#06: Emotional support

HERE!! Here's the link for you to share your Agency Horror Story. TL;DR: What happens when human needs collide with agency budgets? We talk AI at work, planning for life’s hard moments, and a team that showed up when a colleague was grieving. Hola amigos! What happens when someone faces grief or depression, but the work still needs to get done? We talk about caring for people while protecting the business. AI Obsession: From human support to AI agents We loved Oliva, a workplace benefit that offered therapy, coaching, workshops, and guidance for managers dealing with difficult situations. It helped our team navigate the emotional impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, too. Now, Oliva seems to have moved towards AI agents on Slack. We don’t know exactly what the new product does, but the idea of AI checking employees’ energy levels or productivity feels very Black Mirror. We also discuss layoffs during mental health struggles, health issues, or pregnancy — even at huge companies. Kids with a Wallet: Can agencies budget for being human? Small agencies may have only one person covering a role. If they need time off, how can the business support them without risking client work? Should agencies forecast for mental health support and major life events, just as they plan for seasonality and PTO? Pilar: Freelancing can offer freedom, but it also shifts the burden onto individuals. If you don’t work, you don’t invoice — and time off, healthcare, and parental leave become your own problem to solve. We can’t predict every crisis, but companies can plan for bereavement, maternity, paternity, and other major events — and set aside money to make those policies meaningful. If we have that to be able to get to our deadlines with clients, why don’t we have that to support our employees? (Mila) With the resources, supporting people is a choice about the kind of company you want to build. Confession Booth: When the team shows up Mila shares a story about a colleague whose father was dying of cancer. After using all her PTO, she wanted to spend time with him. Her manager agreed on a minimal workload, while the team and freelancers covered the rest. The manager was honest about what the company could offer, and the team made sure not to pressure her. Pilar: The story felt like a community effort: the team came together to cover for someone who needed support. We ended on a hopeful note: if a team can deliver great work together, it can support each other when life gets hard. Have an Agency Horror Story of your own? Send us a voice note, text, or video through the link in the show notes. Positive stories are welcome, too. Timestamps 00:02 Intro 00:45 LinkedIn Crush/Cringe/Crash 02:56 LinkedIn Crush: Bereave 05:32 Introducing emotional support 10:32 The cost of ignoring mental health 15:56 AI Obsession 16:02 Oliva and workplace mental health 18:45 Therapy, coaching, and AI agents 20:44 The Black Mirror workplace 23:49 Kids with a Wallet 24:08 Can small agencies afford to care? 26:58 Forecasting for mental health support 28:00 The contractor model and lost benefits 31:32 Planning in an unpredictable market 33:03 Policies for life’s big events 35:08 Bereavement leave and financial planning 37:13 Backup freelancers for employees, too 37:51 Confession Booth 38:14 Send us your Agency Horror Stories 38:40 Mila’s story of a colleague’s grief 40:26 A manager who made it work 41:26 Building a culture of mutual support 42:51 Ending on a hopeful note 43:35 Outro and listener reviews 44:40 Post-outro chat