Boss reverses policy requiring employees to earn approval every time they need to send an external email, jeopardizing relationships with frustrated clients

Author image for Ben Weiss
Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
Apr 29, 2026 8:00 AM EDT

Sounds like this boss had no idea just how many email notifications he was about to get.

According to his new bogus policy, employees now had to earn the approval of their boss every single time they were going to send an external email. Given that this was an office in which the team was regularly responding to client requests, sending out and responding to external emails were crucial parts of the job. In fact, it was at the core of their daily tasks and responsibilities.

Naturally, it did not take long for this policy to backfire, and the boss would soon come to regret his decision-making. By the time he was forced to reverse the so-called "necessary" policy, several big name clients were already considering eliminating the company's services. 

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  • 01
    An overwhelmed manager puts his head into his arms while sitting at a desk in front of a closed laptop.
    via Vitaly Gariev

    An overwhelmed manager puts his head into his arms while sitting at a desk in front of a closed laptop.

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02

    Boss Said No External Emails Without Approval So I Stopped Sending Them.

    I work in a small office where we handle client requests through email. One day our manager decided to tighten communication rules after a mistake happened with a client.
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    He announced that no one is allowed to send any external emails without prior approval from him. Not even simple replies.
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  • 04
    A stressed employee places his hand on his forehead as he works in front of an open laptop.
    via Vitaly Gariev

    A stressed employee places his hand on his forehead as he works in front of an open laptop.

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • We understand that this manager felt like he needed to update the rules to streamline communication with clients. Sure, it could have been an unnecessary excuse to seem like a strict boss, but it also could have had some merit, at least in its initial ideas. However, the execution was undercooked and under-considered. 

    After all, asking employees in client-facing roles to gain approval each and every time before communicating with their clients is like asking a janitor for managerial approval every time he or she sees reason to clean a mess. It's counterintuitive!

    Furthermore, it adds an extra step that inconveniences the employee, the manager, and the client. Why? Well, for the employee, they cannot complete a task in a timely manner without getting the green light from their manager, no matter how simple or complicated the task may be. For the manager, it's a pain because now their daily tasks and responsibilities are likely being pushed to the side in favor of having to respond to all these email requests day in and day out. Finally, for the client, they are inconvenienced because everything is taking longer. 

  • 05
    At first it sounded like it would only apply to important messages, but the rule was very strict. If it goes outside the company, it needs approval first.
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    Later that day, I had a situation where a client asked for a quick confirmation. Normally I would just reply in a few seconds and
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    move on. But I remembered the rule clearly. No approval, no email. So I stopped and sent the message to my manager instead asking for permission to reply.
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  • 08
    An employee drafts an email on his laptop.
    via Unsplash+ (Curated Lifestyle)

    An employee drafts an email on his laptop.

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 09
    No response. I waited because I didn't want to break the rule. The client followed up once, then twice. Still nothing from my manager. I
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    nothing from my manager. I stayed at my desk and didn't reply because I was following instructions exactly.
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    After some time, the client got frustrated and moved on to another team member who also couldn't reply without approval.
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    The delay started building up across small tasks like this throughout the day.
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    A tablet displaying a work email inbox with 38 unread emails.
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

    A tablet displaying a work email inbox with 38 unread emails.

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 14
    By the next morning, the manager called a quick meeting and said that simple responses like confirmations can be sent directly without waiting for approval.
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  • 15
    The rule didn't technically get removed. It just became flexible in practice.
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  • 16
    I didn't ignore anything. I just followed it exactly as it was written.
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workplace-stories clients emails employees Horrible Bosses funny work stories workplace malicious compliance
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