Manager promised workers flexibility during family emergencies — when one needed to care for his daughter at home, her response went a step further
Employees can be transparent with their employers only when they know the latter will be reasonable and understanding. One manager named Lyzz, who goes by @apercusdemoi on Threads, shared that she made it a point to let her workers know that they could share problems with her and that she would willingly offer flexibility. In her post dated October 22, 2026, she recounted how one employee decided to take her word for it. He messaged her, saying his wife was sick and he had to be home with his daughter. Her reply was unexpectedly beautiful.
The employee had previously gone through some issues, and she was upset that she wasn’t informed. “I could have let you work remote; next time, say something,” she wrote. He took the reassurance, and the next time he had a problem, he informed his manager about it. He mentioned that his wife was in a medical center due to influenza; they had to go to the ER the previous night, and she had a follow-up that day too. As a result, he had to be home with his daughter, especially since no one else was available to look after her. He requested to work from home, and his boss agreed without hesitation. She then followed up with, “Please work from home tomorrow as well.”
Sharing her point of view in her caption, Lyzz mentioned, “As soon as you say 'family,' it’s an automatic approval from me.” She noted a harsh truth: corporate can replace you, but your family can’t. She lets her employees work from anywhere when the situation calls for it, provided the work is done. She added that depending on the severity of the situation, she is also willing to put tasks on hold or reassign them so the person can focus on what’s important. The best part about this arrangement is that it's mutual. The manager noted that she never has to worry about work not getting done, because her workers go above and beyond. She said, “Because my team knows I show up for them, too."
When management looks after its people, they will also return the favor with efficient productivity. In another instance, a woman honestly told her boss that her mental health wasn’t great and she was on the verge of a breakdown. She confessed that she had to text because speaking on a call or in person triggered it. She asked for a day off. The boss asked when her regular days off were, and she replied, "Thursday and Friday." He then asked if she could manage to work for one more day and that she could take Tuesday and Wednesday off along with her other two regular leaves so she’d get a consistent long break. The manager even asked whether she sought professional help and offered his cabin for her virtual meetings with therapists so she wouldn’t miss appointments and would have her privacy. Anyone can offer a salary, but it takes skilled leadership to also offer kindness and dignity.
You can follow @apercusdemoi on Threads for more content on work-life and lifestyle.