Can a High-Performance Culture Also Prioritize Wellbeing?

Our professional lives significantly shape our overall health. The average person spends about 90,000 hours at work, which is roughly one-third of their life. When you consider that one in two employees worldwide are currently navigating mental health challenges, it becomes clear that our professional environment is a massive part of our overall well-being.

A Shared Responsibility

At New Relic, one of our core cultural values is that we operate as One Team. While we often talk about this in the context of business goals, it goes much deeper. Being "One Team" also means recognizing that the space we create for ourselves directly impacts the wellbeing of those around us. It is about fostering a culture of belonging and inclusion where we all look out for one another. This is a job that belongs to all of us.

New Relic was founded to make life easier for developers and engineers, helping them find root causes faster and reducing the high-pressure burnout often associated with system outages. We work to apply that same dedication to our own "Relics," recognizing that stress and burnout don't just stay at your desk. They impact your physical health and life outside of work, too.

Putting Our Commitment Into Practice

While we champion wellbeing year-round, we use May, Mental Health Awareness Month, to spark deeper conversations through our Access Employee Resource Group (ERG). Access is an inclusive community dedicated to building a culture of neurodiversity, mental health, and disability awareness where every Relic can thrive.

This month, the Access ERG hosted an Access Article Club and held in-person lunches in offices around the world to keep these important dialogues going across the company. These events served as a lead-in to our Mental Health Awareness Fireside Chat with Tamara McManus (Senior Director, Deal Management and Operations) and Blake Jackson (Manager, TA Programs and Operations). The session was packed with insights on resetting our nervous systems, setting firm boundaries, and looking out for our teams. Here are a few key takeaways we wanted to share:

• Blake keeps the "to-do list guilt" at bay by asking himself a simple question inspired by philosophy: Is this task really more important than helping my daughter with her homework? To keep his peace of mind, he maps out his schedule like a Peloton instructor programs a ride, blocking out specific times for emails and Slack so he can log off and be present at home.
• When it comes to spotting burnout, Blake watches for missed deadlines or changes in demeanor. He believes a high-performing team relies on trust and radical candor, which gives everyone the psychological safety to say "not now" when their bandwidth is maxed out.
• Tamara beats the afternoon slump and resets her nervous system with quick, joy-inducing micro-habits. She strongly advocates for protecting your lunch break by using hers to walk her dog for some fresh air, and she steps away from her screen for five minutes to find pieces for her office puzzle or whip up a fun "water of the day."
• Having been there herself, Tamara catches burnout by looking for subtle shifts outside someone’s "normal" behavior, like missed details or a change in attitude. Her best advice for managers is to start with a genuine "how are you?" and make sure you're truly ready for an honest answer.

Beyond specific events, our commitment to balance is continuous. We offer flexible FTO, quarterly recharge days, and tools like FitPros LIVE and Headspace to support both physical and mental wellness. 

But support isn't just about the tools we provide; it’s also about the culture we build together. We recently heard from our Access ERG Lead, Noah Puckett (they/them), on how we can create a safer mental health space for others in the workplace. Here is what they shared:

Just as we are building AI into our product to solve the most critical challenges for our customers, we are equally committed to becoming an AI-enabled workforce that empowers every Relic to focus on meaningful work. By using technology to handle the mundane, we give ourselves the space to prioritize what truly matters: our people and our health.

Ultimately, prioritizing wellbeing isn’t a trade-off for high performance; it’s the engine behind it. By leading with compassion and fostering a safe environment, we ensure every Relic can show up as their best, most authentic self. By supporting each other, we do more than just perform - we thrive.

Now, are you ready to thrive in a culture that prioritizes mental health and wellbeing? Explore career opportunities at New Relic today.