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How is the coronavirus pandemic affecting your life right now? Tell us about your experiences, feelings, and thoughts.

<strong> My boss's boyfriend, vaccinated, got COVID</strong>. She's been staying with him. She even had to take him to the ER about 4 nights ago. She's vaccinated, too, and she hasn't come to work, of course.<strong> I had been exposed to her</strong> before he had tested positive, but at that time, she and I both tested negative.<strong> Now she is sick and waiting the results of her test. I am assuming she has COVID,</strong> but she was dismissing it as a common cold and just being run down from taking care of her boyfriend. <strong> We seem to have a culture at my workplace where people downplay things when they don't feel well because we are all such dedicated worker bees. This is not okay.</strong> Being a martyr is not a good thing for leaders to role model. A wise leader should say, "I've been exposed to COVID, I feel like crap, I probably have COVID, and I need to rest and recover." <strong> Work should take a back seat to our health. Leadership should trust their colleagues enough for them to take care of business in their brief absence.</strong> If leadership can't do that, they should question how they are running their team. <strong> My boss was pale and weak during yesterday's meeting (which she attended virtually). It was obvious she wasn't well and should have been in bed</strong>. I couldn't believe she was dismissing it as a common cold.<strong> Not only am I worried about her, I am bothered by the messaging that it's okay to be that sick and still working</strong>. It wasn't even that important of a meeting. Also, in general if you are sick after spending a week with someone with the Delta COVID virus, you probably do not have a common cold. You probably have COVID!!<strong> If any bosses are reading this, remember that your employees want you to set a good example</strong>. Work is important, but it's not that important. That's why you have a team. That's why people have sick days.<strong> Show your employees what taking responsibility for your health and wellness looks like. Show your employees that you trust their competence</strong> to run a meeting in your absence and share the notes with you when it's over.<strong> We care about your health, too</strong>. We want you back when you are strong and rearing to go!!