A top boss at Auckland ferry company Fullers has come under fire after sending a scathing 3am message to her staff, telling them to "go do something else" if they're not committed to the company.
Fleet operations manager Megan Watson vented her frustrations early in the morning about how "sad and exhausted" she is following staff complaints that "we should be back to normal".
"Let's be clear - it is not business as normal. We are not running the same schedule or numbers as last year - anyone who thinks o\r [sic] says we are is in lala land," she wrote in an internal communication which has been publicly shared.
"Please come see me and share your data if you think this is possible - I will be fascinated."
Watson said she was sick of being "berated daily" and questioned the lack of appreciation for the management team.
"We are tired and sad - as we spend most of our time working to keep you in a job," she said
"We, as an engagement team have been berated, taken to HR, the CEO etc etc. I have had enough of this. We should be working together to make the best of this - not expecting our lives and work to be exactly the same as it was pre worldwide pandemic."
She said the company would continue to be "in a state of flux" and told people to let her know if they were in it for the long-haul.
"I get it - if you aren't up for it - cool - go do something else - otherwise stay and work with us for a future - be on the journey."
After the message was sent, it was shared in the Fair Go Fullers Facebook group, where it drew widespread criticism.
"It is unfortunately aimed at the crew. Not sure what she was thinking. They treat their staff badly and expect them to respond to this?" one person commented.
"Poor staff! That's not fair to dump on what are clearly stressed tired people. Imagine waking up to go to work and reading that diatribe?" another said.
However Watson also had her supporters.
"Nicely said Megan; people need to pull their head in and understand that certain things/situations is beyond Fullers crew and management control," one wrote.
In a statement to Newshub, CEO Mike Horne said the Fullers 360 board and leadership are disappointed by the email as it was not aligned with their values and culture.
"We are working to resolve the situation and provide the appropriate support."
He said his entire team has been working under "significant pressure" during the COVID-19 pandemic and "have maintained great courage and passion for their roles at an unprecedented time".
"The dedication of our staff has enabled Fullers360 to continue to deliver services through all alert levels, despite the inherent risk this posed to their own personal health, and we applaud them for that.
"There is a desire for us to return our services to pre-COVID levels, however, an instant return to pre-COVID services would put our recovery, and the ferry network we provide, at risk.
"It is critical to plan for a long-term, sustainable service, which includes bringing services back on stream as passenger numbers make them viable. We want to assure our customers that our team is unwavering in their pursuit to deliver a frequent and resilient service to island communities."