This Ancient Ritual Is Key to How I Run a Company of 500 People. Harvard Research Shows Why. Rituals are underrated ways to keep people connected.
By Harry Ritter Edited by Frances Dodds
This story appears in the September 2023 issue of Entrepreneur. Subscribe »
Just before sunset every Friday, my whole company knows I become fully unavailable for 25 hours. It doesn't matter what is going on. We could be in the middle of a fundraise or a major product release. Unless it's a life-threatening crisis, when that time comes, I put down my phone and go offline.
I am the founder and CEO of Alma, a platform that streamlines mental health care for patients and providers, and I am also an observant Jew. Those 25 hours are my observance of Shabbat. I launched my company in 2018 and now have a team of over 500, and I don't know how I would have done it without this weekly oasis to anchor myself and regain perspective. It has helped me make good decisions, lead more effectively, and see things differently in order to innovate. Although the advantages of taking a break are well-known, rituals contain a different kind of power — and through this experience, I've become a vocal advocate of them.
Related: Use These 4 Self-Care Rituals for More Resilience and Less Depletion
As work everywhere becomes increasingly hectic, rituals (and they don't have to be religious) force you to slow down and connect with the people around you, including yourself. Research backs this up; Harvard Business School professor Michael Norton has found that groups of people who engage in rituals — even simple clapping and stomping — gain many benefits, including stronger cohesion and finding their jobs more meaningful.
What counts as a ritual? For me, it's a habit you commit to doing on the same schedule daily, weekly, or monthly, and is not prompted by something else. Also, a ritual isn't a means to an end. Whatever rewards it may have, that's not the reason you do it. The ritual itself is meaningful and valuable to you — so much so that you make it a priority.
At Alma, one way we bring rituals into the workplace is through our weekly all-hands meeting on Zoom. We always begin with a ritual we call "A Little About Me," where one team member shares five photos that reflect different aspects of who they are, whether it be a grandmother from a different country or a favorite food that speaks to their cultural identity. It's a way to feel seen and connect with coworkers.
And we always end with a ritual we call "Appreciations." Before each meeting, we collect submissions from employees expressing gratitude toward another coworker who showed up for them at work in some way that week. I read the notes to the group, tying each one to a company core value — including "act like an owner" and "build equity." The best part is being able to watch the chat go wild as colleagues celebrate one another.
Our collective participation in rituals like these helps us build connection, establish trust, and feel safe bringing our full identity to work. We see their direct impact in our retention rate — over 95% last quarter — and in our most recent engagement survey, where 97% of our employees indicated that they understand how their work is contributing to Alma's goals.
I've also seen firsthand the impact that honoring my personal rituals has on our team. By showing them that life is bigger than work, we are living our values as a culture that supports prioritizing yourself as necessary to fuel great work. We see employees block off time on their calendar from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesdays for therapy, and 94% of them feel comfortable talking to their managers about time off to rest and recharge.
If you want to try a ritual, one of my favorites is making a pact to call someone you care about every week at a specific time. It can be for five minutes if you're busy. But no matter where you are or what you're doing, try to make time for that call. Don't expect rewards. Just let them surprise you.
Related: 9 Daily Rituals to Boost Your Performance at Work (Infographic)
