or hoped.JD: In May, the Centers for Disease Control <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cdc-says-fully-vaccinated-people-can-drop-masks-most-places-2021-5">announced</a> that fully vaccinated people could forgo masks in most situations. However, just weeks later, with the rise of the Delta variant, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cdc-director-mask-decision-weighed-heavily-on-me-2021-7">masks were once again recommended in areas of high-transmission</a>. Do you feel like the earlier mask guidance was premature? Adams: I defended the <keyword id="11896083" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="science" source="Orion">science</keyword> behind their decision at the time because it was based on the Alpha variant. I still think it was premature and rolled out in a way that didn't allow for messaging to help the public understand that ... "Hey, this is what we believe to be true right now, but it could change."I certainly feel in hindsight, it was a turning point in this epidemic. It really came across to me and a lot of others that the current administration said "We defeated COVID" and it's time to move on. And the country moved on. I think in many ways they created a lot of this pushback that now we're having to deal with ... with people pushing back against masking, because they're thinking ... "Hey, you told us that if we just got vaccinated, no more masks."The science at the time can say that something is true, but even so, it can still be the wrong decision to make in terms of messaging and politics. <div type="image" title="Jerome Adams" height="3712" width="5568" msid="86035376" hostid="261"></div>JD: School mask mandates have become a polarizing issue, with legal challenges <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/texas-mask-mandate-woman-lawsuit-greg-abbott-schools-2021-8">popping up</a> across the country. What do you see as a resolution?Adams: Lawsuits over mask mandates will ultimately revolve around who has the authority to protect individuals. Is it the local school officials or the governor? You're going to actually start to see some civil lawsuits from people who are endangered by some of these decisions that clearly go against science, especially if someone ends up in the hospital or dies after getting exposed. Ultimately, that's what's going to help decide this. I think the other thing is that the virus ultimately determines what's going to happen. What we're seeing right now is that all these debates happened. And then guess what? Communities became overwhelmed and schools have started to shut down. If half of your class is out in quarantine or your teacher is out isolating because they caught COVID-19 from someone at school, then you functionally cannot stay open no matter what the governor or local officials say.JD: Some virologists have said that it remains unclear if booster shots are needed by a large swath of the population, especially as the two-shot Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines are still highly effective at preventing hospitalization and death, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/when-will-we-need-covid-booster-shots-vaccines-2021-6">even if the protection wanes over time</a>. What are your thoughts?Adams: The main advantage of these vaccines is that they help prevent severe disease and hospitalization. These vaccines still work incredibly well for that purpose. What the CDC and FDA are saying is that we're seeing decreased immunity and a decreased ability to prevent mild disease in people infected with the Delta variant. That is true. That said, there are a lot of doctors out there, myself included, who think that we need to be more focused on preventing severe disease and hospitalization in people who've not received one vaccine dose versus preventing mild disease in people who've already got two doses of the vaccine. The [World Health Organization] has <a href="https://thehill.com/changing-america/well-being/prevention-cures/568528-who-blasts-plans-for-vaccine-booster-shots-as">said</a> that it is actually immoral from their standpoint for Americans to be getting a third vaccine when the rest of the world is still waiting on their vaccine. So there is a science part to this, and then there's a morality/ethics/political part. The science part to this is, "Hey, in a perfect world, if we see the effectiveness of vaccines at preventing even mild disease, then we should be talking about offering boosters." But in an imperfect world, you have to ask yourself, "Where do you get the most bang for your buck from that vaccine dose?"I think it's inarguable that you're going to get more bang for your buck by giving shots to a 10-year-old who has not been vaccinated or someone in Africa or India who had no vaccine immunity over giving a third dose to someone in the US who's still got pretty darn good protection from hospitalization and death.

Trump's former Surgeon General Jerome Adams says Biden officials must be more transparent to combat vaccine hesitancy

<ul class="summary-list"><li>President Biden described school closures and <keyword id="624" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Women">women</keyword> leaving the workforce as "a national emergency."</li><li>"I think it's time for <keyword id="37180" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="schools">schools</keyword> to reopen safely," he said during a CBS interview.</li><li>Biden voiced concern about the <keyword id="6354774" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Mental-health">mental health</keyword> crisis that has been accelerated by the pandemic.</li></ul>President <keyword id="99719" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Joe-Biden">Joe Biden</keyword> said <a href="https://twitter.com/CBSEveningNews/status/1358525595571924994">in an interview</a> that aired on Sunday that long-term school closures and women leaving the workforce during the coronavirus pandemic are "a national emergency."While speaking with "CBS Evening News" anchor Norah O'Donnell at the White House, Biden also voiced concern about the <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-00175-z">mental health crisis</a> that has been accelerated by the <keyword id="8763838" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="covid-19">COVID-19</keyword> pandemic.O'Donnell noted that roughly 20 million schoolchildren have been out of the classroom since for almost a year, and <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/covid-crisis-3-million-women-labor-force/">a recent CBS News report</a> showed that nearly 3 million women have dropped out of the labor force since last year."It is a national emergency," Biden said of all three issues. "It genuinely is a national emergency."When asked if schools should reopen, Biden stressed that they should reopen cautiously."I think it's time for schools to reopen safely," he said. "Safely. You have to have fewer people in the classroom. You have to have ventilation systems that have been reworked.""Our CDC commissioner [Rochelle Walensky] is going to be coming out with science-based judgment, within I think as early as Wednesday as to lay out what the minimum requirements are," the president added.Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/biden-white-house-transition-team-administration-remotely-workouts-2021-2">Inside the 7-minute virtual workouts the Biden transition team used to stay connected as staffers prepared to demolish Trump's policies</a>Last month, Biden <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/biden-pandemic-plan-coronavirus-vaccines-testing-schools-2021-1#first-100-days-reopen-the-majority-of-k-8-schools-12">signed an executive order</a> for the Departments of Education and Health and Human Services to devise guidelines to reopen schools safely within his first 100 days in office.Biden said that he and his staff have had to get a handle on the work left by former President Donald Trump's administration when it came to the rollout of <keyword id="79555" type="TECHNOLOGY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Vaccines">vaccines</keyword>.Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top US infectious-disease expert, said, in order <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fauci-us-vaccine-rollout-timeline-million-people-per-day-2021-1">to reach herd immunity</a>, about 75% of Americans will need to be vaccinated.O'Donnell said CBS News calculated that it would take until the end of 2021 to reach that level at the current vaccination rate of 1.3 million doses a day."We can't wait that long," Biden said. "One of the disappointments was when we came into office is the circumstance relating to how the administration was handling COVID was even more dire than we thought. We thought that indicated there was a lot more vaccine available, and that didn't turn out to be the case. That's why we've ramped up everywhere we can."He added: "But the idea that this can be done and we can get to <keyword id="2147226" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="herd-immunity">herd immunity</keyword> much before the end of this summer is very difficult."Since the pandemic began in the US, nearly 27 million people have been infected and over 463,000 people have died, <a href="https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/">according to the latest data</a> compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

Biden describes closed schools and women leaving the workforce as 'a national emergency'

This story orginally published on April 13, 2022 and was updated on January 30, 2023.Like many working moms, my workweek is calibrated with militaristic precision. I know exactly how long I can devote to each meeting and task and still have the bandwidth to do the afternoon soccer carpool, cook dinner, and help with homework at night. Which is why last Wednesday threw me off my game. I was on a tight deadline, but my mind was preoccupied with my younger daughter. She'd told me about some social dynamics at school that I didn't like the sound of, so I'd scheduled a parent-teacher conference. Over Zoom, her teachers and I had a constructive — albeit emotional — conversation. Once that meeting finished, I had another over Zoom with my team, all while my deadline loomed. But the earlier conversation kept replaying in my head. I struggled through my afternoon, distracted and distraught. Needless to say, it was not my most productive workday. Like <a href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/famee.htm">43 million other workers</a> in this country, I'm navigating the demands of a full-time career and parenthood roughly three years into a pandemic. It's always been a juggling act for my husband and me to keep track of our daughters' school projects, sports schedules, and extracurriculars, while also doing our jobs and living our adult lives. But since the pandemic, we're also attending to our kids' social-emotional health in ways we hadn't anticipated.Apparently, we're not alone. A <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2023/01/24/parenting-in-america-today/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">large new survey by Pew Research Center</a> has found that American parents are finding the job much more difficult than they anticipated with mental health concerns topping the list of parental worries. Roughly 40% of US parents with children younger than 18 say they are extremely or very worried that their children might struggle with anxiety or depression at some point. Meanwhile, <a href="https://www.childrenshospitals.org/news/childrens-hospitals-today/2022/03/childrens-behavioral-health-greatly-affects-adult-workforce" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a survey from last year</a> conducted by Nationwide Children's Hospital found that more than half of working parents said they'd missed work at least once a month and/or had their workdays interrupted to deal with their child's mental health. Between 30% and 50% of parents also said in the survey that they were distracted at work by thoughts about their child's well-being, perhaps owing to the <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/2782796">mental-health challenges</a> so many kids are facing."Parents have always experienced psychological interference during their workdays, but it's harder now because the demands on them are greater," said Stew Friedman, a professor emeritus at The Wharton School and an expert on work-life integration. The upshot: Today's working parents are under enormous pressure, and their stress has quickly gone from leaking into their professional life to crashing through the floodgates. It's up to employers, experts say, to help working parents manage their priorities and offer flexibility to face this daunting reality. "The world feels a lot scarier than it used to, and kids are experiencing a lot of anxiety and stress," Friedman said. "As a parent, it requires so much of your mind — even when you're working."<h2>What is feels like to be a working parent right now</h2>The mental load of parenting — which refers to the invisible work involved in keeping children functioning and a household running — is immense. Research has shown that <a href="https://web-assets.bcg.com/img-src/BCG-Lightening-the-Mental-Load-That-Holds-Women-Back-Apr-2019_tcm9-217471.pdf">mothers</a> tend to carry a particularly heavy burden. Avni Patel Thompson, the founder and CEO of <a href="https://www.joinmilo.com/">Milo</a>, an app for working parents to tackle the challenge, identified four "roles" associated with mental load: human database, project manager, problem-solver, and chief memory maker. The human database remembers the kids' shoe sizes and the pediatrician's phone number. The project manager keeps track of who needs to be at the doctors' appointments and baseball practice. The problem-solver remembers to register for camp or school and drafts contingencies if plans backfire. And the chief memory maker — which sounds a little squishy but is arguably the most important, Patel Thompson said — creates moments of joy along the way."Time with your kids is super precious, and when you're a working parent, you may only have a couple hours together every day," she said. "There's work involved in figuring out — how are you maximizing that quality time?"<div type="image" title="Mom comforting child" height="4252" width="4252" msid="97466988" hostid="261" sizebytes="2766604"></div>Today, amid the pandemic, mental load may include a fifth fundamental: psychological ninja. <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/2782796">Research</a> suggests that children's depression and anxiety rates might have doubled since the start of the pandemic. And in October, the US Preventive Services Task Force, a group of government-backed experts, <a href="https://affiliate.insider.com?postID=624cbce5884de65a4a5e380c&amp;site=bi&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wsj.com%2Farticles%2Fchildren-as-young-as-8-should-be-screened-for-anxiety-experts-recommend-11649775734">advised that all children be screened for anxiety</a> starting as young as 8 years old. It marks the first time the panel has made such a recommendation."As parents, we have to pay close attention and notice things, and then go through the iterative process of checking in with our children," said Leslie Forde, the founder of <a href="https://momshierarchyofneeds.com/about/">Mom's Hierarchy of Needs</a>, a consulting company that conducts research around maternal self-care and devises family-friendly policies for employers. In March 2020, Forde embarked on a research project that now includes 2,700 parents, mainly moms, centered around the pandemic's effect on people's work and lives. One of her primary findings is that parents today have a fierce and deeply felt concern over the mental health and well-being of their children, in addition to their own needs for greater mental-health support. <a href="https://wellness.osu.edu/sites/default/files/documents/2022/05/OCWO_ParentalBurnout_3674200_Report_FINAL.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Roughly two-thirds of parents of children under 18</a> met the criteria for burnout, according to research at Ohio State University published in May. Those results are based on a survey of nearly 1,300 parents."Our kids need more from us than perhaps they ever have," Forde said. "And their needs are coming at a time when many parents, and especially moms, feel overwhelmed, fragile, and exhausted."<h2>How organizations and managers can help ease the burden</h2>There are no easy solutions to such complex challenges. But experts say there are ways that organizations and individual managers can relieve some of the burden.Recognizing the pressures that exist for working parents right now is a good starting point. After all, it's not always easy for workers to bring up these issues. A <a href="https://www.paychex.com/articles/human-resources/mental-health-at-work-during-covid19">Paychex survey</a> of more than 1,000 full-time workers found that about half of all employees said they felt uncomfortable talking to their managers or supervisors about mental-health issues. That's why expanding employee benefits, such as mental-health resources, caregiving, and sick leave, is so critical, Forde said. Employers must also heighten the awareness around the available benefits.<div type="image" title="Sad little girl sitting in school stairs." height="3424" width="4566" msid="97466992" hostid="261" sizebytes="279520"></div>Managers should take the opportunity to rethink expectations around availability and workload."The pandemic is still a constant source of strain, and few parents have the mental energy to be 'always on' at work," Forde said. "Employers need to be understanding when caregiving needs interrupt the workday and provide flexibility." Even if flexibility is not an official company policy, individual bosses can check in often and offer accommodations to help their working parents navigate demands on the home front, she said."Then if a child needs something — including emotional support or to be taken to a medical appointment, for instance — employees are more likely to have the time and resilience to be responsive and present for their families without feeling guilty," Forde said. There are ways that working parents can help themselves, too. Sarah Peck, the founder of Startup Parent, a community for women executives, recommended that working parents try to be more transparent about their needs at work and what their kids are going through. At the very least, she said, they need to build and maintain clear boundaries for when they're available and when they're not. "Use calendar blocking and use it liberally," she said. "And if you're going to speak to your child's teacher or therapist, give yourself time to regroup and recover. It's going to be emotional." (That's a lesson I learned the hard way last Wednesday.)Parents also need to cultivate their own support networks. These communities may include therapists and mental-health professionals, as well as fellow parents who understand the pressures.Importantly, she said, working parents need to be self-compassionate."What our children need from us changes, and the roles we need to play for them change," she said. "It's not always something we can anticipate. Remember: You're doing the best you can."

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