Employee's Way of 'Breaking' Boss With Emails Leaves Internet Thrilled

Newsweek

04-06-2025

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A post detailing one employee's subtle act of workplace defiance has resonated with thousands on Reddit, offering a glimpse into how workers are reclaiming emotional boundaries amid toxic leadership.
The post was shared by Reddit user u/maybebats*** in the r/pettyrevenge subreddit. The post has received more than 30,000 upvotes and hundreds of comments since it was shared on June 3.
"My mom died last month, and my boss was a real dick about the whole situation," the poster wrote. "He's always been hard to work for, but he actually told me to get over it because her death was creating extra work for him. That was the straw and this camel's back broke. I can't quit my job, but I'm taking steps to move to a better role and I know I need to keep the peace until then."
Rather than confronting the boss directly, the Reddit user chose a quieter form of protest—removing all exclamation marks from emails addressed to their supervisor. "I always start emails with a positive first sentence. Something like a simple 'Good morning!' or 'I hope you're having a nice day!' I still do this on emails to my boss, but I have omitted exclamation points entirely," they wrote.
The poster said: "I've been here over a decade so it's extremely noticeable to anyone who works with me closely and it's driving him crazy. His messages seem frazzled and he's frantically using exclamation points in every email, something he has never done before. It's so stupid but I can tell it's breaking him."
Thirty-one percent of American workers were reported to have a boss who has "exhibited toxic behavior," while 71 percent said they have had at least one "toxic boss" during their career, according to a September 2023 survey published by The Harris Poll.
Stock image: A woman types on a laptop computer at a desk in an office setting.
Stock image: A woman types on a laptop computer at a desk in an office setting.
Getty
'It's Self-Preservation'
Experts say the viral post underscores a broader reckoning with how grief and emotional labor are treated in professional settings.
Dana Mahina, a leadership coach and founder of Bloom Women's Group Coaching, told Newsweek: "This story perfectly illustrates why so many people are burned out and disengaged at work. When leaders treat employees as productivity machines rather than whole humans, they create environments where people do the bare minimum—professionally and emotionally."
Mahina described the Reddit poster's move not as petty, but strategic. "The employee's quiet rebellion isn't petty—it's self-preservation. And honestly? It's working. Sometimes, the most-powerful response to toxic behavior is to simply stop feeding it with your energy," she said.
Mahina added that such actions are a method of boundary-setting, especially when direct confrontation or quitting is not an option. Mahina noted that the boss's reaction validates the poster's instincts. "The brilliance of this approach? It's completely professional while being quietly subversive. The employee is still doing their job, still being polite, but they've withdrawn their emotional labor—and it's driving their boss crazy because he can sense something has shifted."
'A Risky Strategy'
However, Veronica Lichtenstein, a licensed mental health counselor, told Newsweek that this approach comes with risks.
Lichtenstein said: "While this tactic might feel satisfying in the short term, it's a risky strategy for someone who still wants a promotion or to maintain professionalism. Emails are permanent records, and passive aggression—even in punctuation—can backfire."
Lichtenstein added that the gesture, while minor, could alter perceptions in the workplace. "If the boss notices the shift and perceives it as hostility, it could reinforce a negative dynamic—exactly what the employee wants to avoid while job searching. Worse, it might inadvertently paint the employee as the problem in conflicts, rather than the boss whose dismissive behavior started the tension."
Still, Lichtenstein acknowledged the root issue wasn't punctuation. "Exclamation points aren't the real issue here. The deeper problem is a toxic work environment where an employee feels compelled to weaponize tone because their boss lacks basic empathy."
Mahina added: "This employee experienced one of life's most devastating losses, and their boss essentially told them their grief was inconvenient. That's not just poor leadership—that's dehumanizing."
'Good Petty Revenge'
The post struck a chord with many Reddit users who applauded the subtle defiance.
"This is such a good petty revenge. He can't legitimately complain because you aren't doing anything wrong, but it is driving him nuts. I love it!" wrote u/Ill_Industry6452.
Another user, u/the_greek_italian, commented: "I love how this small thing is so noticeable that it's literally making him stressed via computer."
"Keep it up. You are doing exactly what he deserves," noted U/Wanderstern, while u/busyshrew posted: "OMG [oh my God] I laughed too hard at this … I like your style."
U/ZanteTheInfernal added: "Next time he wants you to do something email him back with a lowercase 'sure' no punctuation."
Newsweek has contacted the original poster for comment via the Reddit messaging system.
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