The Pool's Empty and Betty Sue's Giving The Ick

Terry Crews? Ok, Boomer...

Pop the tab on something cold and settle in — it's time for another round of Drinks After Work!   This time, we're talking all about: * Ageism in the workplace — the slipperiest form of discrimination * How it hits men and women differently (looks vs. jokes) * The myth that older workers aren't tech-savvy (spoiler: they've adapted through every tech revolution) * Why your resume might be getting auto-rejected before a human ever sees it * The "overqualified equals old, under qualified equals young" trap * What to actually do when you experience age discrimination at work   In this episode, Shannon and Deborah dig into the sneaky reality of ageism at work — the discrimination nobody calls out because it's always disguised as "culture fit" or "overqualified." They break down how it hits women through looks (gray hair, wrinkles = old) and men through jokes ("okay, boomer") that erode credibility. They share the AARP stats on age-related workplace assumptions, bust the myth that older workers can't handle tech (Shannon's been adapting since DOS), and call out the recruiters who demand graduation dates on resumes just to filter people out. Plus, tipsy tips for protecting yourself: don't put graduation dates on your resume, only list the last 12 years, document everything on a personal computer, and know what the EEOC can do for you.   So sip, swig, or chug — and get ready to: * Take graduation dates and old jobs off your resume * Document every age-related joke or assumption on a personal device * Know the seven protected classes and what qualifies for an EEOC complaint * Stop letting people erase your decades of experience and adaptation * Push back on the "overqualified" code word for "too old" * Take care of yourself — nobody else is going to   Because it wouldn't be Drinks After Work without the drinks, here are the FAB: Deborah: Sunny D — Jameson Orange, sour mix (or lime juice), simple syrup, orange juice, and club soda (or Sprite if you want it sweeter). Shannon: Lemon on Lemon — Limoncello, lemonade, and vodka. Shake it up icy, top with club soda or 7 Up.   Find all our drink recipes and more at our website [https://www.drinksafterworkpodcast.com/].   Resources: * AARP Report on Ageism in the Workplace [https://www.aarp.org/work/age-discrimination/age-bias-survey-2026/] * EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) — eeoc.gov [http://eeoc.gov/] * Drinks After Work Substack [https://substack.com/@drinksafterwork]   Be part of the Learning Rebels Community. Continue the conversation while building connections and capability. Learn more here [https://learning-rebels-network.mn.co/].   Join the Coffee Chat conversations Be part of Learning Rebels live Coffee Chat Discussions! Sign up here [https://learningrebels.com/coffee-chat/].     Hire Learning Rebels. When you need learning that sticks, we’ll fight to make performance results happen. Visit the Learning Rebels website [https://learningrebels.com/] to learn more.   Hosts: Shannon Tipton [https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannontipton/] & Deborah Harris [https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborahgharris/]   Podcast produced by: Obsidian Productions [https://www.obsidian-productions.com/]

Forced Cruises and...Only Four Parachutes!?

Pop the tab on something cold and settle in — it's time for another round of Drinks After Work!   This time, we're talking all about: * Soft off days — the new way employees are reclaiming their time * Why working from home means walking the dog at 2 PM is fair game * The corporate hypocrisy of "time theft" * How layoffs and exploitation have groomed this kind of employee * The trade-off between loyalty, pay equity, and flexibility * Tipsy tips for working remotely from places you "shouldn't" be   In this episode, Shannon and Deborah dig into the Fast Company article about "soft off days" — when remote workers take an hour or two for themselves without telling anyone. Whether it's a yoga class, a load of laundry, or walking the dog, employees are quietly reclaiming time that companies have been quietly stealing for years. Shannon, surprisingly, is fully on board. Deborah plays devil's advocate with the payroll tax and legal implications, but they both land in the same place: companies have groomed this kind of employee by underpaying, overworking, and revoking the flexibility they promised. So if you're gonna work from Paris, just remember — don't change the time on your computer, get a VPN, and schedule your emails to make it look like you're working late.   So sip, swig, or chug — and get ready to: * Take that 2 PM dog walk without the guilt * Schedule your Slack messages and emails to look like you're online * Remember that "time theft" goes both ways * Treat yourself to brunch on a Wednesday — you earned it * Set up a VPN if you're working from somewhere you "shouldn't" be * Stop apologizing for taking care of your mental health *   Because it wouldn't be Drinks After Work without the drinks, here are the FAB: Deborah: Lavender Mimosa — Lavender syrup, fresh orange juice or lemonade, champagne or prosecco, garnish with something pretty. Shannon: Tropical Martini — Mango puree, pineapple juice, passion fruit juice, and vodka. Shake it up for that Hawaiian punch vibe.   Find all our drink recipes and more at our website [https://www.drinksafterworkpodcast.com/].   Resources: * Fast Company: "Soft Off Days" article [https://www.fastcompany.com/91528048/no-one-knew-i-was-in-a-different-time-zone-the-workers-who-travel-play-tennis-and-do-chores-on-the-clock]   Be part of the Learning Rebels Community. Continue the conversation while building connections and capability. Learn more here [https://learning-rebels-network.mn.co/].   Join the Coffee Chat conversations Be part of Learning Rebels live Coffee Chat Discussions! Sign up here [https://learningrebels.com/coffee-chat/].     Hire Learning Rebels. When you need learning that sticks, we’ll fight to make performance results happen. Visit the Learning Rebels website [https://learningrebels.com/] to learn more.   Hosts: Shannon Tipton [https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannontipton/] & Deborah Harris [https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborahgharris/]   Podcast produced by: Obsidian Productions [https://www.obsidian-productions.com/]

Toxic Boxes and Temper Tantrums

Pop the tab on something cold and settle in — it's time for another round of Drinks After Work!   This time, we're talking all about: * The toxic boss profiles you'll recognize immediately (the temper-tantrum thrower, the spotlight hog, the gaslighter, the rule-maker) * Triangulation — when your boss talks about you instead of to you * How toxic bosses are literally making employees sick (it's not just stress, it's chronic health damage) * Why HR's "engagement surveys" are missing the point entirely * The waterfall effect of bad bosses creating more bad bosses * How to protect yourself when you're stuck under one   In this episode, Shannon and Deborah break down the science (and the pettiness) behind toxic bosses. The article they reference says 75% of workers think their boss is the most stressful part of their workday — and that stress doesn't stay at work. It follows you home, wrecks your weekends, and shows up in your body. They share their own war stories with triangulation, gaslighting, write-ups built on twisted conversations, and bosses who demand spotlight while making you do their work. But this isn't just a vent session — they get into how to actually protect yourself: document everything (on a personal device), bring facts over feelings, and don't go in hot unless you've got another gig in the shadows.   So sip, swig, or chug — and get ready to: * Recognize the toxic boss profiles before they wreck your health * Document everything on a personal device (not the work computer) * Lead with facts over feelings when escalating to HR * Throw their own expectations back at them when they don't follow their own rules * Take advantage of ethics hotlines and anonymous reporting if you have them * Protect your mental and physical health — this is a ripple effect   Because it wouldn't be Drinks After Work without the drinks, here are the FAB: Deborah: Cooper's Hawk Moscato — Floral, sweet, with hints of peach, melon, and orange blossom. Shannon: Classic Mojito — Rum, lime, mint, sugar, and a few pieces of fresh fruit for spring.   Find all our drink recipes and more at our website. [https://www.drinksafterworkpodcast.com]   Resources: * Forbes: Toxic Bosses Are Making Employees Sick—And The Evidence Is Impossible To Ignore [https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbescoachescouncil/2026/02/26/toxic-bosses-are-making-employees-sick-and-the-evidence-is-impossible-to-ignore/] * Harvard Business Review: Stop Making Excuses for Toxic Bosses [https://hbr.org/2021/01/stop-making-excuses-for-toxic-bosses] * Workplace Assessments - * Korn Ferry [https://www.kornferry.com/capabilities/talent-suite/korn-ferry-assess] * McKinsey [https://www.mckinsey.com/solutions/orgsolutions/overview] * Gallup [https://www.gallup.com/q12-employee-engagement-survey/]   Be part of the Learning Rebels Community. Continue the conversation while building connections and capability. Learn more here [https://learning-rebels-network.mn.co/].   Join the Coffee Chat conversations Be part of Learning Rebels live Coffee Chat Discussions! Sign up here [https://learningrebels.com/coffee-chat/].     Hire Learning Rebels. When you need learning that sticks, we’ll fight to make performance results happen. Visit the Learning Rebels website [https://learningrebels.com/] to learn more.   Hosts: Shannon Tipton [https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannontipton/] & Deborah Harris [https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborahgharris/]   Podcast produced by: Obsidian Productions [https://www.obsidian-productions.com/]

Balloon Brags and Broken Trust

Pop the tab on something cold and settle in — it's time for another round of Drinks After Work! This time, we're talking all about: * The trust recession — why trust is broken everywhere (workplace, brands, insurance, you name it) * How layoffs during record profits have destroyed employee trust * Why loyalty means nothing anymore (on both sides of the counter) * The connection between technology, AI, and the erosion of human trust * Why relationships at work matter more than ever * How to rebuild trust one small interaction at a time In this episode, Shannon and Deborah dive into the trust recession that's eroding the workplace, customer relationships, and pretty much every institution we used to rely on. When CEOs are pulling in 12 figures while laying off thousands, when insurance companies want to put trackers on your car but still raise your rates, when layoffs happen during record profits — trust breaks. And once it breaks at work, it bleeds into everything else. But it's not all doom and gloom. They share how to rebuild trust incrementally, from speaking up for people in their absence to bringing an extra donut to the coworker next to you. So sip, swig, or chug — and get ready to: * Recognize the signs that your company's "we're a family" talk is BS * Stop expecting loyalty from organizations that don't give it back * Take the first step in building real workplace relationships * Speak up for people when they're not in the room * Shop your insurance every few years (loyalty doesn't pay) * Trust first until you can't — but know when you can't Because it wouldn't be Drinks After Work without the drinks, here are the FAB: Shannon: Lemon Drop — Classic lemon drop, hold the sugar on the rim. Deborah: Trust Issues — Vodka, watermelon juice, lime juice, and a little agave syrup. Find all our drink recipes and more at our website. [https://www.drinksafterworkpodcast.com]   Resources: * Forbes: "The Trust Recession: Why Trust and Customer Experiences Are Failing" [https://www.forbes.com/sites/dangingiss/2025/12/29/the-trust-recession-why-trust-in-customer-experience-is-failing/]   Be part of the Learning Rebels Community. Continue the conversation while building connections and capability. Learn more here [https://learning-rebels-network.mn.co/].   Join the Coffee Chat conversations Be part of Learning Rebels live Coffee Chat Discussions! Sign up here [https://learningrebels.com/coffee-chat/].     Hire Learning Rebels. When you need learning that sticks, we’ll fight to make performance results happen. Visit the Learning Rebels website [https://learningrebels.com/] to learn more.   Hosts: Shannon Tipton [https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannontipton/] & Deborah Harris [https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborahgharris/]   Podcast produced by: Obsidian Productions [https://www.obsidian-productions.com/]

The Pool's Empty and Betty Sue's Giving The Ick

Pop the tab on something cold and settle in — it's time for another round of Drinks After Work!   This time, we're talking all about: * Power dynamics at work — from Betty Sue in finance to team leads on power trips * When to leave corporate America and go out on your own * The ick of entrepreneurship: trading one set of problems for another * The harsh realities no one tells you (spoiler: healthcare costs will make you cry) * Why the system wasn't built to support entrepreneurs — and how to survive anyway * How to know if you're built for the solo life (and what to do if you're not)   In this episode, Shannon and Deborah dive into the messy reality of leaving corporate America to start your own business. It sounds amazing when you're sitting in your corporate chair collecting a corporate paycheck, but then you realize you're just trading one set of problems. They break down the things nobody warns you about — healthcare costs that want it all upfront, business insurance requirements, wearing every single hat, and the scam artists promising you can make $5 million in a year if you just buy their course. But it's not all doom and gloom — they also share real resources and remind you that failing forward is part of the process, whether you're in corporate or on your own.   So sip, swig, or chug — and get ready to: * Recognize power dynamics before they bite you in the @$$ * Know your strengths and weaknesses before you jump ship * Find free resources through the Small Business Association and community colleges * Shop around for the right networks (and don't be afraid to leave the wrong ones) * Stop trying to perfect everything — it's an iterative process * Remember that going back to corporate doesn't make you a failure   Because it wouldn't be Drinks After Work without the drinks, here are the FAB: Deborah: Rise Mushroom Coffee — With almond milk and sugarcane sugar. Shannon: Starbucks Black Coffee — Plus donuts, because sometimes you just need the comfort food of all comfort foods.   Find all our drink recipes and more at our website. [https://www.drinksafterworkpodcast.com]     Resources: * Small Business Administration [https://www.sba.gov/] * Chicago Small Business Expo [https://www.thesmallbusinessexpo.com/city/chicago/]    Be part of the Learning Rebels Community. Continue the conversation while building connections and capability. Learn more here [https://learning-rebels-network.mn.co/].   Join the Coffee Chat conversations Be part of Learning Rebels live Coffee Chat Discussions! Sign up here [https://learningrebels.com/coffee-chat/].     Hire Learning Rebels. When you need learning that sticks, we’ll fight to make performance results happen. Visit the Learning Rebels website [https://learningrebels.com/] to learn more.   Hosts: Shannon Tipton [https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannontipton/] & Deborah Harris [https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborahgharris/]   Podcast produced by: Obsidian Productions [https://www.obsidian-productions.com/]