Manager Tells Employee To Destroy And Shred Files During The Notice Period, Regrets It Later
The true powerhouse of an office isn’t the president or CFO; it’s their assistant. While the higher-ups enjoy the spotlight, they’re often caught up in phone calls and meetings. Their assistants, on the other hand, are the ones orchestrating these interactions, drafting follow-up emails, answering calls, arranging lunches and coffees, and sometimes even managing aspects of their bosses’ personal lives. These administrative assistants are a formidable presence: they stay organized and composed under pressure, handling a demanding job with finesse.
In today’s story, around 20 years ago, u/MrsTurtlebones worked as an administrative assistant to the Training Director, facing challenges when the CFO questioned the department’s value. Layoffs, including her director, left her anticipating her own exit. When she was let go by a dismissive VP, she diligently followed instructions to clear her workload, including deleting files and shredding paperwork. Despite this, she found a new role within the company and received multiple requests for assistance from her former department, where her absence caused operational gaps.
Continue scrolling down to delve into the full story.
Source: Reddit
1. Administrative assistant deletes and shreds all their files after being instructed to “get rid of it.”
2. Twenty years ago, OP worked as an administrative assistant to the Training Director at a company. The CFO, for reasons unknown, had a grudge against the director and their entire department, as he didn’t see any value in their work.
3. The company faced financial difficulties and laid off a significant number of staff, including OP’s director. Realizing her position was redundant, OP anticipated her layoff.
4. When it was OP’s turn to be laid off, the VP was not unkind but was dismissively unaware of her critical role.
5. Today, such reports could be managed easily with the right software, but back then, they were more challenging. OP’s responsibilities also included managing vendor contacts and contracts, as well as organizing employee travel for various conferences.
6. VP casually assured OP not to worry and told her to use her two weeks’ notice to dispose of everything. Annoyed but compliant, OP deleted all files, shredded unnecessary paperwork, and cleared out all her contact information.
7. Surprisingly, despite the layoff, OP secured a new job within the same company and still hold that position.
8. This is relevant to her story because staying at the same company meant OP received numerous phone calls and emails from the VP and retained staff, seeking guidance on several tasks.
9. In OP’s new position, which involves constant customer contact, she wasn’t supposed to be on the phone much. This allowed her to respond, each time with gentle and innocent puzzlement.
10. Rest assured, OP did not destroy company information or do anything illegal or unethical. OP’s friends in the old department laughed at how the VP and her team had to recreate everything.
Now that you have read the story, it’s time for you to see what Redditors had to say about this. Read till the end to see what are other people’s opinions on this.
11. One can imagine the CEO’s reaction upon discovering what the VP instructed OP to do!!
12. The pure professionalism shown by politely refusing to fix their mess is commendable.
13. Surprisingly, the VP didn’t lie about the directives, though it would have been wise for OP to have those instructions in writing and notarized.
14. It’s astonishing that people in these high positions don’t bother to understand the workload. They often overlook critical details despite their roles.
15. OP made the right choice by complying, even though it was challenging.
16. Another Redditor shared a story about how his wife was hired for a job and let go the same day she finished digitizing their entire file cabinet. She deleted everything before leaving because they didn’t ask for the files before laying her off.
17. Unfortunately, when times get tough, training is often the first to be cut, followed closely by quality assurance.
18. This highlights why managers, especially new ones, can be dangerous. They make decisions without fully understanding the situation.
19. Implementing a testing system to identify and eliminate bad managers could prevent this kind of damage. Ensuring competence before they take on responsibilities is crucial.
20. Not Assistant Training Director but assistant to the Training Director!!
In a twist of fate, the OP’s compliance with the VP’s directive to purge files led to unexpected outcomes. Despite being laid off, she found new opportunities within the same company, where her skills and knowledge were suddenly in high demand. This experience not only highlighted the importance of clear communication and understanding in leadership but also underscored the value of foresight and professional integrity. Do share your thoughts in the comments section below.
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