Not long ago our pet died. They had been a loved member of our family for a long while and I was inconsolable.

I told my boss by sending them a text message on the weekend (we had put our pet down on a Friday evening) and the reply was almost instant. They told me how sincerely sorry they were and that if I needed to talk, I only had to call. They said they understood how sorrowful the death of an animal can be and told me they didn’t expect me to be at work on Monday. They said if I needed to be away longer, or just had to work entirely from home for a while, I should do it without any qualms.

I compare this with a similar experience my friend had seeking just an hour away from work to say goodbye to a pet – and the horrible response she received from her boss. I know not everyone is lucky to have a boss as kind as mine, but shouldn’t everyone have a boss with at least some empathy?

It’s unrealistic to think every single manager can and will, if given the chance, become as commendably humane and sensitive as yours.Credit: John Shakespeare

I’m so glad you wrote to me. I don’t mean that in a general, “thank you for your correspondence” kind of way. I........

© The Sydney Morning Herald