This is one of the more “tame” headlines I’ve come across related to the passing of BB&B’s CFO, by suicide.
Instead if you go do a search on Gustavo’s name – terms like “leaped” or “plunged,” from a “luxury building” are used to gain eyeballs. 1) it’s more graphic & triggering, 2) it once again implies choice.
Here are the background facts we’ve learned about this tragedy:
1) Ton of stressful events going on in his life: BB&B said last Wednesday that it will be laying off approximately 20% of its corporate employees, closing around 150 stores, & slashing several of its in-house home goods brands. Not easy for a CFO to handle. All those folks no longer on the payroll his dept. writes the checks for.
On top of this, personally, w his own moves he’s made: Gustavo was named as a defendant in a class action lawsuit accusing him & other large shareholders of engaging in a “pump & dump” scheme to artificially inflate the price of the company’s stock.
2) He had just been around his wife & said nothing abt how he was feeling or showed any signs, according to her.
3) He did not leave a note.
This, would appear to be a textbook example of the impulse error message that can form from the build up of stress &/or trauma, leading to these magnetic pulls towards self harm.
A wealthy family man, a successful one, living in an extremely nice building, seemingly “having it all”…& now he’s gone.
It should not be lost on us that this tragedy happened: in Suicide Prevention Awareness Month & on Labor Day Weekend – to a corporate exec at a major company.
So much of the American work culture needs changing. I’m not denying that we have a lot of entitled folks looking for work only on their terms, more than ever before…but we also have a long history of corporations in this country who AT BEST check the box on employee wellness (& many who do nothing at all for MH).
It’s not a nice to have – it’s a NEED to have element of our businesses. RIP Gustavo.