work

People changing careers mid-life face ageism and financial uncertainty, but it can be done.

Here are some success stories from ABC Radio Melbourne listeners.

From disillusioned to energised

When Brunswick East resident Chris had his 45th birthday, he realised he was closer to 50 than he was to 40.

"I was in the corporate world for a while, over 10 years, and I just became a bit disillusioned."

The word alone inspires visions of co-working spaces with white-washed brick walls, spartan surfaces, and rows of Monstera deliciosa plants.

But as long-term job security decreases and the gig economy takes hold, for some it is more about necessity than a glamorous lifestyle.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics says there are more than a million independent contractors in Australia — though a 2014 study by research firm Edelman Berland put the number as high as 3.7 million.

The government of British Columbia (BC) says the requirement is discriminatory as well as being a health and safety issue because they are dangerous.

It says that high heel wearers face a risk of physical injury from slipping or falling as well as possible damage to the feet, legs and back.

Footwear should be designed to allow workers to operate safely, it says.

The announcement of the ban comes after a provincial Green party politician in March introduced a bill in the BC legislature aimed at preventing employers from setting gender-based footwear requirements.

1. Ask each employee which half-day in their work week they would like to work from home. Assign each person their designated Work from Home day (half-day). As you get more comfortable with telecommuting, expand the half-day to a full day or more than one. Flexibility is one of the best rewards and ‘thank yous’ you can give your team!
2. If some folks on your team don’t want to work from home, let them shift their working hours to suit their schedule. You can do this with everyone, as long as phones and other critical coverage issues are handled in advance.

This week, she asks: could so-called 'baby brain' actually be a helpful affliction? Is it time for women doctors to ask for a pay rise? And, when will Australia give three-parent babies the green light?

The upside of 'baby brain'

I'm definitely not the first woman to think she's lost her mind after having a baby, and thanks to the kind people at Nature Neuroscience, I can now rest assured that not only is this totally normal but, ultimately, helpful.