The toxic culture is coming from the outside. They have no reason to trust you, because dozens of corporations institute wellness programs and talk about caring while still punishing people who take time off. Plus, some of them have just internalized the idea that they should just work through it.
One thing I have heard can help is if the boss takes time off, so since you have some authority, maybe make a point of taking your own time off and telling them when you do?
I really do try to model the behavior and stay home when I’m ill. I had Shingles and Hand, Foot and Mouth this year, so they’ve seen me call out (I was happier before I knew that viral orchitis was a thing and also, boy does it suck to get a shingles out break near your bloody eye).
The toxic culture is coming from the outside. They have no reason to trust you, because dozens of corporations institute wellness programs and talk about caring while still punishing people who take time off. Plus, some of them have just internalized the idea that they should just work through it.
One thing I have heard can help is if the boss takes time off, so since you have some authority, maybe make a point of taking your own time off and telling them when you do?
I really do try to model the behavior and stay home when I’m ill. I had Shingles and Hand, Foot and Mouth this year, so they’ve seen me call out (I was happier before I knew that viral orchitis was a thing and also, boy does it suck to get a shingles out break near your bloody eye).