In Michigan, a web developer named Madalyn Parker decided that she wanted to take a few days off work to focus on her mental health. So she sent an email to her colleagues to tell them honestly why she needed a few days to take time off and address her problems. But then she received an email from the CEO of the company and was touched by its contents. She was so moved that she decided to share the email on her social media.
According to Parker, she suffers from depression, and on really bad days, it inhibits her performance at work and stops her from being productive. That’s why she decided that it was better to just take a few days off and address her mental health issues before it interfered more with her work. She was surprised that she got a response from Ben Congleton, the CEO of the company she works for, Olark. The email read:
“Hey, Madalyn. I just wanted to personally thank you for sending emails like this. Every time you do, I use it as a reminder of the importance of using sick days for mental health — I can’t believe this is not standard practice at all organizations. You are an example to us all, and help cut through the stigma so we can all bring out whole selves to work.” Parker was so touched that she shared the email on her twitter feed. The tweet has gone viral and has gotten more than 40,000 likes, with most people praising Congleton for his remarkable understanding. Olark is a live chat software provider.
