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“Don’t Let Yourself Get Emotional”: Boss Messages To Grieving Employee Enrages People
People have different ways to process grief. Some would rather keep themselves busy to numb their emotions, while others may be unable to do anything productive for a while.
This man needed to take an extended period of time off from his job after a friend’s tragic and sudden passing. However, his boss refused to show compassion and instead threatened to fire him if he didn’t report for work.
The employee went on to share the appalling text exchanges between him and his manager, which you will find as you scroll through.
RELATED:
For some people, grief can feel debilitating
Image credits: ijeab / Magnific (not the actual photo)
This man was left in shock after the sudden passing of a friend, which his boss didn’t take too kindly
Image credits: drobotdean / Magnific (not the actual photo)
He shared screenshots of their text exchange
Image credits: DarthVetter14
Image credits: DarthVetter14
There’s a high cost on the company’s end for failing to address an employee’s grief
What the author’s boss seems to fail to realize is the high hidden costs of his approach to employee bereavement. According to Forbes, around half of employees will consider leaving the company if their employers do not provide any form of support during their time of mourning.
Leaving grief unaddressed may also lead to lower employee retention rates, while also hindering psychological safety.
According to Facebook’s former chief operating officer, Sheryl Sandberg, only 60 percent of private-sector employees receive paid time off after a loved one’s passing, “and usually just a few days.”
“Grief is a demanding companion. In those early days and weeks and months, it was always there, not just below the surface but on the surface,” Sandberg stated, noting that grief-related productivity losses in the US alone may cost companies as much as $75 billion annually.
This is why Grief.com founder David Kessler urges companies to provide emotional support for employees going through a loss.
“You have to look at the individual response and know that no two will be alike in processing their grief,” Kessler said.
Based on the text exchanges the author posted, it didn’t appear that his boss cared about his situation at all. The threats to fire him only added insult to injury. It may be better for him to leave for a company that cares about his well-being.
People in the comments mostly had well-wishes for the author, and some choice words for his boss
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What do you think ?
Claire Elise 1 hour ago
My 2nd boss, the princess of her dad's grocery store, didn't train me for the job, then followed me into the drinks walkin and screamed "GET OUT!!!" She was blocking the door, and started ranting at me about how horrible and stupid I was. And when I say ranting, I mean she was repeating herself, partway hyperventilating, she was cussing me out, accusing me of flirting with her husband (who looked like one of the Croods) there was spit outside of her lip zone...she only stopped when I was in tears, whereupon she calmed and told me "stop crying. I'll cut you a check and you can leave out the back so no one sees you upset" I left out the front of the store check in hand, crying freely. Its a tiny community, so she lost the store a lot of business for that. She sent me a letter saying "Im sorry you don't understand how things work in the real world, but" I dont know what the rest of the letter said lol
LakotaWolf (she/her) 1 hour ago (edited)
This boss sounds exactly like my mother and sister. Things like depression and grief aren't real. Mental health issues are just you being weak, and you could get over them if you wanted to. If you're still sad, it's because you WANT to be sad and you want people to give you attention. It seems impossible to think that there are human beings who are like that, but I have two of them in my family who have said more or less the same kind of things to me. So unfortunately, if anyone thinks that people couldn't be this heartless... they can be :(
Claire Elise 1 hour ago
My 2nd boss, the princess of her dad's grocery store, didn't train me for the job, then followed me into the drinks walkin and screamed "GET OUT!!!" She was blocking the door, and started ranting at me about how horrible and stupid I was. And when I say ranting, I mean she was repeating herself, partway hyperventilating, she was cussing me out, accusing me of flirting with her husband (who looked like one of the Croods) there was spit outside of her lip zone...she only stopped when I was in tears, whereupon she calmed and told me "stop crying. I'll cut you a check and you can leave out the back so no one sees you upset" I left out the front of the store check in hand, crying freely. Its a tiny community, so she lost the store a lot of business for that. She sent me a letter saying "Im sorry you don't understand how things work in the real world, but" I dont know what the rest of the letter said lol
LakotaWolf (she/her) 1 hour ago (edited)
This boss sounds exactly like my mother and sister. Things like depression and grief aren't real. Mental health issues are just you being weak, and you could get over them if you wanted to. If you're still sad, it's because you WANT to be sad and you want people to give you attention. It seems impossible to think that there are human beings who are like that, but I have two of them in my family who have said more or less the same kind of things to me. So unfortunately, if anyone thinks that people couldn't be this heartless... they can be :(
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