For six years, I took pride in being a manager who was fair and consistent, always enforcing company policies. When Celia was late for the third time in one month, I felt compelled to let her go. She accepted her termination quietly, without protest.
However, later I overheard colleagues talking about Celia’s personal hardships. She was struggling to balance raising her young son while traveling across town to access necessary resources. Realizing I had acted too hastily, I sought her out, eventually finding her in a parking lot. I apologized sincerely and offered her the job back, along with assistance in connecting her to local support services.
Gradually, things began to improve for her—she secured a new apartment, received a modest pay increase, and was able to access community resources. A few weeks later, Celia expressed her gratitude, not just for the job, but for seeing her as more than just an employee.
This experience taught me an invaluable lesson: while rules are important, showing kindness and empathy often makes a greater impact.
