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Digital Boss

Let's not forget there are real humans behind the screen.

By Alessandra CombattiPublished 3 years ago 4 min read
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Digital Boss
Photo by Hunters Race on Unsplash

Six months ago, I started a new job as an administrative assistant. I had two bosses, one was Giacomo, and the other was Davide, together, they had a Real Estate Company. My job consisted of working on the company's administration: databases, spreadsheets, and Microsoft excel sheets. It was a work from home job, and I was a part-time employee.

Since July, I used to meet with Davide once a week through Google meet. In our video call meetings, he explained to me the tasks that I had to work on, the steps I needed to do, and the process I had to follow. The meetings were very satisfactory, and never last more than 3o minutes, pretty reasonable.

He was very strict on how we wanted the things done, and he only wanted to do the things on his way. Even though I had other ways to do it, I always followed him and agreed with him. The job was easy, but it required a lot of concentration and patience. A lot of times, he challenged me to do a task in a specific amount of time, and if I wasn't perming well, he always noticed it.

I never met Davide in person, we were in different cities, so we always met online. We used to communicate through iMessage, mail, and video calls. I checked my inbox every day only to see if I had any messages from him. I was very responsible for my job, and I wanted him to notice that. Davide was smart and accountable. Probably that's why I got to appreciate him so much. Every Friday, at the same time, he sent me my weekly payment through Venmo.

In August 2020, I left my full-time job to spend a few months with my boyfriend in Europe. Since I had an online part-time job with Davide, I was able to travel and work at the same time with a small earning entering my pocket every week. We are currently in December 2020, and for six months, I lived with the part-time salary of my online job.

I used an online service that helped me perform my job better. Monday, November 30th, 2020, I noticed the service had expired, and I had to renew it again. Before doing so, I sent him an email with the progress of my work. I was waiting for him to respond to resume the service so I would continue working, but he never answered. It seemed off because he always responded immediately.

On Tuesday, December 1st, 2020, Giacomo, his partner, sent me a message, indicating me to stop the job I was doing for Davide and that he will explain later through a telephone call.

A few hours later, Giacomo called me. He told me that Davide had died. "He was found dead in his apartment"; "We don't know what happened to him, but he was getting a divorce and wasn't doing well," he said. I had no words.

I never met him in person, but I felt like I have. What an awful feeling, my heart wrinkled, I felt guilty. I talked with him every week and never noticed he wasn't doing well. I could have helped him, but I didn't. I never spoke with him about his personal life, we always talked about work, and that's it.

Davide was Italian, a man with a strong character. He reminded me of my father because of the way he talked to me and the way he used to express himself. During the six months, I saw him as a strong, successful, and independent man.

For six months, I communicate with Davide every week. Now, he is not there anymore. Even though he was only my boss, he was a great boss, believed in me, and often complimented me and my job.

I could have connected more with him, became friends. Sometimes I forgot a human being was behind the screen, a human with problems, insecurities, and fears.

I will no longer have a part-time job. Now, I have to delete every file on my computer and find something else to do. It is so strange to lose your job because your boss had died, and not because you quit or fired.

I will remember my digital boss forever. In this time of recession where work is most appreciate, I thank him for teaching me so many things, challenge me, and allow me to show him and myself how good and responsible I can be.

We must care and appreciate the people that surround us; the ones who are in our everyday lives, and the ones who are behind a screen. We never know what a person is going through in their life. Therefore, we must connect with people, show them we care for them, appreciate them, and have real connections with people through the screens. Since I did not have a chance to say goodbye, and the only thing I have to say to Davide is thank you, rest in peace.

humanity
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About the Creator

Alessandra Combatti

Building new habits

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