Women at work and their tips, challenges, advice, complaints, and experiences

Happy Valentine's Day, Workerettes! 

Yes, it's that fateful Hallmark holiday again.  *chuckle*  Not that the stores will let us forget it, eh?  Things have certainly changed since the beginning of Valentine's Day celebrations!  If you have kids, you may have been bombarded with requests for classroom treats or children's activities such as making home-made valentines.  Others of you may be planning a special night out with your sweetheart, or perhaps a romantic dinner at home.  

This Valentine's Day reminds me that I'm not the only military spouse spending the consumate "romantic" holiday with the kids.  (If you'd like to send a little Valentine cheer to one of our troops, please check out America Supports You.)  Those of you who deal with overtime and shift work will probably spend the bulk of the holiday at work as well, which brings a question to mind: 

How professional is it to celebrate Valentine's Day at work? 

Depending on your field, it may add a touch of delight to everyone's day when a coworker receives a singing telegram or a delivery of red roses for her desk.  It seems that this is especially exciting and acceptable in places like hospitals, where we may see nurses' stations decorated with flowers, mylar balloons, and other holiday goodies year 'round.  The same goes for some office locations; most of us will give a wink and a nod to the receptionist who has a big bouquet and a blushing smile to go with it on the holiday of loooove.

In other fields, however, protocol is a bit more formal and running around handing out valentines is a bit too reminiscent of kindergarten.  Some people may not even acknowledge the holiday, and those who are making plans to leave a bit early to make their dinner reservation by 6 won't be advertising it for fear of being thought unprofessional or too focused on their personal lives.  

As with any holiday, there's a fine line to be walked.  While the office may not be throwing a big hoo-ha in the break room, Valentine's Day may be a great opportunity for those of you with small or home-based businesses to make contact with favorite colleagues or clients and tell them you're thinking of them.  A "working with you is my Valentine's treat!" note, especially when accompanied by a coupon or little freebie, can be a fun way to remind clients that you're open for business.  Many greeting cards help us express our appreciation to a spouse or sweetheart for all they do; there's no reason we can't adapt such a message and pass it along to a trusted assistant or a business partner who works hard to help our team succeed.  There's also nothing wrong with being willing to share that 10 pound box of chocolates that just arrived on your desk - might as well spread the calories around, right?

Besides: try as we might, none of us enjoyed being the kid with the fewest Valentines in the kindergarten exchanges.  We can extend ourselves to business associates, customers, and friends to let them know they are thought of and appreciated any day of the year - why not today?  At least we know they aren't expecting diamonds or long-stemmed roses.  (Though a little chocolate goes a long way, even at work!)