(in which I almost sent an email to my husband’s boss for overworking him)
Dear Mr. K,
This is Raindrops, wife of your colleague Y writing in to you. I got your email from Y’s phone.
Y is not aware of this email. Please pardon the subterfuge, but I wanted to share something that is disturbing me deeply.
Let me get straight to the point.
When Y joined your team, he was excited to work with you and learn and contribute in a new, interesting domain. He looks up to you as an individual, and as a professional, applauds your passion and commitment to your work.
However, since the time he has joined your team, Y has been working over 13 hours every day. He does not smoke (thank god for big mercies)…so unlike others he doesn’t take frequent breaks, does not eat in time and gets zero time to exercise. Needless to say, this kind of lifestyle is extremely unhealthy.
While I have been supportive of all his career choices, and Y has always been a workaholic, I am extremely distressed by the work culture in your team. Do you think that working such long hours will bring forth any fresh ideas? People will turn into brain-dead zombies, if they continue like this.
From what Y tells me, I believe that you are a brilliant person, a go-getter who is married to his work.
But Y is married to me, and is a father to a 6-year-old child. We need him to be healthy, hale and hearty and ALIVE.
I am sure Y will gain career accolades by working with you, but I don’t want them to be posthumous.
I request you to consider having more streamlined work hours. As a leader, I am sure it is to your benefit that your team stays active, alert and healthy.
Y rarely complains, and I am solely responsible for this email. I hope you will take my email in the right spirit.
He is happy with his new role, and I do not want to push him for a job change.
Thank you for reading. Hoping for some positive action from your end,
Regards,
Raindrops
I obviously did not send this email.. But how I wish I could!
Sob 😩