'I'm just doing my job': Front desk receptionist detains the CEO in the lobby for security approval after a company-wide email puts them on blast for the new 'NO EXCEPTIONS' policy

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Jesse Kessenheimer • Writer and Editor
Jun 14, 2025 11:00 AM EDT

CEO's are notorious in the workplace. Love 'em or hate 'em, they're the biggest presence on the job, imposing their stature, status, and their overall aura on their employees, whether they like it or not. Well-known by all, a CEO is something of a celebrity when they decide to take a break from their Mediterranean yachting to work with the little people for a change. And when the big boss is in town, everyone scurries out from underfoot to avoid being squashed by their notoriety…

…But not this front desk receptionist. 

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  • Unintimidated by their CEO's presence, this front desk worker was faced with a choice one day in the workplace. Dull to the humdrum of the office lobby, they'd just received a company-wide notice exclaiming a new security protocol that all front desk folks would need to abide by—no exceptions. Feeling like they'd been put on blast, they took the notice seriously, ensuring that nobody got past security without a proper access badge, not even the likes of the CEO himself. 

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    via Werner Pfennig

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • They said all guests must sign in, so I made the CEO wait in the lobby until security approved him
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  • we got a new visitor policy last week. The email was bolded, underlined and said: "ALL GUESTS MUST SIGN IN AND WAIT FOR SECURITY CLEARANCE BEFORE ENTERING. NO EXCEPTIONS." I
    via Unlucky-Pin9555
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    via pixelshot

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • work front desk. normally, executives just walk through. But hey, the email said what it said. So when the CEO came in early for a board meeting, smiled, and started heading for the elevator. I handed
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  • him the clipboard and said, "Sorry sit, i'll need you to sign in and wait while I call it in" He looked confused, maybe a little
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  • amused, but sat down. security took their time, ten full minutes. The next morning, we got a new email: "Use discretion for executive level visitors." Go figure
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  • EdmonCaradoc • Good on the CEO for not making it your problem, he knew you were just following orders
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  • railroadbaron⚫ I'm gonna guess security took their time because they didn't know who they were supposed to be approving.
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  • Hopefully that would also inadvertently allow the CEO to get a good look at a process not working well.
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  • madkins007. A million years ago I was a security guard at a plant. A sports car whizzed past the gate with an exec we knew and liked, but who usually follows the rules.
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  • I hopped in my personal car and chased him down, honking my horn to get his attention.
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  • Did the "Excuse me, sir, but you didn't sign in, may I see your badge and please sign this log" thing, expecting that I was going to get some sort of reprimand as soon as I saw her had guests in the car.
    via madkins007
  • Next day, he sent me a very nice note apologizing for the oversight, and thanking me for following procedures and impressing the visitors with how seriously we took things.
    via madkins007
  • gbroon ⚫ Usually CEO is an employee who as long as they have the correct pass should be able to get in just the same as everyone else.
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  • If they didn't have their pass you were just doing your job. In that situation they shouldn't get any special treatment and shouldn't expect it either.
    via gbroon
  • Punkinpry427. I did the same thing once. I don't know who he was. I'm just the receptionist. My director laughed when I told him and told me I was doing my job.
    via Punkinpry427

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boss worker security employee manager job work coworkers working ceo employees supervisor workplace company coworker business
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