the way I think I want to live the rest of my life.'" "I spent more time at the physical therapist, at my personal therapist, in the gym just trying to care for myself than actually having any sort of like a social life," she said. And the schedule meant she routinely missed out on holidays and other social events. Stickler enjoyed her work, but five years of dancing in 4-inch heels on an angled stage in a heavy wig took a physical toll. The work was grueling - eight shows a week in addition to being on standby to fill in as the lead. After years of practice, high school performances and touring the world in the companies of several musicals, she made it to Broadway in 2010 as part of the ensemble cast of Wicked and the understudy for Elphaba, aka the Wicked Witch of the West. Image: Christopher Gregory for NPRĬarla Stickler, 38, had wanted to be a singer since childhood.
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"We have to invest in their well-being and understand that we're in an environment where the stressors are not just coming from the work itself or the workplace."Ī Broadway performer finds her voice as a software engineerįrank Ruiz, photographed near his Harlem home in New York City, is an education outreach associate and teaching artist at the Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank, N.J. "I think organizations are saying, 'Employees don't check that stuff at the door,'" Klotz says. "We haven't exited this environment where we're surrounded by threats to our well-being," Klotz said, citing examples such as Russia's war in Ukraine, the recent spate of mass shootings and the U.S. That will continue to be important long after COVID-19 restrictions. Klotz predicts that the next two to five years will likely see many companies collecting feedback and experimenting to figure out how best to invest in employees, with the end goal of making the world of work more sustainable for everyone.
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But they all have one thing in common: Their stories illustrate how the pandemic has been a personal and professional turning point for so many people, many of whom are unlikely to look back. Their journeys are as varied as the individuals themselves, from a stay-at-home mom who became a hospital chaplain to a Broadway performer-turned-software engineer. NPR's Morning Edition spoke with five people who reinvented themselves amid the challenges and opportunities presented by the pandemic as part of its Work Life series. "For me, the 'change' is actually about reconsidering work, leveling the playing field between worker and employer, and being able to make demands on work conditions," Waheed tells NPR over email. Image: Beth Nakamura for NPR Christopher Gregory for NPR Taylor Glascock for NPR Amanda Lucier for NPR Vanessa Leroy/NPR "I think people are reinventing themselves in a way that the time and energy they put into their days pays them back at a higher rate, psychologically speaking, than it did in their prior job or whatever they were doing before the pandemic," Klotz explains.Ĭhange is here to stay, even as we move past the pandemicįrom left: Cati Bennett, Frank Ruiz, Carla Stickler, Jack Elliot and Kristin Zawatski transformed their lives as a result of the pandemic. Of those who changed jobs, one-third said they took a pay cut in exchange for better work-life balance. And a Prudential survey conducted in February found that 22% of workers switched jobs during the pandemic, with another 50% actively looking for a new job. Catalyst/CNBC poll said they intended to make career changes as a result of the pandemic, with most citing the desire for location flexibility. Image: Amanda Lucier for NPRĪnd Klotz would know: He's credited with predicting the Great Resignation and coining the term last May.Ĭonsider: Half of employees surveyed in a fall 2021 U.S. Elliott has felt empowered to embrace new personal relationships and professional opportunities.