Anti Lean-In advocate calls on men to end patriarchy

Plus, the psychology behind sick leave and the threat of driverless cars

A weekly roundup of news and views on office culture, workplace trends, the daily grind and more

Valerie Aurora, feminist activist and founder of Frame Shift Consulting, believes that the path to ending patriarchy in the workplace rests with men instead of women—countering a notion championed by Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg in her book Lean In. Aurora trains men to identify sexist remarks and to take appropriate action to stop it. Her practice, based in Silicon Valley, includes training sessions for men and women that focus on how to “use their societal privilege—whether male, white, straight or able-bodies—to benefit people who do less well in Silicon Valley.” In her workshops she encourages participants to use “women” instead of “girls” when referring to those over 18 and to ensure that everyone in a group gets speaking and listening opportunities. (The Guardian)

Have you ever been pressured to show up at the office even when you were sick? It looks like you’re not alone. When BBC Capital posed the question on Facebook, the answer was overwhelmingly yes. Citing two studies on this subject, BBC Capital gave several reasons that people make this decision: a demanding boss, job insecurity, peer pressure from colleagues and workaholic tendencies. Some people say that when they do take sick days, they are expected to work remotely. (BBC Capital)

Automation, a growing trend among automakers from Ford to Tesla, has some concerned about the next big shift in the economy, as driverless cars could threaten three million driving jobs in the U.S. alone. Much like the manufacturing meltdown that resulted in factory jobs rendered obsolete by robotics, a similar shift could be in store within the next decade, with driverless cars anticipated to hit the road in the next 10 or 15 years. Ride-sharing company Uber has made Pittsburgh a testing ground for its autonomous vehicle. But Uber CEO Travis Kalanick says “technology also creates new work opportunities while disrupting existing ones.” (Toronto Star)