'Good boss and a good human being': All-star employee commutes 4 hours to work, until her boss battles HR for months to advocate for her to work remote full time

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Jesse Kessenheimer • Writer and Editor
Sep 1, 2024 12:00 PM EDT

It's rare to see bosses fighting the good fight on our behalf, but the woman in this next story has won the manager lottery when her boss proved to be a down-to-earth good guy, fighting on her behalf. If only this kind of wholesome work story were more common. 

When u/anuncommontruth found out that his star employee was commuting from out of state, he was appalled. She was waking up at 3 AM to make it to work on time and wasting hours behind the wheel to keep her job. Because she was vital to the office's success and the team's morale, he decided he was going to try and advocate for her to work remote full time–besides, they'd all just begun coming back to the office anyways, what difference would it make for one employee to stay home? 

But for HR, the 'company culture' was far more important than an employee sitting in traffic for 4 hours a day, so for 6 months, they refused the boss's pleas to let her work remote Finally this awesome boss took it upon himself to lay down the law with the higher-ups, insisting that his employee was not only invaluable to the company but worth bending the rules a little bit. Keep scrolling to read how this relentless boss advocated for his employees and hopefully the good office vibes will rub off on your own work life. 

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  • 01
    "This poor woman wakes up at 3 AM to commute"
    via welcomia - via Canva
  • 02
    After six months of fighting HR, I finally got my employee a permanent remote employee designation. Work/Life balance
    via anuncommontruth
  • 03
    I have been having this same argument for months but I wasn't backing down. This poor woman, who does excellent work, lives in another state and wakes up at 3 AM to commute two hours to the office. That four hours out of
    via anuncommontruth
  • 04
    her day. Now, in office days are only required once a week, but that's still around 16 hours of her life a month that could be utilized better. So every month, I had the same conversation. And every
    via anuncommontruth
  • 05
    month, I got the same, tiring, excuse: "It's one day a week. She doesn't even have to be there 8 hours." Like that changes the 4 hour commute?! She is in charge of her parents health and has two kids. What
    via anuncommontruth
  • 06
    if there was an emergency and she had to drive TWO HOURS to get home? So at one point I just ignored HR. I said work from home until I tell you that you can't. I'll hold it off as long as I can.
    via anuncommontruth
  • 07
    A month later I get a badge swipe report that basically says I have the authority to allow this to happen but I'm a manager for it. Whatever.
    via anuncommontruth
  • 08
    So now I have to tell her that I need improvement on the next badge swipe report, or it could lead to a warning. I have given three warnings my entire life and it was for serious This is absurd. I told her that too.
    via anuncommontruth
  • 09
    She complied and one day a week, when she did. Her work suffered for it. So I'm all the way done with this . I feel like I'm losing my mind. Finally I went to my department head. Bold move,
    via anuncommontruth
  • 10
    I know. I got my boss on board first. In my line of work, HR stuff that isn't major (violence, sexual assault) being brought to a department head is not ok. That was the ticket though. I laid out my argument and documentation of the past 6
    via anuncommontruth
  • 11
    months, as well as productivity reports on a monthly and weekly basis VS daily basis. I showed the Google maps estimation of travel time. I brought my A game. You know what he said? "I'm
    via anuncommontruth
  • 12
    confused she lives over an hour away. That's automatically considered a remote employee for our department " APPARENTLY, THE RULES CHANGED DURING THE P NDEMIC AND HR DIDNT UPDATE THEIR GUIDLINES FOR OUR DEPARTMENT.
    via anuncommontruth
  • 13
    6 months. 6 months. In the end though, I got my employee her remote position. That felt really good.
    via anuncommontruth
  • 14
    rwandb-2 Great boss, you are
    via rwandb-2
  • 15
    anuncommontruth Thanks buddy. Wish nothing but great bosses on you. And also, not having a boss.
    via anuncommontruth
  • 16
    thejoemaya Are you hiring? Horseheadinyobed You're the manager the people need!!!!
    via thejoemaya
  • 17
    TheStonedEdge I don't think I can emphasise this enough OP - The world needs more managers like you. Managers who are not afraid to stand up to policies pedalled by the HR. I can genuinely tell you care about your employees mental health and wellbeing. You are fighting the good fight.
    via thejoemaya
  • 18
    The Goon Squad612 Seriously. Kudos to OP for being a good boss and a good human being. The world could use more like OP.
    via TheGoonSquad612
  • 19
    showyerbewbs He's a boss manager. Managers manage. Bosses give orders with no direction. The difference is night and day in the success and ability to thrive of their teams.
    via showyerbewbs
  • 20
    HealthyComparrison175 Well done, we need more managers like this. Also a reminder why I never want to go into management.
    via HealthyComparrison175
  • 21
    anothertendy as someone who used to commute from Sacramento to San Jose every day for work. You're a hero. I couldnt do remote since I was working 911 calls, but the job was fun at least.
    via anothertendy
  • 22
    janier7563 You're the kind of boss we all want
    via janier7563

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