So the welcoming from my team was quite sweet. A balloon reading “Welcome Back!” at my desk and a card signed by all my co-workers. Friendly receptions from other people I’ve interacted with.

But just to clarify last night’s worries…

I knew my immediate team would be fine. (I actually rarely work directly with my team members, rather we’re in the same team because we all do the same job.) It’s more about transitioning to being a woman in the workplace, because women are treated differently, particularly in the tech industry, I work with different teams and stakeholders as a big part of my job. So how I’m being treated as a woman at work is something that’s only going to reveal itself over time.

As a cynical friend of mine observed, I’ll know I’ve made it when the 20 percent pay cut comes through.