‘Lost one of our best employees’: Co-founder admits mistake after top performer quits job over denied WFH request

Conversations around remote work and flexibility have not slowed down, even years after companies began reopening offices. For many employees, the debate is no longer about convenience but about trust and autonomy. A recent post by Dubai-based entrepreneur Malik A. has added fresh fuel to that discussion after he admitted losing one of his strongest team members over a denied work-from-home request.

Malik, co-founder of Virtualpartner, shared the experience on LinkedIn, reflecting on a decision he once believed was necessary for maintaining order.

A Small ‘No’ With Bigger Consequences

In his post, he wrote, “I lost one of our best employees over a work from home request. The employee asked if she could work remotely on Fridays. But I said no. Her work was mostly independent anyway.”
At the time, he said he was worried about setting a precedent. “I thought if I said yes everyone would ask. The office would be empty on Fridays. It would spiral out of control.” The employee did not push back. “The employee didn’t argue. Just said okay,” he recalled.

Two months later, she resigned.

During the exit process, the Friday refusal resurfaced. “In the exit interview, she mentioned the Friday thing. She said it wasn’t the main reason but it was the moment she realized that I didn’t trust her.”
Only then did he understand what he had overlooked. She had been commuting two hours each way, and Fridays were particularly exhausting due to traffic. “Turns out she’d been commuting two hours each way. Friday traffic was the worst. One remote day would’ve changed everything for her.”

Fear of Chaos vs Reality

Looking back, Malik admitted the refusal was driven by a hypothetical concern. “I said no because of a problem that didn’t even exist yet.”

Since then, he has changed his stance. “Now I approve every reasonable flexibility request. And guess what? The office didn’t fall apart. People didn’t abuse it. They just work better.”

He added, “Sometimes what we think will create chaos actually creates loyalty.”

Social Media Weighs In

The post triggered wide engagement from professionals across industries.

Some pointed out that companies often begin listening only after someone resigns, while earlier concerns go unnoticed. Others stressed that flexibility is more about trust than policy.

An AI and automation leader, remarked that rules are often created for people leaders do not trust, while what truly matters is performance. He suggested that the fear of an empty office is often exaggerated, and that autonomy can drive stronger accountability.

From an HR lens, one person commented that a small refusal can signal a deeper lack of trust. She noted that when flexibility is paired with accountability, it builds loyalty instead of disorder.

Several professionals also questioned the idea that physical presence equals productivity. Rodrigo Lavrador observed that a full office is not a performance metric and that outcomes should carry more weight than visibility.

Malik later clarified that the initial decision was made to preserve consistency, but growth came from adapting once real evidence showed otherwise.