Why Following This Professional 'Rule' is Getting in the Way of Workplace Happiness

By Rachel Sugar

If you follow a certain line of conventional wisdom, you won't mention your husband to your coworkers, and if you leave early to pick up your kid, or your parent, or your grandfather, you'll keep that information discreetly to yourself.

You're a professional, the thinking goes — don't do anything to jeopardize that. Especially if you're female.

> Find a manager job
> Find a research job

The fear makes sense: women — particularly women of child-bearing age — are still up against assumptions that they'll ultimately choose their families over their careers. "We'd love to offer her this opportunity, but she probably wants to spend time with her kids, so..." And why offer her a promotion, when she'll probably have a baby and leave?