Bored Panda works better on our iPhone app
Continue in app Continue in browser

Add post form topAdd Post
Tooltip close

The Bored Panda iOS app is live! Fight boredom with iPhones and iPads here.

Boss Learns An Employee Is Looking For A New Job, Calls The Company To Give His Recommendation, Divides The Internet
User submission
218
84.2K

Boss Learns An Employee Is Looking For A New Job, Calls The Company To Give His Recommendation, Divides The Internet

ADVERTISEMENT

Respect. Trust. Empathy. These, I think, are the core things that make for a great leader, whether in the office or outside of it. But the proof is in the pudding: sweet promises about always having your back might sound great but they mean nothing unless your boss is willing to fulfill them.

Jerry Meyer, the CEO at Fiscal Care Services, is going viral on LinkedIn for a post in which he shared how he reacted when he found out that one of his employees went for an interview at another company. Instead of getting mad, he did something unexpected—he gave the potential employer a call, complimented the employee, and suggested that they be hired. Within the next hour, the new job was theirs.

Jerry’s story actually divided the LinkedIn community. Some thought that he was a great boss for setting his ego aside and going the extra mile to help his employee progress their career elsewhere. However, some others thought that calling the employer without the employee’s express permission may have been a violation of privacy. The main issues, for these LinkedIn users, seem to be that the employee was, allegedly, not consulted at any point about this before their boss made the call.

What matters, though, is what you think of the situation, dear Pandas. Scroll down, have a read through Jerry’s full post, and let us know in the comments whether you think what he did was great or if he should have held back. Personally, I’m split down the middle: I think Jerry’s intentions were absolutely great, but I’m also a big fan of transparency and communication between management and employees.

ADVERTISEMENT
RELATED:

    Jerry, the CEO at Fiscal Care Services, found out that an employee of his was interviewing for a job at another company

    Image credits: Dylan Gillis

    He decided to give his colleague a helping hand. However, Jerry’s story divided the LinkedIn community

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Jerry’s post went absolutely viral on LinkedIn, racking up nearly 70k reactions at the time of writing. What’s more, his story got over 1.8k comments and really got people discussing what a good boss should act like. It’s also interesting to see this discussion play out within a broader context, specifically where more and more people are working second (and even third and fourth) jobs secretly, instead of jumping from one to another.

    Not too long ago, I spoke about what makes a great manager with Eddy Ng, the Smith Professor of Equity & Inclusion in Business at Queen’s University. He shared with Bored Panda that there are two main approaches—or modes—when it comes to leadership: transactional (carrot and stick) and transformational (supportive).

    “Transactional leadership is based on exercising bureaucratic authority and legitimate power in the firm,” he said that transactional leaders rely on rewards and punishments to influence their employees’ behaviors.

    Meanwhile, transformational leaders focus on supporting their colleagues. They embody these values: idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration.

    “In this regard, transformational leaders provide support and encouragement to employees. They tend to influence employee behaviors by positively motivating them. Good managers tend to practice a transformational style of leadership,” Eddy shared with Bored Panda.

    ADVERTISEMENT

    The business and management expert said that bosses can build solid relationships and trust by showing genuine empathy and concern for their employees. This way, their employers are more likely to trust them, too, and will be more open about any issues in the workplace.

    “In this fashion, employees will be more likely to open up and share work and personal concerns with managers. Regularly conducting anonymous employee surveys, albeit more formal, can also help managers troubleshoot employee grievances.”

    Some professionals expressed their support for what Jerry did

    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT

    Meanwhile, some opened up about their personal experiences with less than supportive management

    The praise wasn’t universal. A few LinkedIn users were concerned that Jerry may have violated the employee’s privacy

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Some even thought that what the CEO did was ‘suspicious.’ Here’s what they had to say

    ADVERTISEMENT

    84Kviews

    Share on Facebook
    Jonas Grinevičius

    Jonas Grinevičius

    Author, BoredPanda staff

    Read more »

    Storytelling, journalism, and art are a core part of who I am. I've been writing and drawing ever since I could walk—there is nothing else I'd rather do. My formal education, however, is focused on politics, philosophy, and economics because I've always been curious about the gap between the ideal and the real. At work, I'm a Senior Writer and I cover a broad range of topics that I'm passionate about: from psychology and changes in work culture to healthy living, relationships, and design. In my spare time, I'm an avid hiker and reader, enjoy writing short stories, and love to doodle. I thrive when I'm outdoors, going on small adventures in nature. However, you can also find me enjoying a big mug of coffee with a good book (or ten) and entertaining friends with fantasy tabletop games and sci-fi movies.

    Read less »
    Jonas Grinevičius

    Jonas Grinevičius

    Author, BoredPanda staff

    Storytelling, journalism, and art are a core part of who I am. I've been writing and drawing ever since I could walk—there is nothing else I'd rather do. My formal education, however, is focused on politics, philosophy, and economics because I've always been curious about the gap between the ideal and the real. At work, I'm a Senior Writer and I cover a broad range of topics that I'm passionate about: from psychology and changes in work culture to healthy living, relationships, and design. In my spare time, I'm an avid hiker and reader, enjoy writing short stories, and love to doodle. I thrive when I'm outdoors, going on small adventures in nature. However, you can also find me enjoying a big mug of coffee with a good book (or ten) and entertaining friends with fantasy tabletop games and sci-fi movies.

    Denis Tymulis

    Denis Tymulis

    Author, Community member

    Read more »

    Denis is a photo editor at Bored Panda. After getting his bachelor's degree in Multimedia and Computer Design, he tried to succeed in digital design, advertising, and branding. Also, Denis really enjoys sports and loves everything related to board sports and water.

    Read less »

    Denis Tymulis

    Denis Tymulis

    Author, Community member

    Denis is a photo editor at Bored Panda. After getting his bachelor's degree in Multimedia and Computer Design, he tried to succeed in digital design, advertising, and branding. Also, Denis really enjoys sports and loves everything related to board sports and water.

    What do you think ?
    Add photo comments
    POST
    yeciye
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Typical LinkedIn post. 50% chance it’s all made up and everyone clapped. 50% chance it’s a bit true and “only” completely one sided.

    MiriPanda
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Helping an employee with a new job by giving them excellent recommendations is great - going behind their back is not, it is belittling. Thank you very much, but I am not a toddler who needs a helping hand getting out of the stroller... If you as my current boss feel the need to interfere with my professional life - TALK TO ME FIRST!

    Glirpy
    Community Member
    3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Employee: "Well, I hope you don't mind, but I took the initiative and I called your wife to tell her you've been cheating on her with 3 of the employees that work for you. I felt as though you've maxed out the number of employees you should be having relations with. I think you can push yourself harder and expand your horizons if you get a divorce." ... Boss: "Don't you think you should have discussed this with me first?" ... Employee: "Huh? Why?"

    Load More Comments
    yeciye
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Typical LinkedIn post. 50% chance it’s all made up and everyone clapped. 50% chance it’s a bit true and “only” completely one sided.

    MiriPanda
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Helping an employee with a new job by giving them excellent recommendations is great - going behind their back is not, it is belittling. Thank you very much, but I am not a toddler who needs a helping hand getting out of the stroller... If you as my current boss feel the need to interfere with my professional life - TALK TO ME FIRST!

    Glirpy
    Community Member
    3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Employee: "Well, I hope you don't mind, but I took the initiative and I called your wife to tell her you've been cheating on her with 3 of the employees that work for you. I felt as though you've maxed out the number of employees you should be having relations with. I think you can push yourself harder and expand your horizons if you get a divorce." ... Boss: "Don't you think you should have discussed this with me first?" ... Employee: "Huh? Why?"

    Load More Comments
    Related on Bored Panda
    Related on Bored Panda
    Trending on Bored Panda
    Also on Bored Panda