If your team is apologizing for doctor appointments

If your team is apologizing for taking off to visit a doctor, walking their dog, or taking care of a sick child — you have a cultural problem that will lead to higher rates of burnout, less risk-taking and less innovation.

Leaders should prioritize and loudly share their own stories of self-care and being “family first” to create a culture that celebrates, rather than tolerates those actions.

Innovative teams require a culture that provides psychological safety.

If leaders do not participate in self-care, it sends a negative signal.

I’ve made this mistake of considering myself an exception. Through employee surveys and 1:1’s, I learned that many felt that their growth may be stifled or I may consider them weak for not powering through.

Two tell-tale signs you can look out for as a manager that you should invest in promoting self-care:

1. Employees apologizing for taking time for family or self-care.
2. You see no engagement on posts where employees share a need to care for themselves or sign-off.