work from home policies: Employee takes WFH within a week of joining without informing boss on an overseas business trip – Internet says she crossed boundaries
Starting a new job is always delicate. New team, new manager, new expectations. One wrong move can feel bigger than it actually is, and for one sales employee, a single work-from-home decision spiraled into a full-blown internet debate about professionalism and trust.
The employee shared her story on Reddit after realizing she may have made a poor first impression just days into joining a restructured team.
ALSO READ: Who is Jesse Strang? In the Tumbler Ridge shooting, the transgender identity of alleged suspect sparks online firestorm
What Exactly Happened?
The employee works in sales, in a role that requires five days a week in the office. However, occasional work-from-home (WFH) days are allowed if someone is unwell or needs flexibility.
Just a week into her new team, she decided to work from home without informing her manager. Her reasoning? Her manager was traveling overseas for business the entire week, and she assumed it wouldn’t matter.
But things didn’t go as expected. Her manager unexpectedly held a virtual meeting that day and realized she wasn’t in the office. He questioned why she hadn’t informed him. That’s when it hit her, she may have miscalculated badly.
ALSO READ: Google offers voluntary exit packages to employees as company ramps up AI strategy
Already feeling uneasy because of the recent team restructuring, she worried she was now “off to a bad start.” In her post, she even hinted at updating her resume, resigned to what she believed might be damaged trust.
How Did the Internet React?
The reactions were swift and blunt. Many commenters felt she had crossed professional boundaries, especially given how new she was to the team. Several pointed out that joining a team requires building trust, not testing flexibility.
One commenter asked bluntly whether this was her “first big boy/girl job,” calling the move “completely unacceptable.” Another said managers would now likely be “hella suspicious” until trust was rebuilt.
The most common theme? Communication.
Redditors repeatedly emphasized that it takes only seconds to send a quick email or message informing a manager about working remotely. Some noted that the fact her boss was traveling made communication even more important, not less.
Others were less harsh but still clear: own the mistake. Apologize. Rebuild trust. Move forward.
A few offered practical advice, suggesting she frame it honestly: explain that in her previous role WFH norms were more relaxed, acknowledge the assumption, and promise not to repeat it.
The overwhelming consensus wasn’t that she should lose her job, but that she had dented trust early on.
ALSO READ: Employee quits on the spot after raise request, then wonders if he overreacted – Internet weighs in
Why Did This Strike a Nerve?
The situation tapped into a broader workplace tension: flexibility versus accountability. In many companies, remote work policies vary by team and manager. What’s acceptable in one role may be frowned upon in another. But most professionals agree that early days in a new position are critical for establishing reliability.
Reddit users pointed out that trust, once shaken, takes time to rebuild. As one commenter put it, it takes one act to damage trust and many more to restore it.
The employee herself admitted fault in the thread, responding to criticism with, “That’s fair, no excuses. Have to face the consequences now.” That willingness to take responsibility softened some of the criticism.
ALSO READ: Who is Chloe Kim’s boyfriend? Here’s all about NFL star Myles Garrett and their relationship details
Can This Be Salvaged?
Most commenters believed yes. The suggested path forward was simple: acknowledge the lapse in judgment, apologize sincerely, and communicate proactively going forward. No defensiveness. No excuses.
Managers value reliability. A single misstep rarely ends a career, but how someone responds to that misstep often matters more.
This wasn’t a story about remote work abuse, it was about assumptions and communication. In a new job, even small decisions can carry weight. The internet may have been tough on her, but the takeaway was clear that when in doubt, send the message.
ALSO READ: Word of the Day: Paradigm
FAQs
Did the employee get fired?
There’s no indication she was fired. She posted about the incident shortly after it happened and was mainly worried about damaging trust.
Why were people so critical?
As she was new to the team and failed to communicate. Many felt that early in a role, over-communication is safer than assumptions.
